Articles Of UCMJ

Restriction breaking is an enumerated offense under Article 134 that punishes service members who unlawfully break restriction imposed by lawful authority. Restriction is a form of non-judicial punishment, pretrial restraint, or administrative control that limits a service member’s movements to a specific area, such as a barracks, ship, or base. By willfully disobeying these limits, the member undermines command authority, discipline, and accountability. This offense is similar in spirit to…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who engage in conduct that recklessly or wantonly creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily harm to another person. Unlike negligent acts, reckless endangerment requires proof that the accused consciously disregarded a known and unjustifiable risk. The military treats this offense seriously because reckless acts undermine safety, discipline, and operational effectiveness. The provision ensures accountability even when no injury…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who wrongfully break, disregard, or violate a medical quarantine order. Quarantines may be imposed to control the spread of infectious diseases, protect military readiness, and safeguard both the force and surrounding communities. Disobeying quarantine threatens unit health, undermines command authority, and can bring discredit upon the armed forces. The military has a long history of enforcing health-related restrictions, from preventing outbreaks…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who wrongfully alter, conceal, remove, mutilate, obliterate, or destroy a public record. Public records include any official document, paper, file, or electronic record maintained by military or government authority. Because the military relies on accurate and intact records to maintain discipline, accountability, and trust, tampering with them is treated as serious misconduct. This provision parallels civilian laws that prohibit tampering with…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who engage in prostitution or promote it through pandering. Prostitution is the act of offering or receiving sexual activity for money or other compensation. Pandering occurs when a service member compels, induces, entices, or procures another person to engage in prostitution, or when they profit from the prostitution of others. Because prostitution undermines military values, damages public trust, and threatens discipline,…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who wrongfully interfere with adverse administrative proceedings. These proceedings include investigations, boards of inquiry, separation boards, correctional custody actions, or other administrative processes that can impose significant consequences short of criminal prosecution. Because the military relies on fair and impartial proceedings to enforce discipline, any attempt to influence or obstruct them is treated as serious misconduct. Unlike obstruction of justice (which…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who wrongfully impede, interfere with, or obstruct the due administration of justice. The offense includes actions that delay, prevent, or corrupt investigations, judicial proceedings, or disciplinary processes. Because the military justice system depends on truth, accountability, and timely processes, obstruction of justice is treated as a very serious violation. The rule ensures that service members cannot shield themselves or others from…

Misprision under Article 134 punishes a service member who knows that a serious offense has been committed but fails to report it and instead conceals it. This misconduct undermines military justice by allowing crimes to go unreported and obstructs the chain of command’s ability to maintain discipline and accountability. The offense does not require active participation in the underlying crime — the failure lies in concealment and silence when duty…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited obscene, indecent, or lewd matter in the mail. The prohibition applies to letters, writings, drawings, photographs, films, or other material sent through the postal system. The rule exists to protect the integrity of the mail service and to prevent the spread of obscene materials that can discredit the armed forces or harm good…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who wrongfully interfere with mail. It covers taking, opening, secreting, destroying, or stealing letters, packages, or other mail matter entrusted to the postal system. Because the military depends on reliable communications for morale, operational integrity, and trust, any interference with mail undermines good order and discipline and discredits the armed forces. The offense is serious even if the item taken or…

Kidnapping under Article 134 punishes the unlawful seizing, confining, inveigling, decoying, or carrying away of another person against their will. The offense is extremely serious because it violates personal liberty, threatens safety, and undermines public trust in the armed forces. It applies whether the victim is a civilian, another service member, or any person under U.S. protection. The military enforces this offense strictly to ensure that no service member abuses…

Under Article 134, service members can be punished for wrongfully and willfully jumping into the water from a vessel. The offense may seem minor, but unauthorized jumping endangers lives, disrupts operations, and undermines the discipline required aboard military ships. Naval operations rely on strict adherence to orders, and even a single wrongful act can compromise safety and efficiency. This enumerated offense ensures accountability for reckless conduct at sea or in…

Under Article 134, service members can be punished for using indecent language when such conduct is prejudicial to good order and discipline or brings discredit upon the armed forces. Indecent language means words or expressions that are grossly offensive to modesty, decency, or propriety, or that are intended to excite sexual desire or corrupt morals. The offense is not limited to in-person speech; it also applies to written, electronic, or…

Under Article 134, a service member who is involved in an accident and wrongfully leaves the scene without fulfilling legal responsibilities can be punished for fleeing the scene of an accident. The rule applies whether the accident involves government or civilian property, and whether it causes injury, death, or only property damage. The offense undermines discipline, accountability, and public trust in the armed forces. This provision aligns with civilian hit-and-run…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who willfully discharge a firearm in a manner that endangers or could endanger human life. Unlike negligent discharge (which involves carelessness), this offense requires proof that the accused acted willfully and wrongfully. Because firearms are inherently dangerous, any intentional misuse that risks lives undermines safety, discipline, and public trust in the armed forces. This article applies in garrison, on deployment, and…

This enumerated offense under Article 134 punishes service members who negligently discharge a firearm. The military holds strict standards for the handling of weapons because negligence with firearms endangers lives, undermines discipline, and damages the reputation of the armed forces. Unlike intentional assaults under Article 128, this article specifically addresses negligent or careless conduct that results in an unintended discharge. The purpose of this provision is to enforce safe weapons…

False swearing under Article 134 occurs when a service member makes a false statement under oath that is not material to a judicial proceeding. Unlike perjury under Article 131, false swearing does not require the statement to be material or to affect the outcome of a case. It is enough that the oath was lawfully administered and that the accused knowingly made a false statement. The offense ensures accountability and…

Under Article 134, service members can be punished for the wrongful making, altering, selling, or use of passes that grant liberty, leave, or access to restricted areas. A “pass” includes liberty passes, leave authorizations, and similar official documents. Because the military relies on accurate accountability and control of personnel, falsifying or misusing passes directly undermines good order and discipline. This offense covers both creating or altering false passes and using…

Under Article 134 of the UCMJ, drunkenness and disorderly conduct are punishable when they are prejudicial to good order and discipline or bring discredit upon the armed forces. Military service demands sobriety, professionalism, and reliability, and drunken behavior that disrupts unit cohesion or damages public trust is considered incompatible with these standards. This enumerated offense covers not just being intoxicated, but also behaving in a disorderly, disruptive, or scandalous manner…

Bigamy is one of the enumerated offenses under UCMJ Article 134, which punishes misconduct that is prejudicial to good order and discipline or that brings discredit upon the armed forces. Bigamy occurs when a service member, while already married, marries another person, or when they knowingly marry someone who is already married. Because marriage carries legal and moral responsibilities, entering into a bigamous marriage undermines integrity, harms military families, and…

While Article 134 serves as a broad catch-all provision of the UCMJ, the Manual for Courts-Martial (MCM) lists many specific offenses prosecuted under this article. These enumerated offenses cover misconduct that threatens good order and discipline or discredits the armed forces, even if not defined elsewhere. Below are some of the more common Article 134 offenses, each of which carries unique elements and punishments. Examples of Specific Offenses These examples…

UCMJ Article 134, known as the “General Article,” is a catch-all provision that criminalizes a wide range of misconduct not specifically addressed in other articles of the UCMJ. It punishes behavior that is prejudicial to good order and discipline in the armed forces, or that is of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces. Article 134 also incorporates certain crimes and offenses not capital (federal crimes under U.S….

UCMJ Article 133 criminalizes conduct by commissioned officers, cadets, or midshipmen that dishonors or disgraces them personally, or seriously compromises their standing as officers. The article is intentionally broad, designed to uphold the integrity and character expected of military leaders. Because officers are held to the highest standards, misconduct that may seem minor for enlisted personnel can be prosecuted under Article 133 if it reflects poorly on an officer’s honor…