JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Involuntary Administrative Discharges
The following Joint Base Charleston Airmen were involuntarily discharged for performance and/or conduct that demonstrated their lack of potential for further service. Members discharged from their current enlistment with a less than fully Honorable service characterization are not entitled to receive educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill or the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The three types of service characterizations that can be received upon discharge are: Honorable, Under Honorable Conditions (General), and Under Other Than Honorable Conditions.
An Honorable service characterization means the member has generally met the Air Force standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty. Each member should strive to meet and exceed the standards of acceptable performance and conduct in order to receive an Honorable discharge.
An Under Honorable Conditions service characterization is warranted when significant negative aspects of an Airman's conduct or performance of duty outweigh positive aspects of the Airman's military record.
The least favorable involuntary administrative discharge is an Under Other Than Honorable Conditions service characterization. A discharge with a UOTHC service characterization reflects that a member's personal conduct fell significantly below acceptable military standards. Members receiving a service characterization of less than an Honorable discharge may find their veteran's benefits denied either in whole or in part and may face substantial prejudice when applying for civilian employment.
628th Security Forces Squadron: An airman basic was involuntarily discharged for drug abuse after wrongfully and habitually using cocaine, marijuana and over-the-counter medications. After completing a sentence of 12 months confinement as a result of court-martial, the member received an Under Other Than Honorable Conditions service characterization.
437th Maintenance Squadron: A staff sergeant was administratively demoted to senior airman after failing three fitness assessments. The senior airman was later involuntarily discharged for failure to meet the minimum fitness standards after failing four fitness assessments within 24 months. The member was unable to show significant improvement despite a mandatory conditioning period and did not have any medical conditions precluding the achievement of a passing score in non-exempt portions of the assessment. The member received an Honorable service characterization.
628th SFS: An airman first class was involuntarily discharged for drug abuse for wrongfully using marijuana. The member received an Under Honorable Conditions service characterization.
437th MXS: An airman was involuntarily discharged for minor disciplinary infractions after receiving an Article 15, two Letters of Reprimand and two Letters of Counseling. The member received an Under Honorable Conditions service characterization.
628th Logistics Readiness Squadron: An airman first class was involuntarily discharged for drug abuse for wrongfully using marijuana. The member received an Under Honorable Conditions service characterization.
437th MXS: An airman basic was involuntarily discharged for minor disciplinary infractions after receiving an Article 15, two Letters of Reprimand and three Letters of Counseling. The member received an Under Honorable Conditions service characterization.
Non-Judicial Punishment (Article 15s)
The following Joint Base Charleston Airmen offered and accepted nonjudicial punishment pursuant to Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in the month of July. Airmen offered NJP by their commander may either accept the NJP and be judged by their commander as to their guilt or innocence as well as the appropriate punishment, or decline the NJP and demand a trial by court martial. The punishments that can be imposed as a part of NJP depend on the rank of the accused airman and the commander who will impose punishment, but can be as much as a reduction in rank to E1, 30 days correctional custody, forfeiture of one half of one month's pay per month for two months, 60 days restriction, 45 days extra duties and a reprimand.
437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: An airman first class received nonjudicial punishment for a violation of Article 112a, wrongful use of marijuana. Punishment imposed consisted of a reduction to airman, suspended forfeiture of $858 pay for two months, 30 days extra duty and a reprimand.
437th AMXS: A staff sergeant received nonjudicial punishment for a violation of Article 112a, wrongful use of marijuana. Punishment imposed consisted of reduction to senior airman, suspended forfeiture of $1,213 pay for two months, 30 days extra duty and a reprimand.
628th Mission Support Group: A chief master sergeant received nonjudicial punishment for a violation of Article 92, unprofessional relationship, three specifications of violation of Article 107, signing a false official statement and a violation of Article 134, adultery. Punishment imposed consisted of reduction to senior master sergeant, forfeiture of $2,767 pay for two months and a reprimand.
628th SFS - A senior airman received nonjudicial punishment for a violation of Article 112a, wrongful use of marijuana. Punishment consisted of reduction to airman first class with reduction to airman suspended, seven days extra duty and a reprimand.
Courts-Martial
The Joint Base Charleston Airman below was convicted at a court-martial. Airmen who are convicted at a special or general court martial are considered to have a federal conviction. Sentences at a special court-martial can be up to one year in jail, a Bad Conduct Discharge, reduction in grade to E-1 for enlisted members and forfeiture of two thirds pay per month for 12 months. Sentences at a general court-martial vary widely according to the charged crimes.
628th SFS - A staff sergeant was tried by a special court-martial for violating Articles 108 and 121 of the UCMJ. The member was charged with one specification of selling one Advance Combat Optical Gun Sight valued at more than $500, military property of the United States, and one specification of stealing that same Advance Combat Optical Gun Sight. A military judge found the member guilty of both charges and sentenced the member to be confined for two months, reduced in grade to E-1, forfeit $1,021 pay per month for two months and pay a $500 fine.