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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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 - So it's kind of like getting a speeding ticket instead of being charged for criminal speeding. So when a soldier does something wrong, he can get an Article 15, or non-judicial punishment.
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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.
Discussions

Have you had an Article 15?

Thankfully I have never had an Article 15, however, I have had the privilege to witness the dumbest ways to earn them.

A1C, then Amn, Then Aiman Basic Bruner- Famous for making up stories and being unable to count to 10. I HATED this Gomer and would have an extra hour of work every single night just to undo what he did. At one point, he had to be escorted from wake-up to lights out and watched over while he pulled weeds. Seriously.

This guy gets drunk, underage, in the dorms, says something stupid to another airman, and winds up getting two black eyes. Guess he had to be told twice. Shows up the next day, supervisor asked what happened, and he told the truth in it's entirety. facepalm

Since he self confessed, the Commander wanted to go easy on him and give him an LOR instead of the Article 15. On the day he was to report and sign it, he SKIPPED the appointment so he could be present for the dorm wide room inspection. LOR just turned into an Article 15.

So, he loses a stripe, pay, and is restricted to base for 30 days.

Story ends here right? Nope. 2 weeks go by and he decides he needs a loan, so he goes to the bank off base, applies for a loan, and puts the Commander as a reference. Guess who the bank called. Commander cut his remaining stripe off the very next day. That was how he earned his second Article 15. Right after the first. He was kicked out not too long after that.

I have other stories of idiocracy, with not only this Airman, but others if anyone is interested.

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33
13
June 1, 2011
How does an Article 15 affect a soldier's career
It depends entirely on the level of Art 15 (Summarized/Company/Field) and the reason for the article 15. A summarized for being late to PT a couple times will do nothing to you. A field grade for a DUI could result in separation. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/army
50
21
May 6, 2017
Article 15 stories

Here's my guide on how to not get AR 15:

Step 1; Don't be a fuck up.

Step 2; if a fuck up, don't get caught.

Step 2.5; if caught, determine whether person wants an apology (Step 4) or wants to destroy you (Step3).

Step 3; if caught, admit nothing, deny everything, and make counteraccusations.

Step 4; if caught, tell them you have 0 excuse and that you're fully prepared to serve your punishment.

Step 5; Have a Ranger Tab or be extremely good looking.

Step 6; If unable to follow past 5.5 Steps, utilize the dirt you collected on everybody for the past two years as leverage.

Step 7; after that fails, make an elaborate plan that includes helping the freedom fighters in Ukraine and ultimately ends with you being captured in Africa after fighting in the Civil War.

Step 8; get captured by the CIA and transported to the states while wearing raggidy ass OCPs.

Step 9; make a post about how the CIA incriminated you with CP charges.

Step 10; Enjoy maximum security prison.

Congrats you successfully avoided an AR 15.

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🌐 r/army
58
23
August 31, 2020
About to get an Article 15

Open door your Company Command Team. I'm sure they'll love to hear about this. Have your phone call-log typed up, have a written account of everything that happened, have the SD Runners and S6 ready to back you up. State that you're being unfairly singled out, targeted, punished, hazed, bullied, and whatever else by your PSG.

If that doesn't work, go to your BN Command team.

Burn It All Down

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95
77
April 12, 2016
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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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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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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Non-judicial_punishment
Non-judicial punishment - Wikipedia
April 17, 2025 - In the United States Armed Forces, non-judicial punishment is a form of military justice authorized by Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Its rules are further elaborated on in various branch policy as well as the Manual for Courts-Martial. NJP permits commanders to ...
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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.
Find elsewhere
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Barksdale Air Force Base
barksdale.af.mil › Units › Fact-Sheets › Article › 320200 › adc-article-15
ADC - Article 15
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
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Themilitarydefensefirm
themilitarydefensefirm.com › the military defense firm › article 15 › what are article 15 offenses?
What Are Article 15 Offenses?
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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Militarytrialdefenders
militarytrialdefenders.com › home › understanding article 15 of the ucmj articles
Everything You Need to Know About Article 15 UCMJ in 2025
October 23, 2025 - 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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Quora
quora.com › What-is-an-Article-15-and-how-can-soldiers-protect-themselves-from-being-unfairly-targeted-by-it
What is an Article 15, and how can soldiers protect themselves from being unfairly targeted by it? - Quora
Answer (1 of 8): Ah, Article 15’s! I was my unit’s company clerk and part of my duties was typing them up as needed. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, an Article 15 was for non-judicial punishment for breaking rules that weren’t considered very serious. The unit’s company ...
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Aaron Meyer Law
aaronmeyerlaw.com › ucmj-article-15
UCMJ Article 15 Non-Judicial Punishment | Aaron Meyer Law
June 25, 2025 - When a military member chooses ... admitting guilt. Instead, accepting Article 15 allows the commander to decide whether the individual is guilty of the alleged offenses....
Call   949-844-6324
Address   4100 Newport Place Suite 620, 92660, Newport Beach
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Uniform_Code_of_Military_Justice
Uniform Code of Military Justice - Wikipedia
2 weeks ago - The civilian defendant, a dual ... Article 15 of the Code (Subchapter III), specified military commanders have the authority to exercise non-judicial punishment (NJP) over their subordinates for minor breaches of discipline....
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U.S. GAO
gao.gov › products › fpcd-80-19
Better Administration of the Military's Article 15 Punishments for Minor Offenses Is Needed | U.S. GAO
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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Military Law Center
militarylawcenter.com › home › articles › your rights during article 15 proceedings
Your Rights During Article 15 Proceedings
September 26, 2025 - If a service member accepts Article 15, then they are essentially allowing their commander to act as judge and jury for the allegations and will more than likely be found guilty. Unlike a court-martial, the rules of evidence do not apply at ...
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Kralmilitarydefense
kralmilitarydefense.com › home › practice areas › nonjudicial punishment
Nonjudicial Punishment & Article 15 - Kral Military Defense
September 24, 2025 - Article 15, UCMJ, gives a commanding officer power to punish individuals for minor offenses normally not appropriate for a court-martial but more serious than administrative counseling.
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Government of Indiana
in.gov › indiana-national-guard › files › Article_15_Fact_Sheet.pdf pdf
ARTICLE 15 FACT SHEET
The authority for commanders to give an Article 15 is found in Article 15 of the Uniform Code · of Military Justice. 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 ·
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National Security Law Firm
nationalsecuritylawfirm.com › home › courts-martial defense – military defense lawyers › facing an article 15? fight back with national security law firm › understanding the consequences of an article 15
Understanding the Consequences of an Article 15 -
March 17, 2025 - An Article 15 (non-judicial punishment) might seem like a minor disciplinary action, but its consequences can be severe and long-lasting. Many service members make the mistake of thinking an Article 15 is just a slap on the wrist—only to find out later that it has permanently damaged their military career and future employment opportunities.
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The Law Office of Peter Kageleiry, Jr.
ucmjlaw.com › home › article 15 – captains mast
Article 15 – Captains Mast - The Law Office of Peter Kageleiry, Jr.
November 13, 2023 - Field grade Article 15 refers to a non-judicial punishment that commands can impose on military personnel for minor offenses. It’s called “field grade” because it involves a higher-ranking officer.
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Justia
justia.com › military-law › military-criminal-justice-system › article-15
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.