> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bodiesburied.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Article 128 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Before and After 2024 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/joint-base-lewis-mcchord-article-128-before-after-2024/ - Published: 2026-10-30T08:03:35.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T01:45:32.000Z - Description: None of the 12 Article 128 (assault) cases at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2024–2025 charged assault by itself. Article 120 (sexual assault) appeared in 5 of them. - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Article 128, Army [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) › [Joint Base Lewis-McChord](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-joint-base-lewis-mcchord/) › Article 128 **Short answer:** None of the 12 Article 128 (assault) cases at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2024–2025 charged assault by itself. Article 120 (sexual assault) appeared in 5 of them. 58% of the cases were contested, compared with 32% in Army Article 128 cases overall, and 4 of 7 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal. Based on 12 cases · 2024–2025 · Army records · data updated October 24, 2026 ## Assault Charged With Other Offenses 0 of the 12 cases charged Article 128 alone. In all Army Article 128 cases in 2024–2025, 56 of 188 did. The most common other charges at the base were Article 120 (sexual assault) in 5 cases, and Article 129 (burglary and unlawful entry), Article 134 (general article), Article 92 (orders violation), and Article 128b (domestic violence) in 2 each. When an assault charge appears with a sexual assault or domestic violence charge, the assault count can describe part of the same incident. ## Pleas and Verdicts 7 of the accused contested at least one charge and 5 pleaded guilty. The contested share was 58%, higher than the 32% in Army Article 128 cases overall. In 2021–2023, the share at the base was 53%. 4 of the 7 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal, meaning not guilty of every charge. In 2021–2023, 5 of 18 did. ## Panels and Bench Trials Members decided 30% of the cases with the forum listed. All 3 of those were enlisted panels. A military judge alone decided the other 7. ## Sentences Compared With 2021–2023 6 of 8 convictions included confinement, compared with 90% in 2021–2023\. The median confinement was 6 months in both periods. These are adjudged sentences, set at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. 3 of 8 convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge. In 2021–2023, 59% did. With 8 convictions, 1 case changes the share by a large amount. | | 2021–2023 | 2024–2025 | | ----------------------------------- | --------- | --------- | | Cases | 34 | 12 | | Contested (of pleas recorded) | 53% | 58% | | Full acquittals (decided contested) | 5 of 18 | 4 of 7 | | Convictions with confinement | 90% | 6 of 8 | | Median confinement | 6 months | 6 months | | Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 59% | 3 of 8 | | General courts-martial | 79% | 75% | ## Rank and Court Level 7 of the accused were NCOs and 5 were junior enlisted members. None were officers. That group is more senior than in Army Article 128 cases overall. 9 of the 12 cases (75%) were tried at a general court-martial, which can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. In 2021–2023, the share was 79%. ## Case Count and the Law Change The 12 cases were tried from May 2024 to July 2025: 8 in 2024 and 4 in 2025\. They were 20% of the 60 courts-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2024–2025\. The base had 34 Article 128 cases in 2021–2023, about 11 a year, compared with about 6 a year since. Article 128 assault is not itself a covered offense under the rules in effect since December 28, 2023\. A special trial counsel who takes a covered offense, such as domestic violence, can also take related offenses like an assault. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so they cannot show which rules applied to each case. ## Limits The records do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or cases handled by nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation. For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see [Article 128 on the law firm's website](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-128/?ref=bodiesburied.com). Dates and sources for the law changes: [UCMJ change timeline](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/ucmj-change-timeline/). ### How We Counted Courts-martial tried at Joint Base Lewis-McChord that charged Article 128 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2021–2023 (34) and 2024–2025 (12). Comparisons use every Army case charging Article 128 in 2024–2025. Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in [Military Trial Results](https://www.bodiesburied.com/military-trial-results/), data updated October 24, 2026\. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: [how this data was built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/how-the-military-trial-results-data-was-built/). Errors: content@bodiesburied.com. ## Related Analysis - [Joint Base Lewis-McChord: Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-joint-base-lewis-mcchord/) (hub) - [Article 128 (Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-128-courts-martial/) (hub) - [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) (hub) - [Inside 139 Courts-Martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2020–2023](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/joint-base-lewis-mcchord-courts-martial-2020-2023/) (the whole docket) - [Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2024–2026: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 75 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/joint-base-lewis-mcchord-courts-martial-2024-2026/) (the whole docket) - [Article 128 at Fort Hood Before and After 2024](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/fort-hood-article-128-before-after-2024/) (same offense, another installation) - [Did Assault Cases at Vilseck (Europe) Change After 2024?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/vilseck-europe-article-128-before-after-2024/) (same offense, another installation) - [Army Article 128 Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-128-trend-2021-2025/) - [Article 128 explained on the law firm's website](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-128/?ref=bodiesburied.com) - [Search every case in Military Trial Results](https://www.bodiesburied.com/military-trial-results/) (members) ## Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 128 Cases at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 2024–2025 - [Matthew S. Fitzgerald](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-matthew-s-fitzgerald/) - [Pamela L. Jones](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-pamela-l-jones/) - [Leah D. Linger](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-leah-d-linger/) - [Daniel L. Mazzone](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-daniel-l-mazzone/) - [Robert E. Murdough](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-robert-e-murdough/) 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](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judges/) membership. **Compare: federal court.** [Aggravated Assault: Federal Sentences vs. Article 128 Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-aggravated-assault-vs-article-128/) **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](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/?ref=bodiesburied.com). This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.