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I no longer believe in formal UCMJ procedures where the accused knocks, enters, reports, & stands in front of the commander while flanked by his/her chain of command.
How’s this climate conducive to letting them explain themselves or make their case? Is this the best we can do?
How’s this climate conducive to letting them explain themselves or make their case? Is this the best we can do?
Thanks to those who’ve helped me clarify my intent. I know UCMJ is a serious thing and I’m not advocating for diminishing that - just trying to open space for more humanity in the process.
Here’s my summary of comments & discussion to come out of this so far.
Here’s my summary of comments & discussion to come out of this so far.
1. I think we need to see UCMJ & other common mil processes with fresh eyes to properly take on bias & prejudice (racism, sexism, etc.) - intentional or not.
2. I believe we’ve allowed the formality of the commander’s Article 15 process to *sometimes* a) punish the Soldier with the process, and b) determine punishment before the proceedings.
3. The accused Soldier’s required actions (knock, enter, report, & stand before the commander, etc.) produce a mental & behavioral state where a) they may already feel like they’re being punished, and b) they could be too scared to give real answers when questioned.
4. Commanders can get so swept up in intimidating power dynamics (room setup, flanking CoC in strict uniforms, Soldier’s posture) that they don’t listen to what the Soldier offers for *why* they did what they did. May not change outcome, but can reveal so much more.
5. If I, as a commander, determine the issue to be a leadership / chain of command failure, I’ll fix that (& my own failings) *after* the UCMJ proceedings, not during.
6. Proposal: move to a less intimidating location like a conference room & make everyone sit down to have a better conversation. I don’t care how long it takes. I want to know why the Soldier did what they did. It’s formal, but not so much that it stifles getting real answers.
7. Lastly, if your office is where UCMJ happens, how do you also make it a psychologically safe place to use the Open Door Policy? The commander’s office cannot be The Bad Place.
