> ## 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. # Inside 16 Courts-Martial at Luke AFB, Arizona, 2019–2023 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/luke-afb-arizona-courts-martial-2019-2023/ - Published: 2026-10-30T08:03:02.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-30T08:03:02.000Z - Description: Luke AFB, Arizona had 16 Air Force courts-martial from February 2019 to July 2023, 1% of the 1,361 Air Force cases in those years. Panels of members decided 11 of the 16 cases, and 5 cases ended in a full acquittal (31%), compared with 24% Air Force-wide. - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Luke AFB, Arizona, Air Force [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) › [Luke AFB, Arizona](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-luke-afb-arizona/) › 2019–2023 **Short answer:** Luke AFB, Arizona had 16 Air Force courts-martial from February 2019 to July 2023, 1% of the 1,361 Air Force cases in those years. Panels of members decided 11 of the 16 cases, and 5 cases ended in a full acquittal (31%), compared with 24% Air Force-wide. Every conviction included confinement, with a median of 3 months. Based on 16 cases · 2019–2023 · Air Force records · data updated October 24, 2026 ## Panels Decided Most Cases Members decided guilt in 11 of the 16 cases: 8 enlisted panels and 3 officer panels. A military judge alone decided 5 (31%). The accused usually chooses whether a military judge alone or a panel of members decides guilt. ## Pleas and Acquittals The plea is recorded for 12 cases. In 7 the accused contested at least one charge, and in 5 the accused pleaded guilty. The contested share, 58%, was higher than the 50% in all Air Force cases in those years. Of the 7 contested cases that reached a verdict, 2 ended in a full acquittal. Across all 16 cases, 5 ended in a full acquittal (31%), compared with 24% across the Air Force. Air Force records from 2016 to 2019 rarely list guilty pleas, so this rate counts acquittals against all cases. ## Confinement and Discharges Confinement was part of 100% of the 11 convictions. The median confinement was 3 months, compared with 4 months in the rest of the Air Force. A quarter of the sentences were 6 months or longer. These are adjudged sentences, set at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Of 10 convicted enlisted members, 3 received a punitive discharge: 2 bad-conduct and 1 dishonorable. The Air Force share was 56%. The 1 convicted officer or warrant officer was dismissed. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation. ## Drug and Assault Charges Charges are listed for 11 of the 16 cases. Article 112a (drug offenses) was charged in 6 (55%), compared with 41% Air Force-wide. Article 128 (assault) was charged in 4 (36%), compared with 19%. Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) was charged in 2 (18%), compared with 11%. A case with several articles is counted under each one. | UCMJ Article | Cases | Share here | Share, Air Force-wide | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ---------- | --------------------- | | [Art. 112a](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/ucmj/article-112a-drug-offenses/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances | 6 | 55% | 41% | | [Art. 128](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-128/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Assault | 4 | 36% | 19% | | [Art. 120](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/ucmj/article-120-sexual-assault/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Rape and sexual assault | 2 | 18% | 11% | | Art. 131b Obstructing justice | 1 | 9% | 3% | | Art. 87b Offenses against correctional custody | 1 | 9% | 1% | | [Art. 113](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-113/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Misbehavior of a sentinel before 2019, drunken or reckless driving since | 1 | 9% | 4% | ## Change From 2016–2018 In 2016–2018 the installation had 14 cases, about 5 a year, compared with about 3 a year from 2019 on. The median confinement was 3 months in both periods. The share of convictions with confinement went from 70% to 100%, and general courts-martial went from 21% of cases to 44%. The punitive discharge rate went from 40% to 30%. Groups this small can move with a few cases. | | 2016–2018 | 2019–2023 | | ----------------------------- | --------- | --------- | | Cases | 14 | 16 | | Contested (of pleas recorded) | — | 58% | | Convictions with confinement | 70% | 100% | | Median confinement | 3 months | 3 months | | Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 40% | 30% | | General courts-martial | 21% | 44% | ## Rank and Court Level The accused were 11 junior enlisted members, 3 NCOs, and 2 officers, a more junior group than across the Air Force. General courts-martial made up 44% of the cases (7 of 16), and special courts-martial made up the rest. ## Similar Installations RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom and USAF Academy, Colorado each tried 20 cases. Mildenhall had a contested share of 50% and a median confinement of 8 months. The Academy had 75% and 4 months. | Installation | Cases | Contested | Full acquittals (decided contested) | Median confinement | Punitive discharge (enlisted) | | ------------------------------ | ----- | --------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------- | | Luke AFB, Arizona | 16 | 58% | 2 of 7 | 3 months | 30% | | RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom | 20 | 50% | 1 of 7 | 8 months | 73% | | USAF Academy, Colorado | 20 | 75% | 3 of 9 | 4 months | 7% | ## Years and Limits There were 4 cases in 2019, 1 in 2020, 4 in 2021, 6 in 2022, and 1 in 2023\. The records show charges, pleas, findings, and sentences. They do not show the evidence, the plea terms, or conduct handled outside a court-martial. Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: [UCMJ change timeline](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/ucmj-change-timeline/). ### How We Counted Every court-martial in the data tried at Luke AFB, Arizona with a trial date in 2019–2023 (16 cases), compared with all 1,361 Air Force trials in those years. Dates are trial dates. 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 - [Luke AFB, Arizona: Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-luke-afb-arizona/) (hub) - [Air Force Courts-Martial: Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-courts-martial/) (hub) - [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) (hub) - [Luke AFB, Arizona, 2016–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 14 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/luke-afb-arizona-courts-martial-2016-2018/) (another period) - [What Was Tried at Eglin AFB, Florida, 2019–2023? 16 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/eglin-afb-florida-courts-martial-2019-2023/) (same years, similar size) - [Keesler AFB, Mississippi Courts-Martial, 2019–2023: What 16 Cases Show](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/keesler-afb-mississippi-courts-martial-2019-2023/) (same years, similar size) - [Andersen AFB, Guam Courts-Martial, 2016–2018: What 13 Cases Show](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/andersen-afb-guam-courts-martial-2016-2018/) - [Aviano AB, Italy Courts-Martial, 2016–2018: What 16 Cases Show](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/aviano-ab-italy-courts-martial-2016-2018/) - [Aviano AB, Italy, 2019–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 17 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/aviano-ab-italy-courts-martial-2019-2023/) - [Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 2016–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 27 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/barksdale-afb-louisiana-courts-martial-2016-2018/) - [Search every case in Military Trial Results](https://www.bodiesburied.com/military-trial-results/) (members) ← Previous: [Luke AFB, Arizona, 2016–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 14 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/luke-afb-arizona-courts-martial-2016-2018/) ## Military Judges Who Presided Over Cases at Luke AFB, Arizona, 2019–2023 - [Wesley A. Braun](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-wesley-a-braun/) - [Elijah F. Brown](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-elijah-f-brown/) - [W. Shane Cohen](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-w-shane-cohen/) - [Colin P. Eichenberger](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-colin-p-eichenberger/) - [Brett A. Landry](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-brett-a-landry/) - [Andrew R. Norton](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-andrew-r-norton/) - [Dayle P. Percle](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-dayle-p-percle/) - [Julie L. Pitvorec](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-julie-l-pitvorec/) - [Matthew P. Stoffel](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-matthew-p-stoffel/) - [Charles G. Warren](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-charles-g-warren/) - [Bryan D. Watson](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-bryan-d-watson/) 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. **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.