The Importance of Adhering to Various Articles

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The Uniform Code of Military Justice can be viewed as “the foundation for the United States military justice system,” and as a member of the Armed Forces, it is important that I respect and follow the Code’s Articles without fail (Index & Legislative History of the UCMJ). I showed poor judgment and an overall lack of respect for myself and my fellow soldiers on August 28, 2006 when I failed to report for Physical Training.

When I did not appear for Physical Training on August 28, 2006, I violated several Articles of The Uniform Code of Military Justice, and in so doing, I did not do my best in representing myself, my Company, or my Country. There are no valid excuses for my actions, and I intend to do my best not to exhibit further incidents of poor judgment. It is my goal to perform my duties at all times to the best of my abilities, and in a manner that reflects positively on me, my Company, and the United States of America.

Skipping Physical Training on August 28, 2006 means I failed to appear at my appointed place of duty at the appointed time which was a violation of Article 86 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave (Powers, Article 86).

Physical training is a necessary element of a soldier’s regimen, and by not reporting for this assignment, I let myself and my company down. This was an action I regret, and one I hope not to repeat.

The United States Military relies on each and every one of its members to report to duty fully prepared to perform and in a manner timely enough to perform as required, and because each soldier depends on his fellow soldiers, it is important that no one be absent without leave.

I understand that my failing to report where I was required to do so and when I was required to do so was a violation of Article 86 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave, and that this showed a lapse in judgment which should not be repeated in the future. I intend to avoid further violations of this Article.

Physical Training is a mandatory part of my daily routine as a soldier, and by choosing not to report to Physical Training on August 28, 2006, I failed to obey the order of a superior commissioned officer which is a violation of Article 90 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer (Powers, Article 90).

The importance of the Chain of Command cannot be over-emphasized. Each member of a Squad, a Platoon, or a Company must know his role and fulfill it without fail. The Chain of Command provides an easy means by which inpiduals can work together towards a shared goal while avoiding undue confusion whether completing tasks that are simple or completing tasks that are extremely complex. Superior officers give orders to those under their command to ensure that shared goals are met based on the appropriate and necessary actions of their subordinate personnel. I did not fulfill my role, and in so doing, I let myself and those who depend o me down, and may have cast doubt on whether or not others can depend on me in the future.

I understand that my failure to follow the orders of a superior was inappropriate, and not in the best interests of myself or my fellow soldiers, and that further violations of Article 90 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer are not in my best interest.

I failed to appear at my appointed place of duty when I skipped Physical Training on August 28, 2006. This was a violation of Article 92 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation (Powers, Article 92).

As a proud and dedicated member of the United States’ Armed Services, I do not have the luxury of deciding whether or not I will abide by an order or a regulation. My job is not to decide whether or not I want to do something; my job is to do what I am ordered to do when I am ordered to do it.

Every Company needs order, and the surest way to ensure that inpiduals come together to form a cohesive group is to establish regulations that must be followed.

I understand that my failure to report to Physical Training was equivalent to failing to obey an order and reflected poorly on myself and my fellow service members, and that violating Article 92 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation does not cast me in a positive light.

My failing to report to Physical Training on August 28, 2006 was in flagrant disregard of good order and discipline and was detrimental to the overall well-being of the command with which I am associated. This was a violation of Article 133 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman (Powers, Article 133).

As a dedicated representative of the United States of America, it is my duty, my responsibility, and my desire to conduct myself in a manner that represents me, my command, and my country in the most positive light possible.

Military Units function best when all of their members work in unison towards a common goal, and my missing Physical Training reflects a lack of discipline and an unwillingness to keep good order, both of which are detrimental to my well-being and that of the members of my Company as well as violating Article 133 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman.

I neglected my duty to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the Armed Forces when I chose to miss Physical Training on August 28, 2006. This action constituted a violation of Article 134c of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline (Powers, Article 134c).

This discipline of a soldier is only truly challenged when he is faced with a duty he does not want to perform. Because the good order of a Squad, a Platoon, or a Company often depends on the discipline of each of its inpidual members, it is imperative that every single soldier practices good discipline at all times, especially when circumstances challenge what he wants to do with what he must do.

I understand that my actions do not reflect my desire to uphold good order or discipline, that they cast a negative light on me and my Company, and that further violations of Article 134c of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline are not in my best interest.

I fully appreciate the historical significance of today’s Uniform Code of Military Justice, and my responsibility as a proud and dedicated member of the United States Armed Services to adhere to its Articles. I understand that my actions on August 28, 2006 when I failed to report to Physical Training appears to be an indication on my part of a lack of respect for the UCMJ, the basis of the military justice system, and that in skipping Physical Training on August 28, 2006

I violated Article 86 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Absence Without Leave; Article 90 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Willfully Disobeying a Superior Commissioned Officer; Article 92 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Failure to Obey an Order or a Regulation; Article 133 of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman; and Article 134c of The Uniform Code of Military Justice: Disorder and Neglect to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline.

Having taken time to reflect upon my actions, I see clearly that regulations are in place to assist me, as a soldier, in performing my duties in the manner that best suits me inpidually and my fellow soldiers as a whole, and that in failing to report to Physical Training in August 28, 2006, I let myself and those who count on me down. This lapse in judgment reflects poorly on me, on my Company, and on the United States of America, and I intend to avoid any similar events in my future, so that I might reflect the attitude of the proud, dedicated soldier that I am to those with whom I serve.

References

• Articles of War (1912-1920). , The In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U.S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/AW-1912-1920.html
• Elston Act (1948), The. In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U.S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/Elston_act.html
• Index & Legislative History of the UCMJ (1950). In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U.S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/
• index_legHistory.html
• Pound, Edward T. (2002, December 16). Creating a code of justice. History. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved August 30, 2006 from http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/
• 021216/16justice.b.htm
• Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 86—Absence without leave. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm86.htm
• Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 90—Assaulting or willfully disobeying superior commissioned officer. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/
• punitivearticles/a/mcm86.htm
• Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 92—Failure to obey order or regulation. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm92.htm
• Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 133—Conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/
• mcm133.htm
• Powers, Rod. Punitive Articles of the UCMJ: Article 134—General article. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/134.htm
• Uniform Code of Military Justice; Text, References and Commentary Based on the Report of the Committee on a Uniform Code of Military Justice to the Secretary of Defense [the Morgan Draft] (1949). In Military Legal Resources. Library of Congress. U.S. Govt. Retrieved August 29, 2006, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/morgan.html