Article 128b at Fort Bliss Before and After 2024
11 of 12 enlisted members convicted in the 14 Article 128b (domestic violence) cases at Fort Bliss in 2024–2026 received a punitive discharge (92%), compared with 72% across all Army Article 128b cases.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › By Installation › Fort Bliss › Article 128b
Short answer: 11 of 12 enlisted members convicted in the 14 Article 128b (domestic violence) cases at Fort Bliss in 2024–2026 received a punitive discharge (92%), compared with 72% across all Army Article 128b cases. The median confinement was 1.7 years, compared with 5 months across the Army and 1 year at Fort Bliss in 2021–2023.
More Punitive Discharges Than the Army Rate
Among 12 enlisted members convicted, 11 received a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge (92%). The share in all Army Article 128b cases in 2024–2026 was 72%. 3 of the 11 were dishonorable discharges.
At Fort Bliss in 2021–2023, the share was 83%. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
Longer Confinement Than Across the Army
Confinement was part of 67% of the 12 convictions. Half of the terms were 1.7 years or less, and a quarter were 5 years or longer. The median in all Army Article 128b cases was 5 months.
These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in the case.
Pleas and Full Acquittals
10 accused pleaded guilty and 4 entered a not-guilty or mixed plea. The contested share was 29%, compared with 24% across the Army. All 10 guilty pleas are recorded with a plea agreement, though Army records do not say what the agreement provided.
Of the 4 contested cases that reached a verdict, 2 ended in a full acquittal. In 2021–2023, 1 of 5 did.
Fort Bliss in 2021–2023
Fort Bliss had 19 Article 128b cases in 2021–2023, about 6 a year, and about 5 a year since 2024 (full years only). The median confinement went from 1 year to 1.7 years. Convictions with confinement went from 94% to 67%, and general courts-martial went from 89% to 71%.
These are small groups, so the changes show direction, not exact size.
| 2021–2023 | 2024–2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 19 | 14 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 26% | 29% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 1 of 5 | 2 of 4 |
| Convictions with confinement | 94% | 67% |
| Median confinement | 1 year | 1.7 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 83% | 92% |
| General courts-martial | 89% | 71% |
Forum, Rank, and Court Level
A military judge alone decided guilt in 10 of 14 cases (71%). Members heard 4: 3 enlisted panels and 1 officer panel.
The accused were 9 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 4 NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 1 officer or warrant officer. That mix is more junior than all Army Article 128b cases, where 53% were junior enlisted. General courts-martial tried 10 cases and special courts-martial tried 4, a general share of 71% compared with 64% across the Army.
Most Cases Charged Only Article 128b
Only 4 of the 14 cases charged another article. Article 128 (assault) appeared in 2. Article 112a (drug), Article 113 (drunken or reckless driving), Article 131b (obstruction), and Article 109 (property damage) appeared in 1 each.
Dates and the Law
The 14 trials ran from January 2024 to September 2026: 7 in 2024, 3 in 2025, and 4 in 2026, a partial year. They were 17% of the 84 courts-martial at Fort Bliss.
Article 128b is a covered offense, and special trial counsel have decided whether to prosecute covered offenses since December 28, 2023. Article 128b only applies to offenses on or after January 1, 2019. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, and do not show the evidence or nonjudicial punishment.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 128b on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Fort Bliss that charged Article 128b (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2021–2023 (19) and 2024–2026 (14). Comparisons use every Army case charging Article 128b in 2024–2026.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Fort Bliss: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 128b (Domestic Violence, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Fort Bliss, 2020–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 102 Cases (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Fort Bliss, 2024–2026? 84 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Article 128b at Fort Hood Before and After 2024 (same offense, another installation)
- Domestic Violence Cases at Fort Bragg: 2021–2023 vs. 2024–2026 (same offense, another installation)
- Is Army Domestic Violence Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 128b, 2021–2025
- Article 128b explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 128b Cases at Fort Bliss, 2024–2026
- Ryan S. Coward
- Michael C. Friess
- Maureen A. Kohn
- Joseph T. Marcee
- Rick B. Mathew
- Javier E. Rivera Rosario
- Christopher S. Sexton
- David A. Thompson
- Joseph K. Venghaus
Names and links only. Each judge's record of pleas, findings, and sentences is on their Know Your Judge page, part of the Court-Martial Characters membership.
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.