Most violations of the UCMJ are also crimes in most states. In the case of most offenses, you will be subject to court martial rather than civilian court if you are accused of a crime when you were not on the base, whether it is sexual assault, drug possession, wire fraud, or almost any other crime.
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U.S. Army announces mandatory COVID vaccine for soldiers
On 14 September, the U.S. Army announced its implementation of the Secretary of Defense's order to vaccinate all military service members against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Full vaccination of active duty units is expected by 15 December 2021; Reserve and National Guard Units by 30 June 2022. Accomp...
Department of the Navy establishes deadline for vaccination
On 30 August 2021, the U.S. Navy announced its plan for implementing full COVID-19 vaccination of its service members in compliance with the DoD's mandate. Secretary Del Toro declared the order to obtain full vaccination a lawful order and the refusal to comply would constitute a violation of Ar...
What do Trial Lawyers do?
We help the people that have been neglected, left out, and desperate, and we give them life when everybody else has left them for dead.
Why Hire a Civilian Attorney?
EXPERIENCED MILITARY LAW ATTORNEY SERVING ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL WORLDWIDE. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL. When your future military career and opportunities in civilian life hang in the balance, you deserve the loyal and independent legal advice and representation of an experienced military law attorney who...
Nude Marine Pictures - Who is This Culprit?
The story of Marines (mostly male) publishing online images of other Marines nude (mostly female) begs questions. Investigation into the facts reveals that most of the photos were given up voluntarily by the subjects, and thus like these knucklehead male Marines who send so-called “dick pics”, on...
Army General Admits to Long Term Adulterous Affair
After an anonymous tip was made to the Pentagons inspector general regarding long term extramarital affairs conducted by Army Maj. Gen. David Haight, his 30-year career in the Army was brought to an abrupt end. An investigation gave rise to allegations that Haight had maintained an 11-year adult...
How TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Can Be a Defense
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a medical diagnosis that you have seen in the news lately. The NFL has put new regulations in place regarding their football players and head trauma. There have been many military personnel injured overseas in battle or in explosions from rocket attacks, IEDs, or o...
US Marine Major Mark Thompson Vilified: Convicted for Consensual Sex
After accusations of serious crimes and getting charged with aggravated assault and rape, Marine Major Mark Thompson was acquitted. Yet Thompson was convicted on lesser charges such as “disobeying an order,” “indecent acts,” and “conduct unbecoming an officer.” He was sentenced to 60 days in jail...
High Ranking Military Officers Charged With Sex Crimes
Colonel and Generals, Admirals and sea going Captains commit sex crimes? This is no surprise to many who have served, and perhaps suspected by many in the public. What may not be known is how often the high ranking are treated differently than their subordinates. Here the Washington Post takes n...
The Case of Marine Major Mark Thompson: a Tragedy and a Travesty
Mark Thompson was a Marines Marine. Prior enlisted, his officer assignments included posting at the U.S. Naval Academy for which he, like all assigned to the “Boat School” required intense screening for character and competence. That all came crashing down when two women who were midshipmen, i.e...
If Charged With An Offense Involving a Minor, Do You Have to Know the Age of the Minor To Be Guilty?
Bottom line up front: like a lot of questions in the law, the answer is, it depends. In March 2016, our highest military appeals court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, dealt with an Army Second Infantry Division regulation that prohibited providing alcohol to fellow Soldiers unde...
Soldiers, Sailors, Coasties, Airmen, and Marines Beware: First Sergeants, Master Chiefs, PEBLOs, and Ombudsmen; They are not attorneys, though they profess to know the law
Accused of misconduct? Under investigation? Pending charges? Often folks who have not experienced it, will tell you, “Well, I would just tell the truth.” “Own up to it.” “You look guilty if you do not cooperate.” Or, my personal favorite, “Hiring an attorney makes you look guilty.” To quot...
Is Engaging in "Unprotected Sex" an Aggravated Assault if the Accused is HIV Positive?
In February 2016, our highest military appeals court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, will address that very question in the Atchak and Young cases; two appeals from the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. In both cases, the accused airman was HIV positive, had sex with anot...
The FBI Was in the Business of Running a Child Pornography Website
For two weeks in 2015, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was actively aiding and abetting the distribution of child pornography from a server it maintained from the end of February to the beginning of March 2015. The site was called “Playpen, and it is estimated that 215,000 persons were given ...
Should Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl be Vilified?
This past Tuesday 12 January, U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl sat attentive before military judge Colonel Jeffery Nance as the latter presided over the second Article 39a, or pretrial, session in Sergeant Bergdahls pending general court-martial. Judge Nance reviewed the schedule to trial in Aug...