National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty Administrative Actions Lawyer
Whether you’re an officer or an enlisted Soldier in the National Guard, Reserves, or on Active Duty, you know how regimented military discipline and administrative proceedings can be. You also know that wrong decisions get made — and that correcting them takes effort, skill and persistence. When a military decision affects your career, you don’t have to face it alone, nor should you.
At Citizen Soldier Law, you’ll receive advice and representation from a former JAG lawyer who served as lead counsel on the full range of courts-martial, from fraud to sexual assault and child pornography. Attorney and veteran Thomas Roughneen prosecuted courts-martial in Fort Dix and Germany, led a team of 20 legal personnel in a field office overseas, served as defense counsel, litigated human rights law as an Army Judge Advocate for the Office of Military Commissions in Washington and Guantanamo, and served as Senior Defense Counsel for the Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey Army National Guards.
Give us a call anywhere in the country for help with any administrative action, including:
- Article 15 Hearings
- Discharge Upgrades
- Disability Compensation Increases
- Correction of Military Records
- Courts-Martial
- Court-Martial Appeals
- Reduction Boards
- Reprimands
- Separation Boards
With you from the start of investigations
Before any AR 15-6, CID, Commander’s inquiry or other investigation, you should be informed of the accusation and told of your right to remain silent and your right to speak with an attorney. Exercise these rights and call Citizen Soldier Law as your first move. We’ll make sure you understand the accusation against you and the possible consequences, and we’ll advise you of your next steps. We’ll be with you at every stage, offering strategic advice and advocating on your behalf where appropriate.
Officer Administrative Actions
As an officer, you are well-familiar with military regulations and the regimented structure of discipline and disciplinary proceedings. Correcting a wrong decision can take tremendous effort — effort that’s absolutely vital to protecting the military career in which you have invested so many years of your life.
Citizen Soldier Law provides advice and representation to the fullest extent allowed in any trial by court-martial, whether special or general. We appear before boards of inquiry and separation boards in any administrative discharge proceeding. Our lawyers are there for you in an Article 15 hearing or appeal. We’ll present your case before any convened board and argue for the appropriate level of punishment or no punishment at all, as the case may be.
With Citizen Soldier Law supporting and representing you, you’ll know that you’ll be treated fairly by the military board or tribunal and have an advocate dedicated to getting you the best possible result.
Enlisted Administrative Actions
It is an extremely tense and intimidating time when you feel that you are being investigated or you face an adverse administrative proceeding. You should not underestimate the possibility that unfavorable actions against you are unjustified. You should also have confidence that a zealous advocate on your behalf can resolve the situation in your favor, or at least get you the best outcome possible.
In many types of administrative actions, you are often eligible for a military assigned lawyer, but you always have the right to hire private counsel to represent you. Separation boards, Article 15s, and discharge upgrades deserve the same determined advocacy as a homicide court-martial. Don’t submit to discipline for alleged misconduct until you have discussed your case with a skilled, knowledgeable and experienced military lawyer at Citizen Soldier Law.
Before you can be reduced in grade for misconduct, inefficiency or other cause, you’ll go through an adverse administrative or judicial proceeding. You’ll have the right to consult with an attorney of your choosing, and you may additionally have the opportunity to present your case before a convened board. Citizen Soldier Law is here for you in any National Guard, Reserve or Active Duty enlisted Soldier administrative action across the country.
Letter of Reprimand (LOR) – Also known as a memorandum of reprimand (MOR), a LOR is sometimes used by commanders who believe a Soldier’s conduct has fallen below military standards. A LOR can be filed in your Military Personnel Records Jacket or your Official Military Personnel File, and it can stay there for three years or until reassignment to another general court-martial jurisdiction. You have the right to an attorney when a Letter of Reprimand is issued. You also have the right to comment, rebut or respond to the reprimand and have your response added to the LOR in your jacket or personnel file. We can help you challenge a LOR or craft an appropriate response.
Involuntary Separation – Under AR 135-178, Army National Guard and Army Reserve enlisted Soldiers can be separated from service for a positive drug test, unsatisfactory performance, misconduct, fraudulent enlistment, and a host of other reasons. Depending on factors such as your rank, years of service, the reason for separation, and whether the discharge is to be honorable or other than honorable, you may be entitled to a hearing before an administrative separation board or board of inquiry. This board is a formal hearing before a panel of officers that is conducted similarly to a civilian trial. You have rights in this process. We’ll make sure you are treated fairly and have the opportunity to present your best defense.
Article 15 Hearing – An Article 15 hearing is a military option available to commanders. It is a form of nonjudicial punishment used by commanders to resolve allegations involving minor misconduct. The commander hears evidence, decides guilt or innocence, and imposes punishment. Article 15 hearings may be Summarized, Company Grade or Field Grade, and punishments can range from extra duty or restriction to oral reprimand or admonition, forfeiture of base pay, and reduction in rank.
We can consult with you before your Article 15 hearing and advise you appropriately. You also have the option to refuse an Article 15 and request a court-martial instead. We can consult with you on this strategy and advise you on your options. We can also assist you in an appeal to the next higher commander.
Other matters – Contact our office for assistance in any enlisted Soldier administrative action, including AR 600-8-19 reduction boards, discharge upgrades, disability compensation increases or correction of military record. From reprimands to summary court-martials and appeals, Citizen Soldier Law is here to represent and defend you.
Get the Help You Need and Deserve Nationwide
Good results rarely occur without committed advocacy on your behalf and thorough fact-finding. There are times when your lawyer will need to expend tremendous effort to get to the truth. Choose experienced counsel with a proven record of advancing the interests of the accused and ensuring that your side of the story is presented.
Your National Guard, Reserve or Active Duty service is more than a point of pride; it’s your career and your future, and it deserves protection. For practical advice and professional representation in any officer or enlisted administrative action nationwide, call Citizen Soldier Law at 973-937-6010 and speak to a skilled, knowledgeable and experienced military lawyer dedicated to helping you get the best outcome in your case.
