Fairchild Air Force Base sits 12 miles west of Spokane, Washington, and serves as the largest KC-135 Stratotanker operating location in the United States Air Force. The installation is home to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, which provides air refueling, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation in support of conventional operations and strategic deterrence missions worldwide. Fairchild also hosts the Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) school, the only survival training schoolhouse in the Air Force, which trains more than 12,500 aircrew members and SERE specialists every year. Together, these missions create a high-security, high-accountability environment where criminal allegations carry consequences that extend well beyond the courtroom. An airman facing an OSI investigation or UCMJ action at Fairchild needs a military defense attorney who understands what is at stake at this installation.
Joseph L. Jordan, attorney at law, is a former Army JAG officer who has represented more than 1,000 service members and tried over 250 courts-martial at installations worldwide. With over 20 years of military law experience , he has been featured on Fox News, ABC, Anderson Cooper, and in the Wall Street Journal. His results at Fairchild AFB include Article 121 and Article 132 charges DROPPED for a TSgt. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
The 336th Training Group operates the Air Force SERE school from Fairchild AFB, running a demanding 19-day course that includes wilderness survival, evasion techniques, resistance training, and a simulated prisoner-of-war camp on a remote corner of the base. In addition to on-base facilities, SERE training uses over 500,000 acres of rugged terrain in the Colville and Kaniksu National Forests north of Spokane for wilderness survival exercises. The program trains aircrew, battlefield airmen, and SERE specialists to survive behind enemy lines and resist enemy interrogation.
The nature of SERE training creates a legal environment unlike any other Air Force installation. Instructors operate under strict rules governing physical contact during resistance training scenarios, and the line between authorized training pressure and alleged misconduct can become blurred. Instructor-student allegations at the SERE school may involve claims of excessive force during resistance training, inappropriate contact, or abuse of authority in a controlled environment designed to simulate captivity. These allegations are extraordinarily sensitive because the training itself involves authorized physical and psychological stress. Defending against such charges requires a lawyer who can distinguish between approved training methodology and conduct that genuinely exceeds authorized limits.
SERE instructors and students who face allegations arising from training scenarios need representation that accounts for the classified and compartmentalized nature of the program. Standard defense approaches are insufficient when the facts involve controlled training environments, classified techniques, and witnesses whose own conduct during the exercise is relevant to the case. A civilian defense attorney operating outside the chain of command can investigate the circumstances without the command pressures that affect military-appointed counsel.
The 92nd Air Refueling Wing is the host unit at Fairchild and operates the largest fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft in the Air Force. The wing’s four flying squadrons, the 92nd, 93rd, 97th, and 384th Air Refueling Squadrons, provide the core air refueling capability that keeps fighters, bombers, and command-and-control aircraft in the air during both conventional and nuclear deterrence operations. The wing demonstrated this readiness during Exercise Titan Fury 24-2, when Fairchild airmen generated KC-135 crews to refuel U.S. Strategic Command-assigned strategic bomber and command-and-control aircraft, proving the installation’s role in the nation’s nuclear deterrence posture.
The 141st Air Refueling Wing of the Washington Air National Guard also operates KC-135R aircraft from Fairchild as an associate unit, sharing aircraft and facilities with the active-duty wing. This total force integration means that both active-duty airmen and Air National Guard members serve alongside one another and face the same UCMJ authority when allegations arise. Guard members activated under federal orders are subject to military law, and a criminal charge or investigation at Fairchild can affect both their military career and their civilian employment.
For aircrew members, the consequences of a criminal charge extend beyond punishment. Pilots, boom operators, and flight engineers hold security clearances and flight certifications that are essential to the tanker mission. An OSI investigation alone, even without formal charges, can trigger a security clearance review or a suspension from flight duties. Losing a clearance or flight status effectively ends an aviation career regardless of the outcome at trial. The same applies to maintenance personnel who require access to classified aircraft systems and restricted areas on the flight line.
Fairchild traces its origins to 1942, when the War Department selected a site west of Spokane for the Spokane Army Air Depot. The military chose Spokane over Seattle and Everett because of its favorable weather, its location 300 miles from the coast, and the natural barrier provided by the Cascade Mountain range against potential attack from the Pacific. Local citizens and businesses purchased 1,400 acres and donated the land to the War Department, and the government allocated $14 million for additional land and construction. During World War II, the depot rebuilt engines and repaired aircraft damaged in Pacific Theater combat.
After the war, the installation transferred to Strategic Air Command in 1947 and was renamed Spokane Air Force Base in 1948. In 1950, the base was renamed Fairchild Air Force Base in honor of General Muir S. Fairchild, a Washington native who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force before his death that year. During the Cold War, the 92nd Bombardment Wing served as part of the nation’s nuclear deterrent force, and the 567th Strategic Missile Squadron operated Atlas ICBM sites from the installation. The SERE school moved to Fairchild in 1966. On July 1, 1994, the 92nd Bombardment Wing was redesignated the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, and Fairchild transferred from Air Combat Command to Air Mobility Command, becoming the largest air refueling wing in the Air Force.
Airmen at Fairchild face the full range of UCMJ charges, and several categories arise with particular frequency at this installation:
Sexual assault under Article 120. Sexual assault allegations receive priority investigation and prosecution across the Air Force. At Fairchild, these allegations may involve incidents in on-base housing, the Spokane metropolitan area, or the training environment itself. A military sexual assault defense attorney with trial experience can evaluate the evidence, identify weaknesses in the government’s case, and build an effective defense strategy.
Drug offenses. Drug charges are career-ending for aircrew and support personnel at Fairchild. Washington State legalized recreational marijuana, but state law does not apply to service members. A positive urinalysis result is prosecuted under the UCMJ regardless of state legalization, and aircrew members face immediate grounding in addition to criminal consequences.
Domestic violence. Domestic violence allegations carry criminal penalties and administrative consequences, including permanent loss of firearms privileges under the Lautenberg Amendment. For airmen whose duties require carrying a weapon, a domestic violence conviction ends their ability to serve in that capacity.
DUI and off-base misconduct. Spokane’s proximity to Fairchild means that off-base incidents in the city frequently result in both state criminal charges and UCMJ action. Dual prosecution creates a situation where an airman must defend against two separate legal proceedings arising from the same conduct.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) handles criminal investigations at Fairchild AFB, including allegations of sexual assault, fraud, drug distribution, and other serious offenses. OSI agents are trained investigators, and any airman contacted by OSI should understand that the agent’s goal is to build a case for prosecution, not to help the airman.
Airmen contacted by OSI should immediately exercise their Article 31 rights and decline to make any statement until they have spoken with a defense attorney. The decision to speak with investigators without legal counsel is one of the most damaging mistakes an airman can make. Statements made during an OSI interview can and will be used at court-martial, and investigators are not required to present exculpatory evidence during interrogation.
Airmen at Fairchild have access to an Area Defense Counsel (ADC) provided by the Air Force. While ADC attorneys are competent professionals, they carry heavy caseloads and operate within the military system. A civilian court-martial lawyer provides independent representation completely outside the chain of command, with full dedication to a single client’s case. For charges that carry potential confinement or a punitive discharge, civilian representation provides critical advantages in investigation resources, independent consultation, and trial preparation.
Commanders may impose nonjudicial punishment under the Air Force NJP process for lesser offenses. While NJP is not a criminal conviction, it can result in reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay, and extra duties that damage an airman’s career trajectory. Separation boards carry even greater consequences, as they can result in discharge with a characterization that follows an airman for the rest of their life, affecting veteran’s benefits, future employment, and the ability to serve in any branch of the military.
Aircrew, SERE instructors, intelligence personnel, and maintenance specialists at Fairchild hold security clearances essential to the installation’s tanker and survival training missions. Criminal charges, OSI investigations, and even unsubstantiated allegations can trigger a clearance review that operates on a separate administrative track from any criminal proceeding. An airman can be acquitted at court-martial and still lose a security clearance based on the underlying conduct. Protecting a clearance requires a defense strategy that accounts for both the criminal case and the administrative review simultaneously.
If you are under investigation by OSI, facing court-martial charges, or responding to administrative action at Fairchild AFB, do not wait to seek legal representation. Early involvement of a defense attorney can shape the direction of an investigation before charges are preferred. Review Mr. Jordan’s case results to see the outcomes he has achieved for service members at installations worldwide.
Call today for a free, confidential consultation. No obligation. Call or text (888) 367-9489.
Can Washington State’s marijuana laws protect me from UCMJ charges at Fairchild AFB?
No. Federal law and the UCMJ prohibit marijuana use by service members regardless of state legalization. A positive urinalysis at Fairchild will be prosecuted under military law, and state recreational marijuana statutes provide no defense. Aircrew members face immediate removal from flight status in addition to criminal and administrative consequences.
What should I do if OSI contacts me about an investigation at Fairchild?
Exercise your Article 31 rights immediately by declining to make any statement. You are not required to answer questions or provide a written statement to OSI agents. Contact a defense attorney before any interaction with investigators. Anything you say during an OSI interview can be used against you at court-martial.
How does a UCMJ charge affect my flight status and security clearance?
A pending charge or investigation can result in suspension from flight duties and initiation of a security clearance review. These administrative actions proceed on a separate track from the criminal case, and losing flight status or a clearance can end a career even if the underlying charges are dismissed or result in acquittal.
Can Guard members of the 141st Air Refueling Wing face court-martial at Fairchild?
Yes. Air National Guard members serving under federal orders, including those assigned to the 141st Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild, are subject to the UCMJ and can face court-martial for offenses committed while on federal duty status. A conviction affects both military standing and civilian employment.
