What is a GOMOR?

A General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand, commonly called a GOMOR, is a written administrative reprimand documenting official disapproval of a Soldier’s conduct. It is normally issued by a general officer. Army guidance also recognizes issuance by an officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction.

A GOMOR is not a criminal conviction. The immediate risk is the filing decision. A local GOMOR remains in command records for a limited period. A GOMOR placed in the performance portion of the Soldier’s Army Military Human Resource Record (AMHRR) can affect promotion, retention, assignments, and separation decisions long after the original incident.

Once a GOMOR is served, the response period is already running. Army legal-assistance guidance commonly describes approximately seven to ten calendar days for submitting rebuttal matters, but the suspense stated in the Soldier’s notification controls. Before making additional statements or sending a rushed response, speak with a military defense attorney about the allegations, filing risk, and any related proceedings.

Why the GOMOR Filing Decision Matters

The filing authority is making two separate decisions:

1. Does the available evidence support the allegations?
2. Even if some or all of the allegations are accepted, is permanent filing necessary?

A rebuttal that addresses only the first question leaves unanswered the second and often more consequential decision.

Permanent filing makes the GOMOR available to promotion and selection boards, assignment managers, and other Army decision-makers. Local filing is less likely to produce those long-term effects because the reprimand stays within command records for a defined period.

Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law, represents Soldiers facing GOMORs and related adverse military actions. As a former Army JAG officer, Jordan evaluates the reprimand as part of the complete case, including the investigation, supporting evidence, possible filing outcomes, and risk of follow-on action.

What Can Lead to a GOMOR?

A GOMOR can arise from a command investigation, civilian police report, witness complaint, reported incident, or findings from an AR 15-6 investigation.

Common allegations include:

• Alcohol-related incidents
• Inappropriate relationships
• Dishonesty or false official statements
• Leadership failures or abuse of authority
• Equal opportunity or SHARP-related misconduct
• Civilian arrests or criminal allegations
• Misuse of government property
• Conduct viewed as unbecoming
• Violations of Army regulations or command policies

Each case turns on the underlying record. A useful response identifies where the allegations and the supporting evidence diverge, then explains why those differences matter to the filing decision.

Is a GOMOR the Same as an Article 15?

No. An Article 15 or nonjudicial punishment proceeding is formal discipline imposed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Depending on the commander’s authority and the Soldier’s grade, punishment may include reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay, restriction, extra duty, or a reprimand.

A GOMOR is an administrative measure. By itself, it does not reduce rank, take pay, or impose restriction. AR 600-37 requires a reprimand intended for filing in the AMHRR to state that it was imposed as an administrative measure rather than punishment under Article 15.

The Army can pursue both actions based on the same incident. A Soldier might face an Article 15, GOMOR, referred evaluation, flag, security-clearance consequences, or separation proceedings arising from overlapping allegations.

Success in one proceeding does not automatically resolve the others. The response strategy must account for all actions developing around the allegation.

Can the Army Issue a GOMOR Without a Criminal Conviction?

Yes. Because a GOMOR is administrative, the command does not need to obtain a court-martial conviction or prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt before issuing it. A GOMOR can follow an investigation even when no criminal charges were filed, military prosecutors declined prosecution, or a civilian case ended without a conviction.

That does not permit unsupported information to be placed in the AMHRR. For a nonpunitive administrative reprimand proposed for performance filing, AR 600-37 requires referral to the Soldier for comment. The filing authority must consider the Soldier’s statements and supporting evidence before making the final determination.

When a GOMOR arises from an active criminal or command investigation, statements made in the rebuttal require particular care. An admission intended to demonstrate accountability in the administrative process could affect another proceeding. Soldiers should understand their Article 31 rights before participating in interviews or submitting statements about suspected misconduct.

Local Filing Versus Filing in the AMHRR

For most nonpunitive administrative reprimands, the initial decision is between local filing and filing in the performance portion of the AMHRR.

The filing authority does not initially place a GOMOR in the restricted portion of the AMHRR. Transfer to the restricted portion is a separate form of relief that may become available after permanent filing.

AR 600-37 imposes a different rule when a GOMOR constitutes punitive administrative action for one of the sex-related offenses specified in the regulation. Those documents must be placed in the performance-disciplinary folder of the AMHRR, so local filing is not available for that action.

Local filing

A locally filed GOMOR remains in command records rather than the performance portion of the AMHRR.

Under AR 600-37, local filing may continue for no more than 18 months or until reassignment to another general court-martial jurisdiction, whichever occurs first. The filing document should identify the applicable period and provide a point of contact for confirming removal.

Local filing does not mean the reprimand has no consequences. While it remains in command records, it may influence duties, evaluations, recommendations, and related administrative decisions.

Filing in the AMHRR

A GOMOR directed for inclusion in the AMHRR enters the performance portion of the Soldier’s official record. Once properly filed, it remains there unless removed or transferred through an authorized appeal process.

Potential consequences include:

• Promotion and selection-board scrutiny
• Lost assignments or positions of trust
• Reenlistment and retention problems
• Officer elimination or show-cause proceedings
• Enlisted separation or retention actions
• Adverse effects on future evaluations

The practical effect depends on the allegation, filing language, Soldier’s grade and record, subsequent performance, and any related personnel action. Permanent filing creates serious risk, but no single career outcome is guaranteed.

What Must Happen Before Permanent Filing?

Before a nonpunitive administrative reprimand is placed in the AMHRR, the Soldier must receive:

• Notice of the proposed filing
• Access to the documents supporting the action
• A reasonable opportunity to submit a written response
• Consideration of that response before the final decision

The notification memorandum states the controlling deadline. An open investigation does not automatically suspend or extend that suspense. A Soldier who needs additional time to obtain records, consult counsel, or secure witness statements should request an extension promptly. The filing authority is not required to grant every request.

What Should a GOMOR Rebuttal Accomplish?

A GOMOR rebuttal is not simply a personal letter asking for leniency. It should provide a factual and strategic basis for the requested outcome.

Depending on the evidence, a Soldier may:

• Deny the allegation
• Contest material portions of it
• Accept responsibility for some or all of the conduct
• Focus on mitigation and the filing decision

An apology can undermine a complete denial. An unsupported denial can damage credibility when reliable evidence establishes part of the incident. An admission presents a different problem because it may affect an open investigation or related proceeding.

The controlling question is not which position feels most comfortable. It is which position the available evidence supports and what consequences that position may create elsewhere.

Challenge specific weaknesses in the evidence

A careful review may reveal:

• Inconsistent witness statements
• Incorrect dates or timelines
• Missing messages or communications
• Conclusions unsupported by the investigative record
• Allegations extending beyond the investigation’s findings
• Exculpatory evidence omitted from the report
• Material the Soldier was not given an opportunity to address

A persuasive rebuttal identifies these problems precisely and connects them to supporting documents or testimony. A general claim that the investigation was unfair gives the filing authority little reason to reject its conclusions.

Give the filing authority a supported alternative

The objective is to give the general officer a credible basis to withdraw the reprimand or select local filing.

The filing argument may rely on:

• The Soldier’s service record, evaluations, and documented performance
• Evidence that the incident was isolated
• Corrective action, accountability, or rehabilitation when appropriate
• The Soldier’s continued value and potential for service
• The ability of local filing to satisfy the administrative purpose

A Soldier can preserve a denial while presenting an alternative filing argument. If the general officer reaches a different factual conclusion, the complete record may still support local rather than permanent filing.

What Evidence Belongs in a GOMOR Rebuttal?

The supporting packet may be as important as the written memorandum. Depending on the case, useful evidence can include:

• Sworn or signed witness statements
• Text messages, photographs, or contemporaneous records
• Investigation reports and court documents
• Medical or treatment records when relevant
• Officer or noncommissioned officer evaluation reports
• Awards and service records
• Evidence of corrective action or rehabilitation
• Letters from commanders, supervisors, and credible references

Character letters should not be generic endorsements. The writer should understand the allegation, explain how they know the Soldier, and provide specific reasons why the Soldier’s record and continued potential support withdrawal or local filing.

Several detailed and candid letters generally provide more value than numerous copies of the same template.

How Joseph L. Jordan Builds a GOMOR Response

The firm’s role is not limited to polishing a Soldier’s draft. A useful response must fit the evidence, related proceedings, and the Soldier’s long-term military objectives.

Joseph L. Jordan and his legal team can:

• Compare the reprimand with the underlying evidence and investigation
• Assess whether proposed admissions or arguments create risk elsewhere
• Develop both the primary defense and an alternative filing position
• Build a focused submission using relevant records and witnesses
• Anticipate related Article 15, evaluation, or separation consequences
• Prepare a DASEB or ABCMR appeal when the GOMOR has already been filed

Not every Soldier will decide to retain civilian counsel. Depending on eligibility, timing, and availability, military legal assistance or defense counsel may help with a response.

Civilian representation becomes more important when the evidence is disputed, the command is pursuing several actions, permanent filing threatens an approaching career decision, or the Soldier needs counsel who can remain involved beyond the immediate rebuttal.

Attorney Joseph L. Jordan served as an Army JAG officer and has worked on military cases from both prosecution and defense perspectives. His practice focuses on representing service members in military criminal and administrative proceedings.

When a GOMOR Leads to Separation Proceedings

A GOMOR is not a discharge order. Permanent filing or the underlying allegations can nevertheless support later separation or officer-elimination proceedings.

If the command begins an administrative separation or board proceeding, the evidence and statements created during the GOMOR process may become part of that record. A hurried rebuttal can therefore affect more than the immediate filing decision.

Counsel should determine whether the command is treating the GOMOR as a stand-alone administrative measure or as one stage in a broader effort to remove the Soldier from service.

A Published Reprimand Result

A GOMOR is a form of letter of reprimand. In the following published matter, a commanding general selected between local and permanent filing, making the result directly relevant to the same filing issue faced in a GOMOR case.

The firm represented a drill sergeant following an allegation involving a Soldier in training. The rebuttal addressed the circumstances, weaknesses in the limited investigation, and the effect the incident should have on the client’s record.

The commanding general selected local filing. According to the firm’s published adverse administrative action result, the reprimand did not negatively affect the later NCOER discussed in that matter.

Prior results depend on their facts and do not guarantee a similar outcome. The matter illustrates why the filing argument deserves the same attention as the underlying allegation.

What If the GOMOR Is Already Permanently Filed?

A permanently filed GOMOR may still be challenged, but later relief is more difficult than influencing the initial filing decision.

Removal

A removal request must present clear and convincing evidence that the GOMOR is untrue or unjust, in whole or in part.

Relevant evidence may include:

• A later investigation undermining the original findings
• An underlying decision overturned by a higher authority
• Official records or court documents
• Credible witness statements
• Newly discovered evidence
• Legal opinions addressing an error or injustice

AR 600-37 does not impose a time limit on a removal appeal. Delay can still make witnesses and records harder to locate.

Transfer to the restricted portion

Transfer does not erase the GOMOR. It moves the document from the performance portion to the restricted portion of the AMHRR.

The Soldier must show that the reprimand has served its intended purpose and that transfer would be in the Army’s best interest. AR 600-37 requires at least one subsequent nonacademic evaluation and substantial evidence supporting the requested transfer.

That evidence may include strong subsequent performance, rehabilitation, absence of repeated misconduct, later evaluations and awards, and support from current or former commanders. Time alone does not establish that the GOMOR has served its purpose.

DASEB or ABCMR

The proper forum depends on the Soldier’s current status and grade:

Army National Guard submission procedures can depend on duty status and may require routing through the applicable state authorities. Applicants should confirm current procedures with the Army Review Boards Agency before filing.

Discuss Your GOMOR With a Military Defense Attorney

A short response period can produce a filing decision that follows a Soldier for years. Before submitting rebuttal matters, determine what the evidence establishes, how the statement may affect related proceedings, and what filing outcome the complete service record supports.

Call Joseph L. Jordan, Attorney at Law, at (800) 580-8034 or (254) 221-6411, or contact the firm online, to discuss a GOMOR rebuttal, filing decision, or appeal.