Clemency and Parole
If a service member is incarcerated as a result of a court-martial conviction, he or she may be eligible for clemency and/or parole. All of the military services have Clemency and Parole Boards to determine if a service member should be released early from confinement.
Clemency means a shortening of a sentence. It is the same as commuting a sentence to confinement.
Parole means early release under the supervision of a Parole officer. Unlike clemency, if a service member gets into trouble while on parole, they can be sent back to confinement.
The regulations governing clemency and parole are different for each service. For example, the Navy Clemency and Parole Board and the Army Clemency and Parole Board allows the service member’s family to appear at a hearing and present evidence as to why their loved one should be released from confinement. The Air Force Clemency and Parole Board does not allow for a personal appearance, but does allow the service member to submit a detailed “parole plan” outlining why they should be released from confinement. Clemency and Parole Boards may also upgrade discharges as an act of clemency, and take other action as it relates to a court-martial sentence.