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# Malmstrom AFB, Montana Courts-Martial, 2019–2023: What 13 Cases Show
- URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/malmstrom-afb-montana-courts-martial-2019-2023/
- Published: 2026-10-30T08:03:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-30T08:03:06.000Z
- Description: Malmstrom AFB, Montana held 13 courts-martial from 2019–2023. The median confinement was 8 months, longer than the 4 months across the Air Force, and only 1 of the 13 cases ended in a full acquittal (8%).
- Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart
- Tags: Understanding Trends, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, Air Force

[Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [By Installation](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/by-installation/) › [Malmstrom AFB, Montana](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-malmstrom-afb-montana/) › 2019–2023

**Short answer:** Malmstrom AFB, Montana held 13 courts-martial from 2019–2023\. The median confinement was 8 months, longer than the 4 months across the Air Force, and only 1 of the 13 cases ended in a full acquittal (8%). A punitive discharge followed 50% of enlisted convictions, compared with 56% Air Force-wide.

Based on 13 cases · 2019–2023 · Air Force records · data updated October 24, 2026

## Longer Confinement Than the Air Force Median

Of the 13 cases, 12 ended in a conviction on at least one charge. Confinement was part of 9 of those sentences (75%). The median confinement was 8 months, compared with 4 months in all Air Force cases in those years.

A quarter of the sentences with confinement were 1.5 years or longer. These are adjudged sentences, set at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal, and each one covers every charge in the case.

## Most Cases Were General Courts-Martial

General courts-martial made up 69% of the cases (9 of 13), and special courts-martial made up the rest. A general court-martial can impose any lawful sentence, including long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. A special court-martial caps confinement at 1 year.

## One Full Acquittal

Only 1 of the 13 cases ended in a full acquittal (8%). In the rest of the Air Force the rate was 24%. Because Air Force records from 2016 to 2019 rarely list guilty pleas, this rate uses all cases as the base.

Pleas are recorded for 9 of the 13 cases, and 6 of those 9 were contested. A contested case is one where the accused pleaded not guilty to at least one charge. Of the 6 contested cases that reached a verdict, 1 ended in a full acquittal.

## Drug Offenses and the General Article

Charge lists cover 12 of the 13 cases, and a case is counted under each article it lists. Article 112a (drug use or possession) and Article 134 (the general article) were each charged in 4 cases, or 33%. The drug share was lower than the 41% Air Force-wide. The Article 134 share was higher than the 21% Air Force-wide.

Article 107 (false official statements) was charged in 2 cases (17%), compared with 6% in the Air Force. Article 120 (rape and sexual assault) and Article 128 (assault) were each charged in 2 cases as well.

| 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            | 4     | 33%        | 41%                   |
| [Art. 134](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-134/?ref=bodiesburied.com) General article                                      | 4     | 33%        | 21%                   |
| [Art. 120](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/ucmj/article-120-sexual-assault/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Rape and sexual assault                                       | 2     | 17%        | 11%                   |
| [Art. 107](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-107/?ref=bodiesburied.com) False official statements                            | 2     | 17%        | 6%                    |
| [Art. 128](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-128/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Assault                                              | 2     | 17%        | 19%                   |
| [Art. 92](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-92/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Failure to obey order or regulation                    | 1     | 8%         | 16%                   |
| Art. 114 Dueling before 2019, endangerment since                                                                                                              | 1     | 8%         | 1%                    |
| [Art. 115](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/practice-areas/court-martial/article-115/?ref=bodiesburied.com) Malingering before 2019, communicating threats since | 1     | 8%         | 4%                    |

## Discharges and Dismissals

A punitive discharge followed 50% of the enlisted convictions: 2 bad-conduct discharges and 3 dishonorable discharges. The Air Force rate was 56%. Of the 2 convicted officers or warrant officers, 1 was dismissed, which is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge.

## Most Cases Were Tried Without a Panel

A military judge alone decided guilt in 10 of the 13 cases (77%). Members heard 3: 1 enlisted panel and 2 officer panels. The accused usually makes this choice.

Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) were 62% of the accused, NCOs 23%, and officers 15%. Across the Air Force, junior enlisted members were 64%.

## Changes From 2016–2018

In 2016–2018 Malmstrom had 12 cases, about 4 a year, compared with about 3 a year in 2019–2023\. The median confinement went from 4 months to 8 months. The punitive discharge rate went from 40% to 50%, and the general court-martial share went from 50% to 69%. With groups this small, a few cases can move each figure.

|                               | 2016–2018 | 2019–2023 |
| ----------------------------- | --------- | --------- |
| Cases                         | 12        | 13        |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | —         | 6 of 9    |
| Convictions with confinement  | 80%       | 75%       |
| Median confinement            | 4 months  | 8 months  |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 40%       | 50%       |
| General courts-martial        | 50%       | 69%       |

## Other Installations, and What Is Missing

RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom and USAF Academy, Colorado each tried 20 Air Force cases in the same years. Mildenhall had the same median confinement, 8 months, and a punitive discharge rate of 73%. The Academy had a median of 4 months and a rate of 7%.

The cases ran from March 2019 to May 2023, with none in 2020\. They are 1% of the 1,361 Air Force courts-martial in those years. The records do not include nonjudicial punishment or administrative separations, and they do not describe the evidence or plea terms.

| Installation                   | Cases | Contested | Full acquittals (decided contested) | Median confinement | Punitive discharge (enlisted) |
| ------------------------------ | ----- | --------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------- |
| Malmstrom AFB, Montana         | 13    | 6 of 9    | 1 of 6                              | 8 months           | 50%                           |
| RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom | 20    | 50%       | 1 of 7                              | 8 months           | 73%                           |
| USAF Academy, Colorado         | 20    | 75%       | 3 of 9                              | 4 months           | 7%                            |

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 Malmstrom AFB, Montana with a trial date in 2019–2023 (13 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

- [Malmstrom AFB, Montana: Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/courts-martial-at-malmstrom-afb-montana/) (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)
- [What Was Tried at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 2016–2018? 12 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/malmstrom-afb-montana-courts-martial-2016-2018/) (another period)
- [Inside 12 Courts-Martial at Dover AFB, Delaware, 2019–2023](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/dover-afb-delaware-courts-martial-2019-2023/) (same years, similar size)
- [Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 2019–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 14 Cases](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/maxwell-afb-alabama-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: [What Was Tried at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 2016–2018? 12 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/malmstrom-afb-montana-courts-martial-2016-2018/)

## Military Judges Who Presided Over Cases at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, 2019–2023

- [Elijah F. Brown](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-elijah-f-brown/)
- [Colin P. Eichenberger](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-colin-p-eichenberger/)
- [Christina M. Jimenez](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-christina-m-jimenez/)
- [Brett A. Landry](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-brett-a-landry/)
- [Brian C. Mason](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-brian-c-mason/)
- [Matthew N. McCall](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-matthew-n-mccall/)
- [Jennifer E. Powell](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-jennifer-e-powell/)
- [Mark F. Rosenow](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-mark-f-rosenow/)
- [Rebecca E. Schmidt](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-rebecca-e-schmidt/)
- [Christopher M. Schumann](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-christopher-m-schumann/)
- [Matthew P. Stoffel](https://www.bodiesburied.com/judge-matthew-p-stoffel/)

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.