While there are many differences between civilian courts and military courts, both share one thing in common: in the case of appeals, when clarification is needed, federal court decisions hold sway and make final determinations. Examining a number of recent rulings, one can identify trends in these federal rulings and how they continue to guide … Read more
Congress is continuing its crack-down on the military’s approach to handling sexual abuse cases. Last Thursday, a new bill was introduced to the House of Representatives to create a new Department of Defense database that would provide local police departments and communities with information on military sex offenders returning home. The bill is sponsored by … Read more
Once a criminal trial begins in civilian court, facts concerning the incident in question are of the utmost importance and there is little opportunity assert the character of the accused. However, in military court, the opposite often proved true and the military service record– submitted as proof of outstanding character– was a critical piece of … Read more
Since 1997, it has been Army policy that junior officer evaluations would be sealed from boards reviewing captains and chief warrant officers for further promotion. This long-standing policy has now been reversed and all promotion boards will have access to all junior officer records and evaluations. The policy will also stand for school and command … Read more
Some Marines may get an early Christmas present this year, coming in the form of early release from active duty. On November 4 th, it was posted in a Marine administrative message that Marines that are scheduled to separate from active duty between December 15 th and January 5 th and are usually granted leave for the holiday season can … Read more
One of the hot-button topics concerning the military has been cases of sexual assault and preventing these incidents in the future. The latest studies even suggest that occurrences of sexual assault against military members are more prevalent than previously thought. Another such story made headlines recently, as a Fort Leonard drill sergeant is being court-martialed … Read more
A recent Air Force Academy hearing resulted in an alleged victim stating that the accused was their friend and they did not want to see them on trial. The accused is a third-year Air Force Academy cadet that has been charged with sexual assault and abusive sexual contact. The cadet further faces a charge of … Read more
A recent report has found that the military’s investigations into child sexual abuse allegations were improperly done and contained deficiencies. Ten cases were suggested to be reopened to correct the faults found in the investigations. REPORT REVEALS COMMON CASE DEFICIENCIES The Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense released a report in September … Read more
The Navy is stepping up its efforts to curb sexual assaults on its bases by adding more informational and engaging training sessions. This is in addition to revising its policies on reporting, investigating, and prosecuting sexual assaults. They have also put better protections in place for victims. The Navy has spent the last few years … Read more
More charges have been brought forward in the tragic homicide case of a navy petty officer stationed in Germany. A solider is facing trial on October 14, 2014 on charges of making a false official statement and helping to conceal a crime. The soldier is a known friend of an Air Force staff sergeant who … Read more
