Posted on Aug 15, 2018
Mattis wants commanders to rely more on UCMJ for disciplinary problems
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UCMJ
SECDEF
Posted >1 y ago
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Good idea. Now how does he feel pushing this when everyone knows there are two UCMJs. If you’re part of the group that is senior in rank, you’ll get NJP if you get anything and forced to retire, or those that when the UCMJ is thrown are you, it can/will take everything you ever dreamed of away.
If you want commanders to take more risk, then you have to allow them a certain level of autonomy to take those chances. Why ‘force’ a court martial if it can be done at a lower level, fixed the problem and it serves the best interests of the military? Not everything is a court martial offense. NJP is a very effective tool. In fact depending on what it is, you might be able to recover. Wait this is today’s military where one bad mark gets you sent packing. Does anyone besides me remember when almost all of your SNCOs had an Art15 or three, been busted a few times, and became SGM/CSMs? 1SGs and were the most relatable people you’d ever know?
If you want commanders to take more risk, then you have to allow them a certain level of autonomy to take those chances. Why ‘force’ a court martial if it can be done at a lower level, fixed the problem and it serves the best interests of the military? Not everything is a court martial offense. NJP is a very effective tool. In fact depending on what it is, you might be able to recover. Wait this is today’s military where one bad mark gets you sent packing. Does anyone besides me remember when almost all of your SNCOs had an Art15 or three, been busted a few times, and became SGM/CSMs? 1SGs and were the most relatable people you’d ever know?
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
Even NJP falls under the UCMJ...just easier to use and quicker to implement.
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SSG Warren Swan
Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth - It does, but to go straight to courts martial? That's taking the commanders tools away, then his authority(you're telling him to go straight to courts martial), so where is the "risk" in that? You're(not you personally) have tied their hands to get a predetermined outcome. It also makes it so that the command team will never get "respect" for being leaders beyond the rank. We as the military NEED leaders who can handle BS at the lowest level, and at the same time foster Team First.
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Secretary Mattis may have forgotten how slow (and uncertain) that wheel of justice turns for all but the most severe of offenses. When I was an XO, I had a CO send a Marine to court-martial for popping positive for cocaine. Usually, you just do non-judicial punishment and administrative separation, but the CO felt (with some merit) it was an important deterrent for future would-be offenders. This technique backfired, because the Marine in question was able to convince the panel that the Cocaine Fairy must have descended down and inadvertently put cocaine in his drink without his consent. He was acquitted and right back to work.
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
Agreed that it is slow but even the non judicial punshment is covered under the UCMJ.
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