Nonjudicial Punishment under Article 15, UCMJ

Nonjudicial punishment (NJP) provides commanders with a means of maintaining good order and discipline without resorting to criminal prosecution.

NJP should be used when administrative actions (e.g. reprimand, demotion) are inadequate due to the nature of the offense or the member's past record. NJP is generally used to address intentional disregard of or failure to comply with standards of military conduct.

Military personnel assigned, attached or detailed to a command may receive NJP from that commander, including members from other services.

Commanders must include all known offenses related to the misconduct in the Article 15.

Prior to imposing NJP, commanders should conduct a preliminary inquiry. Following the investigation, the commander should decide whether to impose NJP based on:

• The nature of the offense

• The record of the service member

• The need for good order and discipline

• The effect of NJP on the service member and the member's record