Understanding Trends in Military Practice

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• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Whiteman AFB vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Missouri

  In the federal Western District of Missouri, the median prison term for simple possession under 21 U.S.C. 844 was 60 months (5 years) for those sent to prison, and 37 of the 40 people sentenced (93%) received a prison term. At Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 13 courts-martial ended in a conviction for wrong

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Vandenberg SFB vs. Federal Court in the Central District of California

  Of the 16 enlisted members convicted of wrongful drug use (Article 112a) at Vandenberg SFB, California, 14 (88%) received a punitive discharge, and the median adjudged confinement was 7.9 months. In the federal Central District of California, 96 people were sentenced under 21 U.S.C. 844 (simple poss

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Travis AFB vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of California

  Courts-martial at Travis AFB, California produced 20 convictions for wrongful drug use under Article 112a, and 19 of them (95%) included confinement, with a median of 1.8 months. The federal Eastern District of California sentenced 14 people under 21 U.S.C. 844 (simple possession), and only 3 of the

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Tinker AFB vs. Federal Court in the Western District of Oklahoma

  In the federal Western District of Oklahoma, 202 of the 368 people sentenced for simple possession under 21 U.S.C. 844 (55%) received probation only. At Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 16 of the 17 Article 112a drug use convictions with a sentence recorded (94%) included confinement. The median confinement at

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Shaw AFB vs. Federal Court in the District of South Carolina

  At Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 18 courts-martial ended in a conviction for wrongful drug use under Article 112a, and the median adjudged confinement was 3 months. In the federal District of South Carolina, 18 people were sentenced under 21 U.S.C. 844 (simple possession), and the median prison term for

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Seymour Johnson AFB vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina

  Courts-martial tried at Seymour Johnson AFB produced 10 Article 112a drug-use convictions, 9 of which (90%) included confinement, with a median of 2.5 months. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, 208 people were sentenced for simple possession in fiscal years 2016 to 2025; 166 of them (80%) re

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at San Diego vs. Federal Court in the Southern District of California

  Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial tried in San Diego produced 20 Article 112a drug-use convictions, and 11 of the 20 enlisted members convicted (55%) received a punitive discharge. Confinement was part of 75% of the sentences, with a median of 3.2 months. In the Southern District of California, 7

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Peterson SFB vs. Federal Court in the District of Colorado

  Of 16 Article 112a drug-use convictions at courts-martial tried at Peterson SFB, 5 (31%) were at a general court-martial, and only 1 of 10 with a plea recorded (10%) was a guilty plea. The median adjudged confinement was 3 months. In the District of Colorado, 31 people were sentenced for simple poss

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Offutt AFB vs. Federal Court in the District of Nebraska

  At Offutt AFB, 14 of 15 Article 112a drug-use convictions with a sentence recorded (93%) included confinement, and the median was 2.2 months. In the District of Nebraska, 12 people were sentenced for simple possession in fiscal years 2017 to 2024, and 5 of them (42%) received a prison term, with a m

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Norfolk vs. Federal Court in the Eastern District of Virginia

  Navy courts-martial tried at Norfolk produced 25 convictions for wrongful drug use under Article 112a, and 20 of the 24 with a plea recorded (83%) were guilty pleas. The median adjudged confinement was 4.4 months. In the Eastern District of Virginia, 329 people were sentenced for simple possession i

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Nellis AFB vs. Federal Court in the District of Nevada

  Nellis AFB had 43 Article 112a drug-use convictions at court-martial, and 24 of the 41 enlisted members convicted (59%) received a punitive discharge. Confinement was part of 84% of the sentences, with a median of 3.7 months. In the District of Nevada, 17 people were sentenced for simple possession

• Drug Use: Courts-Martial at Moody AFB vs. Federal Court in the Middle District of Georgia

  Most Article 112a drug-use convictions at Moody AFB with a plea recorded came from contested cases: only 1 of 9 was a guilty plea. In the Middle District of Georgia, 55 of 61 people sentenced for simple possession (90%) pleaded guilty. Confinement was part of 74% of Moody AFB sentences, with a media

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