In addition to criminal investigations, military members are much more often subjected to “lower-level” administrative military investigations.
These investigations take many forms, from being run by an investigating officer (IO) from the Inspector General (IG), appointed by an commander under AR 15-6 and the other services’ similar regulations, called Commander-Directed Investigations (CDIs), JAGMANs, or Command Investigations (CIs), to informal inquiries with very little guidance handled at whim.
While these types of investigations may seem low threat (and generally are lower threat than criminal investigations because the subject is not being investigated for serious crimes), they can still have career-ending consequences. Based on experience, most commanders end up being investigated simply due to the appropriate exercise of their command authority. Remember, even in administrative investigations, service members are entitled to obtain the advice of legal counsel pursuant to Article 31, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Military members cannot be punished for exercising those rights.
For any military member who is (or thinks they might be soon) read their rights under Article 31, or believes they might be under investigation (including for a CDI, AR 15-6, EO, IG, mishap, or anything similar), should seek legal advice from an experienced military defense attorney as soon as possible.
Veritas Military Law can help review the facts, strategize, and prepare the best possible defense for you, so that you can respond appropriately and move forward with your military career.
