When I was contacted by a former Army Soldier last year, I was astounded by her story. Her service to this nation was truly astounding. However, the fact that she had received a Bad Conduct Discharge after suffering from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was unfathomable. This young lady … Read more
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Yeoman Second Class Cooper (appellant) was convicted at a court-martial of three specifications of sexual assault and one specification of abusive sexual contact. He was sentenced to five years confinement, a dishonorable discharge, a reduction in rank and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. Appellant’s conviction was based on the allegations of Petty Officer Second … Read more
On 15 March 2018, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals (AFCCA) set aside the findings and sentence in United States v. Vargas because a military judge failed to recuse himself when he should have. In this case, Senior Airman (E-4) Vargas (appellant) was convicted of two specifications of attempted abusive sexual contact, three specifications … Read more
What if your ex-boyfriend posts a picture of you naked on Facebook without your permission? It is now a crime in the military. Article 117a, “Wrongful broadcast or distribution of intimate visual images” has been approved and now incorporated into the UCMJ. Article 117a states that: Any person subject to this chapter who— (1) knowingly … Read more
On 6 February 2018, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) reversed its own precedent in United States v. Mangahas by determining that rape of an adult is not punishable by death and therefore has a five year statute of limitation. In October 2015, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Mangahas was charged with … Read more
We have been representing a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard (SCARNG) who was notified that his security clearance was suspended due to his alleged involvement in the GRAP recruiting scandal. Years after his work as a recruiter CID interviewed all of his old recruits, and two of them did not remember my … Read more
About two weeks ago, I wrote a blog about the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) overturning a conviction for rape and other charges in the Coast Guard case United States v. Riesbeck. https://courtmartial3.wpengine.com/caaf-reverses-conviction-rape-prejudice-coast-guard-improperly-selected-panel-saturated-women/. The Court dismissed that case with prejudice on 23 January 2018 due to the panel being improperly stacked with … Read more
We recently represented a former soldier who had been discharged from the Army with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge for a “Physical Condition, not a Disability.” Essentially, he was kicked out because he had a previously undiagnosed anxiety disorder, which manifested itself once he went on active duty. We petitioned the Army Discharge Review … Read more
If a reprimand or non-judicial punishment (NJP) is filed in your permanent file while you are in the service, it stays in there unless it is later removed. Sometimes, it is the reason you are later separated from the service. Sometimes you leave the service voluntarily. Either way, the reprimand or NJP stay in your … Read more
On 23 January 2018, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) overturned a conviction for rape and other charges in the Coast Guard case United States v. Riesbeck. When Boatswain’s Mate Second Class (E-5) Riesbeck went to his court-martial in 2012 for allegedly raping a woman, he faced a seven member panel that … Read more