when you join the military, you have a higher set of laws you have to follow. that group of laws is called the "Uniform Code of Military Justice". within that law, one form of punishment for rule violations is non-judicial. there is no hearing. there is no defense. there is just a commander approving punishment based on a servicemember's actions. the part of the UCMJ that allows that is Article 15. and Article 15 punishment is basically for low level violations, like showing up to work late too many times, not being where you're supposed to be, abandoning your responsibilities in a way that doesn't cause significant harm, or a violation of rules regarding drug use Answer from sik_dik on reddit.com
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Army
7atc.army.mil › Portals › 17 › Documents › SJA › TDS_AR15.pdf pdf
Article 15 Fact Sheet
If you refuse the Article 15, your chain of command will then decide · whether to drop the case or forward it for court-martial action. 2. Depending on the charge(s) and circumstance(s), the command will decide what · level of court-martial your case should be referred to. Therefore, you should discuss ... No lawyers are involved in the Article 15 hearing; you must be your own lawyer.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/explainlikeimfive › eli5: what does it mean to receive an article 15 in the us military?
r/explainlikeimfive on Reddit: ELI5: What does it mean to receive an Article 15 in the US military?
July 15, 2024 - Its a non-judicial disciplinary procedure that can be used in the military for "minor" infractions. That covers a huge range of conduct that goes from stuff isn't typically a crime in civilian life, like being caught sleeping on the job; to ...
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ELI5: What does it mean to receive an Article 15 in the US military?
when you join the military, you have a higher set of laws you have to follow. that group of laws is called the "Uniform Code of Military Justice". within that law, one form of punishment for rule violations is non-judicial. there is no hearing. there is no defense. there is just a commander approving punishment based on a servicemember's actions. the part of the UCMJ that allows that is Article 15. and Article 15 punishment is basically for low level violations, like showing up to work late too many times, not being where you're supposed to be, abandoning your responsibilities in a way that doesn't cause significant harm, or a violation of rules regarding drug use More on reddit.com
🌐 r/explainlikeimfive
31
6
July 15, 2024
Just got my first Article15. What should I expect?
Congratulations, I officially welcome you to the NCO corps. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/army
245
383
August 5, 2023
For those who haven’t gotten an Art 15 before..
The army is just like school, I find if you are just a normal person and go about your business it is harder to cause problems for yourself than to just show up and go home. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/army
89
332
August 7, 2025
What did you guys get art 15s for

Got hammered and fought staff duty over a battalion flag. Field grade

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/army
577
486
June 28, 2022
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JAG Defense
jagdefense.com › home › practice areas › non-judicial punishment/article 15
Company Grade Article 15 | Nonjudicial Punishment Defense | JAG Defense
February 27, 2014 - It is known by different names ... the service member is “offered” an Article 15 action, the commander is notifying the member that he or she believes the member has committed one or more offenses under the UCMJ....
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Themilitarydefensefirm
themilitarydefensefirm.com › the military defense firm › article 15 › what are article 15 offenses?
What Are Article 15 Offenses? | TMDF
January 21, 2025 - Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) provides your chain of command with a swift and efficient method to handle minor offenses without resorting to a court-martial.
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U.S. GAO
gao.gov › products › fpcd-80-19
U.S. GAO - Better Administration of the Military's Article 15 Punishments for Minor Offenses Is Needed
Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice is intended to give military commanders a swift, efficient, and easy way to: (1) punish those committing minor offenses; (2) maintain discipline; and (3) deter misconduct.
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U.S. House of Representatives
uscode.house.gov › view.xhtml
10 USC 815: Art. 15. Commanding officer's non-judicial ...
From Title 10-ARMED FORCESSubtitle A-General Military LawPART II-PERSONNELCHAPTER 47-UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICESUBCHAPTER III-NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT · Jump To: Source CreditMiscellaneousAmendmentsEffective Date · (a) Under such regulations as the President may prescribe, and under such additional regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, limitations may be placed on the powers granted by this article with respect to the kind and amount of punishment authorized, the categories of commanding officers and warrant officers exercising command authorized to exercise those powers, the applicability of this article to an accused who demands trial by court-martial, and the kinds of courts-martial to which the case may be referred upon such a demand.
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CA
calguard.ca.gov › wp-content › uploads › sites › 62 › 2018 › 01 › Article15_Fact_Sheet.pdf pdf
ARTICLE 15 FACT SHEET Provided by
An Article 15 is considered non-judicial punishment, meaning that it is not · considered a judicial proceeding. Non-judicial punishment is a military justice option available to
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Justia
justia.com › military law center › military criminal justice system & legal rights of service members › article 15 disciplinary procedures under military law
Article 15 Disciplinary Procedures Under Military Law | Military Law Center | Justia
October 18, 2025 - In contrast to formal courts-martial, Article 15 procedures in the U.S. military are a form of non-judicial discipline conducted by commanders. They do not result in a criminal record and may not permanently affect a service member’s record in the military.
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Militarytrialdefenders
militarytrialdefenders.com › home › understanding article 15 of the ucmj articles
Everything You Need to Know About Article 15 UCMJ in 2025
February 10, 2026 - Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice allows commanders to impose nonjudicial punishment for “minor disciplinary infractions.” This is a broad category, but generally covers offenses that are more serious than minor breaches ...
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Barksdale Air Force Base
barksdale.af.mil › Units › Fact-Sheets › Article › 320200 › adc-article-15
ADC - Article 15 > Barksdale Air Force Base > Fact Sheets
AREA DEFENSE COUNSEL FACT SHEET NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT (ARTICLE 15) 1. WHAT IS AN ARTICLE 15? Nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the hearing or forum in which a commander will decide whether or not an,
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McMilitaryLaw
mcmilitarylaw.com › home › understanding ucmj article 15 (non-judicial punishment (njp)
Understanding UCMJ Article 15 (Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP) - Daniel Conway and Associates
December 25, 2025 - These types of allegations are often processed quickly as a summarized Article 15, which carries lighter punishment but still results in a recorded disciplinary action. More serious issues may result in a full NJP hearing before a military review panel.
Address   San Antonio, USA
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Militarytrialdefenders
militarytrialdefenders.com › home › nonjudicial punishment
Article 15 in the Military | 90% Acquittal Rate Of Legal Defense
February 10, 2026 - Article 15 of the UCMJ concerns non-judicial punishment for military members. This Article applies when the Command deals with minor violations or infractions of the UCMJ. Usually referred to in the Army and Air Force as an “Article 15”, ...
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Legal Information Institute
law.cornell.edu › lii › u.s. code › title 10 › subtitle a › part ii › chapter 47 › subchapter iii › § 815
10 U.S. Code § 815 - Art. 15. Commanding officer’s non-judicial punishment | U.S. Code | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Under such regulations as the President may prescribe, and under such additional regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, limitations may be placed on the powers granted by this article with respect to the kind and amount of punishment authorized, the categories of commanding officers and warrant officers exercising command authorized to exercise those powers, the applicability of this article to an accused who demands trial by court-martial, and the kinds of courts-martial to which the case may be referred upon such a demand.
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Defendyourservice
defendyourservice.com › home › practice areas › article 15 and non-judicial punishment
Article 15 and Non-Judicial Punishment | Mangan Law
January 16, 2026 - For example, Article 15 punishments in the Army are controlled by Army Regulation (AR) 27-10, Chapter 3, which “implements and amplifies” Article 15. See para 3-1.a. Because there are six different branches, there are often six different answers to some of these questions. On this page, we will use the Army as an example. However, you should consult with a military defense counsel if you have specific questions no matter what branch you serve in.
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Fedpractice
fedpractice.com › home › practice areas › military › article 15 ucmj
Article 15 UCMJ | Federal Practice Group
April 15, 2024 - Non-judicial punishment (NJP), also known as “Article 15”, “Captain’s Mast”, or “Office Hours” in the U.S. military, is an informal disciplinary measure for violations of that are minor in nature.
Call   202-862-4360
Address   801 17th St NW Suite 250, 20006, Washington
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Scripps News
scrippsnews.com › us-news › military › us-military-will-no-longer-require-annual-flu-vaccine-hegseth-says
US military will no longer require annual flu vaccine, Hegseth says
April 21, 2026 - Then in 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reinstate troops who were discharged from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Non-judicial_punishment
Non-judicial punishment - Wikipedia
3 weeks ago - Non-judicial punishment proceedings are known by different terms among the services. In the Army and the Air Force, NJP is referred to as Article 15; in the Marine Corps it is called being "NJP'd", being sent to "Office Hours", or satirically among the junior ranks, "Ninja Punched".
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Tully Legal
tullylegal.com › home › services › military law › article 15/non-judicial punishments
Article 15 / Non-Judicial Punishments | Tully Rinckey PLLC
April 18, 2023 - In the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, it is referred to as Article 15; in the Marine Corps, it is called Office Hours; the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard call non-judicial punishment Mast. No matter what it is called, it is a difficult and confusing time for any service member.