What Was Tried at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 2016–2018? 16 Courts-Martial
Offutt AFB, Nebraska had 16 courts-martial in 2016–2018. The median confinement was 2 months, shorter than the 4 months in the rest of the Air Force, though 1 sentence was life.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › By Installation › Offutt AFB, Nebraska › 2016–2018
Short answer: Offutt AFB, Nebraska had 16 courts-martial in 2016–2018. The median confinement was 2 months, shorter than the 4 months in the rest of the Air Force, though 1 sentence was life. A punitive discharge followed 55% of enlisted convictions, the same as the 55% Air Force-wide, and both convicted officers were dismissed.
Short Median Confinement, With 1 Life Sentence
Of the 16 cases, 13 ended in a conviction on at least one charge, and 10 of those sentences included confinement (77%). The median confinement was 2 months, compared with 4 months in the whole Air Force. A quarter of the sentences with confinement were 4 months or longer, and 1 was a life sentence.
These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in its case.
Officers Among the Accused
The accused were 11 junior enlisted members, 2 NCOs, and 3 officers. The group was more junior than the Air Force as a whole. Both of the 2 convicted officers or warrant officers were dismissed, which is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge.
For enlisted members, a punitive discharge followed 55% of convictions: 4 bad-conduct discharges and 2 dishonorable discharges. The Air Force rate was also 55%. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
Drug Offenses and the General Article
The charge lists cover 13 of the 16 cases, and a case with 3 articles appears in 3 rows. Article 112a (drug use or possession) was charged in 6 cases (46%), about the same as the 48% Air Force-wide. Article 134 (the general article) was charged in 4 (31%), compared with 25%.
Article 92 and Article 121 (larceny) were each charged in 2 cases (15%). Article 118 (murder), Article 85 (desertion), Article 128 (assault), and Article 123 (forgery) were each charged in 1 case.
| UCMJ Article | Cases | Share here | Share, Air Force-wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art. 112a Wrongful use, possession of controlled substances | 6 | 46% | 48% |
| Art. 134 General article | 4 | 31% | 25% |
| Art. 92 Failure to obey order or regulation | 2 | 15% | 16% |
| Art. 121 Larceny | 2 | 15% | 7% |
| Art. 118 Murder | 1 | 8% | 1% |
| Art. 85 Desertion | 1 | 8% | 1% |
| Art. 128 Assault | 1 | 8% | 11% |
| Art. 123 Forgery | 1 | 8% | 1% |
Few Cases Went to a Panel
A military judge alone decided guilt in 11 cases. Members heard the rest: 1 enlisted panel and 4 officer panels. Members heard 31% of the cases, compared with 45% across the Air Force. The accused usually chooses the forum.
Full Acquittals and Court Level
Of the 16 cases, 3 ended in a full acquittal (19%), compared with 20% in all Air Force cases in those years. The rate uses all cases as the base because Air Force records from 2016 to 2019 rarely list a guilty plea.
There were 7 general courts-martial and 9 special courts-martial. The general share, 44%, compares with 47% Air Force-wide.
Hill AFB and Moody AFB
Hill AFB, Utah and Moody AFB, Georgia each tried 20 Air Force cases in the same years. Their median confinement was 6 months and 4 months, longer than the 2 months at Offutt. Their punitive discharge rates were 53% and 67%.
| Installation | Cases | Contested | Full acquittals (decided contested) | Median confinement | Punitive discharge (enlisted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offutt AFB, Nebraska | 16 | — | — | 2 months | 55% |
| Hill AFB, Utah | 20 | — | — | 6 months | 53% |
| Moody AFB, Georgia | 20 | — | — | 4 months | 67% |
Timing and Record Limits
The cases ran from June 2016 to December 2018: 4 in 2016, 3 in 2017, and 9 in 2018. They are 2% of the 991 Air Force courts-martial in those years. All came before the Military Justice Act of 2016 took effect on January 1, 2019.
The records give trial dates, not offense dates. They do not describe the evidence or plea terms, and they leave out nonjudicial punishment and administrative separations. Air Force records rarely list charges in full acquittals.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Every court-martial in the data tried at Offutt AFB, Nebraska with a trial date in 2016–2018 (16 cases), compared with all 991 Air Force trials in those years. Dates are trial dates.
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
- Offutt AFB, Nebraska: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Air Force Courts-Martial: Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- What Was Tried at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 2019–2023? 24 Courts-Martial (another period)
- Inside 11 Courts-Martial at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 2024–2026 (another period)
- Aviano AB, Italy Courts-Martial, 2016–2018: What 16 Cases Show (same years, similar size)
- JB Langley-Eustis, Virginia, 2016–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 16 Cases (same years, similar size)
- Andersen AFB, Guam Courts-Martial, 2016–2018: What 13 Cases Show
- Aviano AB, Italy, 2019–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 17 Cases
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Cases at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 2016–2018
- Thomas J. Alford
- Jefferson B. Brown
- Donald R. Eller Jr.
- Christina M. Jimenez
- Vance H. Spath
- Matthew D. Talcott
- Brian D. Teter
- Marvin W. Tubbs II
- Tiffany M. Wagner
- Charles G. Warren
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.