16 Sexual Assault Courts-Martial at Fort Bliss, 2021–2023: What the Records Show

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Based on 16 cases · 2021–2023 · Army records · data updated October 24, 2026

Most Accused Contested the Charges

13 accused contested at least one charge, and 3 pleaded guilty. The contested share was 81%, higher than the 71% across Army Article 120 cases.

A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. That includes a mixed plea, where the accused pleads guilty to some charges and not guilty to others.

How Contested Cases Ended

Of the 13 contested cases that reached a verdict, 5 ended in a full acquittal: not guilty of every charge. The full-acquittal rate was 38%, lower than the 42% across all Army Article 120 cases in 2021–2023.

4 other contested cases ended in a partial acquittal. A partial acquittal means not guilty of at least one charge or specification but guilty of another. Army results list findings charge by charge, so partial acquittals are common in Army records.

Panels Heard 8 Cases

A military judge alone decided guilt in 8 of the 16 cases (50%). Members heard the other 8: 7 enlisted panels and 1 officer panel. Among the contested cases, members heard 8 of 13 (62%).

The accused usually chooses whether a military judge alone or a panel of members decides guilt.

Confinement After Conviction

11 cases ended in a conviction, and all 11 sentences included confinement. The median confinement was 1.3 years. Across Army Article 120 cases in 2021–2023, the median was 1.8 years. A quarter of the sentences were 5 years or longer.

These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge on which the accused was convicted, not only Article 120.

Discharges and Dismissals

9 of the 10 convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge (90%): 7 dishonorable discharges and 2 bad-conduct discharges. Across Army Article 120 cases, the share was 80%.

1 convicted officer or warrant officer appears here and was dismissed. A dismissal is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.

Charges Filed With Article 120

Article 120 was the only charge in 6 of the 16 cases. Article 128 (assault) also appeared in 6. Article 107 (false official statement) appeared in 3, and Article 120b (child sexual abuse), Article 112a (drug), and Article 90 (disobeying an officer) appeared in 2 each.

Rank and Court Level

Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) made up 69% of the accused, NCOs 12%, and officers 19%. Across Army Article 120 cases, junior enlisted members were 62% of the accused.

15 of the 16 cases were general courts-martial (94%), about the same as the 95% across Army Article 120 cases. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge.

Cases by Year

The trials ran from January 2021 to March 2023: 6 in 2021, 8 in 2022, and 2 in 2023. The 16 cases were 17% of the 96 courts-martial at Fort Bliss in 2021–2023. The services had to begin publishing trial records under Article 140a by December 2020, and Army records in this data are sparse before 2021.

What the Records Do Not Show

The records show charges, pleas, findings, and sentences. They do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or the offense dates. Conduct handled by nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation is not included.

For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 120 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.

Compare: federal court. Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 Courts-Martial

About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.