Sec. 27-154. Nonjudicial disciplinary punishments for minor offenses.
Sec. 27-154. Nonjudicial disciplinary punishments for minor offenses. (a) Under rules prescribed by the Military Department, limitations may be placed upon the
kind and amount of punishment authorized by this section and upon categories of commanding officers and warrant officers exercising command authorized to impose that
punishment. Rules may also be prescribed with respect to suspension of punishments
authorized under this section and to procedures for the implementation of the provisions
of this section. Notwithstanding the foregoing, punishment may not be imposed upon
any member of the state military forces under subsections (b) and (c) of this section, if
the member has, before imposition of this punishment, requested that the matter be
disposed of by a nonjudicial punishment panel pursuant to subsection (i) of this section.
In no case may punishment be imposed if the member has demanded a trial by court-martial.
(b) Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a commanding officer
may, in addition to or in lieu of admonition or reprimand, impose one or more of the
following disciplinary punishments for minor offenses without the intervention of a
court-martial:
(1) Upon officers of his command:
(A) Restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty,
for not more than ten consecutive days; or
(B) If imposed by a general officer, arrest in quarters for not more than fourteen
consecutive days; forfeiture of not more than one-half of one month's base pay entitlement per month for two months; a fine in an amount not greater than that which could
be forfeited; restriction to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty,
for not more than fourteen consecutive days; or detention of not more than one-half of
one month's base pay entitlement per month for two months; and
(2) Upon other personnel of his command:
(A) Correctional custody for not more than seven consecutive days;
(B) Forfeiture of not more than one-half month's base pay entitlement for one month
or a fine in an amount not greater than that which could be forfeited;
(C) Reduction to the next inferior grade, if the grade from which the demotion is
made is within the promotion authority of the officer imposing the reduction or any
officer subordinate to the one who imposes the reduction;
(D) Extra duties, including fatigue or other duties, for not more than ten consecutive days;
(E) Restriction to certain specified limits without suspension from duty for not more
than ten consecutive days;
(F) Detention of not more than one-half of one month's pay entitlement for one
month; or
(G) If imposed by an officer of the grade of major or above, correctional custody
for not more than fourteen consecutive days; forfeiture of not more than one-half of one
month's base pay entitlement for two months; a fine in an amount not greater than that
which could be forfeited; reduction to the lowest or any intermediate pay grade, if the
grade from which the demotion is made is within the promotion authority of the officer
imposing the reduction or any other officer subordinate to the one who imposes the
reduction, but an enlisted member in a pay grade above E-4 may not be reduced more
than two pay grades; extra duties, including fatigue or other duties, for not more than
fourteen consecutive days; restrictions to certain specified limits, with or without suspension from duty, for not more than fourteen consecutive days; or detention of not
more than one-half of one month's base pay entitlement per month for two months.
(c) An officer in charge may impose upon enlisted members assigned to the unit of
which he is in charge such of the punishments, authorized under subdivision (2) of
subsection (b) of this section, as may be set forth by regulation.
(d) The officer who imposes punishment authorized in subsection (b) of this section,
or a successor in command, may at any time:
(1) Suspend probationally any part or amount of the unexecuted punishment;
(2) Remit all or part of any punishment, whether or not executed, and restore all
rights, privileges and property;
(3) Mitigate any part or amount of the unexecuted punishment or any reduction in
grade to forfeiture or detention of pay.
(e) An appeal shall be to the next higher authority. The appeal shall be promptly
acted upon. The appeal must be referred to a judge advocate when punishment is arrest
in quarters for more than seven days, correctional custody for more than seven days,
forfeiture of seven days pay, reduction of one or more pay grades of an E-4 or higher
ranking individual, extra duties for more than ten days, restriction for more than ten
days or detention of more than fourteen days pay.
(f) The imposition and enforcement of disciplinary punishment under this section
is not a bar to trial by court-martial for a serious crime or offense growing out of the
same act or omission, and not properly punishable under this section. The fact that a
disciplinary punishment has been enforced may be shown by the accused at trial, and
shall be considered in determining the measure of punishment to be adjudged in the
event of a guilty verdict.
(g) Any punishment authorized by this section which is measured in terms of days
shall, when served in a status other than annual field training, be construed to mean
consecutive active service days for pay purposes.
(h) A fine imposed pursuant to this section may be enforced as a money judgment
in accordance with chapter 906.
(i) (1) In the event that a member of the state military forces demands that nonjudicial punishment proceedings against or with respect to him be disposed of by a hearing
before a nonjudicial punishment panel in lieu of his commanding officer, this subsection
shall apply.
(2) The commanding officer shall notify the individual, verbally and in writing, of
the following: (A) The nature of the alleged wrongdoing, (B) his intent to dispose of
the matter, if further action after investigation is warranted, by nonjudicial punishment,
and (C) his advice to the individual of his right to counsel and other nonjudicial punishment procedural rights as set forth by regulation. The individual shall make an election
for hearing and disposition by the panel following receipt of such written notice. He
shall be provided opportunity to consult with a judge advocate prior to making his
election.
(3) The panel shall consist of three members, appointed by the commander's next
higher authority, with the same qualifications as provided with respect to membership
on a court-martial. The senior member shall be the chairman. The most junior member
shall be the recorder and shall record summaries of the proceedings.
(4) The panel acting by majority vote has the same authority and responsibility in
conducting the proceeding and disposing of the matter, including imposing nonjudicial
punishment, as has a field grade officer pursuant to this section. The panel shall forward
its recommendation for disposition and imposition of punishment, if any, to the appointing authority. The appointing authority shall approve the recommended punishment or
any part or amount as he sees fit and may suspend, mitigate or remit as he deems appropriate. The appointing authority may not approve any punishment in excess of that
approved by the panel.
(5) Procedural requirements for a nonjudicial hearing, and disposition thereof, by
the panel under this subsection shall in all respects be the same as would otherwise be
applicable for disposition by the commanding officer, including, without limitation, the
individual's right to counsel, to submit matters in extenuation, mitigation or defense
and to call and examine witnesses, to the extent witnesses are reasonably available.
(6) Appeals from the decision of the appointing authority, if adverse to the individual, may be taken directly to the next higher authority to act upon appeal as set forth in
this section with respect to nonjudicial punishment appeals generally.
(1967, P.A. 717, S. 14; P.A. 89-223.)
History: P.A. 89-223 completely replaced former provisions with comparable provisions and made certain changes
including revising the number and types of disciplinary punishments a commanding officer may impose upon officers of
his command and upon other personnel of his command, transferring authority to issue regulations limiting the kind and
amount of punishment and categories of officers authorized to impose that punishment from the governor to the military
department, prohibiting punishment being imposed by an officer if the individual has requested that the matter be disposed
of by a nonjudicial punishment panel or if the member has demanded a trial by court-martial, authorizing the officer who
imposes punishment or a successor to mitigate the unexecuted punishment or any reduction in grade to forfeiture or
detention of pay, deleting a provision specifying that a pay and allowance forfeiture applies to pay and allowances accruing
before the date of punishment as well as after, specifying when an appeal must be referred to a judge advocate, deleting a
provision that specified that a person who appeals a punishment may in the meantime be required to undergo the punishment
adjudged, adding provision requiring punishment which is measured in terms of days to be construed to mean consecutive
active service days for pay purposes, adding provision authorizing a fine to be enforced as a money judgment, and adding
provisions authorizing an individual to elect a hearing and disposition by a nonjudicial punishment panel in lieu of his
commanding officer and specifying the composition and procedure of the panel.