Can you get an article 15 for not answering your phone?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 11:35:38 -0400

If your on a 4 day and yoi do not answer yoir phone can you get a article 15 for it.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Jun 16 at 2018 11:57 AM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 11:57:06 -0400

Personal phone, I'm guessing. I've heard of it being attempted but it is easily fought. I had a 1SG once threaten to Art 15 me for my voicemail message being "unprofessional". The fact is that although you are a soldier 24/7, your phone is your personal property and in reality you aren't required to have one. If you are required it you would be issued one. Until the military gives you a specific stipend to pay for the phone or issues you one you can not be held in violation of anything for not answering a phone call. If they really want to push for it I would ask to take it to courts martial.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 16 at 2018 4:23 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 16:23:53 -0400

Not answering your phone? Maybe not. Not answering a specific call would probably be difficult to justify for the purposes of UCMJ. People miss calls all of the time (e.g. asleep, in the shower, etc.). However, this may be a bigger issue. Your not responding to a call from the unit can be a major issue, and may very well easily justify UCMJ. Even when people are on leave, the Army can revoke your leave and call you back in to the unit. It's the soldier's responsibility to remain available for contact whenever off-duty, on pass, or even on leave. That's why you have to provide contact information for alert rosters, on your pass form, on your leave form, etc. I even had to do that when on terminal leave.

So, is this simply a matter of you not answering a specific call? Or, is this an instance where you did not answer the call and refused to return the call(s) for the remainder of the weekend? If the unit believes you were purposely avoiding communication with them, simply because you were "off", that very well can justify UCMJ.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jun 16 at 2018 5:50 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 17:50:37 -0400

It depends on the unit status- it could have be a recall, etc. might take a typing course too.

Response by SGT David T. made Jun 18 at 2018 12:23 PM

SGT David T. — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 12:23:25 -0400

Interesting question. If the government isn't paying for it then, it would depend on some other things. Was the individual specifically ordered to answer the phone? If not, it might be a hard sell. Were they on some sort of alert status? I know I wouldn't push for it, but then again I have been out 11 years and no longer play such games lol

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Dec 18 at 2019 11:56 PM

Maj Kim Patterson — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 23:56:34 -0500

SGT Private RallyPoint Member the short answer is yes.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2020 11:59 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 23:59:46 -0400

The real question is “is the NCO or Officer pushing for UCMJ because you missed a phone call or are they trying to find ways to get you demoted for one main underlying issue?”