What is Article 15 commonly called?

• A. Trial by court-martial
• B. Non-judicial punishment
• C. Administrative separation
• D. Punitive discharge

Answer: (B)

Article 15 covers non-judicial punishment. It gives a commanding officer the authority to discipline a service member for minor offenses without sending the case to a formal court-martial. Because it’s non-judicial, the process is quicker and handled within the command structure, not in a courtroom with a jury. Punishments typically include reductions in rank, extra duties, restriction, or forfeiture of pay. The service member can consult with counsel and may choose to accept NJP or demand a trial by court-martial if they want a formal proceeding with potentially harsher penalties. In contrast, trial by court-martial is a formal judicial process that can impose penalties like punitive discharge, and administrative separation is a separate administrative action that ends service for misconduct, not NJP.