Attempt Cases at Wheeler Army Airfield: 2021–2023 vs. 2024–2026
Wheeler Army Airfield had 11 courts-martial charging Article 80 (attempt) in 2024–2026, all at the general court-martial level. The contested share was 36%, compared with 29% in all Army Article 80 cases, and 2 of 4 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal.
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Short answer: Wheeler Army Airfield had 11 courts-martial charging Article 80 (attempt) in 2024–2026, all at the general court-martial level. The contested share was 36%, compared with 29% in all Army Article 80 cases, and 2 of 4 contested cases that reached a verdict ended in a full acquittal. The median confinement was 2 years, compared with 11 months in 2021–2023.
Every Case at a General Court-Martial
General courts-martial heard 100% of the 2024–2026 cases, compared with 88% in 2021–2023. A general court-martial can impose any lawful sentence, including long confinement and a dishonorable discharge.
A punitive discharge followed 8 of 8 enlisted convictions. In 2021–2023, the share was 80%. A punitive discharge is a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge for enlisted members.
Longer Confinement Than in 2021–2023
Confinement was part of 9 of 9 convictions. The median confinement was 2 years, compared with 11 months in 2021–2023, when 88% of convictions included confinement.
These are adjudged sentences, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal, and each covers every charge in the case. With 9 convictions, a few sentences can move the median.
| 2021–2023 | 2024–2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 17 | 11 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 35% | 36% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 1 of 6 | 2 of 4 |
| Convictions with confinement | 88% | 9 of 9 |
| Median confinement | 11 months | 2 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 80% | 8 of 8 |
| General courts-martial | 88% | 100% |
Pleas and Verdicts
Of 11 cases with a plea recorded, 4 had a not-guilty or mixed plea and 7 had a guilty plea. A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The contested share, 36%, compares with 29% in all Army Article 80 cases and 35% at Wheeler in 2021–2023.
Of the 4 contested cases that reached a verdict, 2 ended in a full acquittal. In 2021–2023, 1 of 6 did.
Who Decided Guilt
The accused usually chooses whether a military judge alone or a panel of members decides guilt. Members heard 36% of the cases with the forum listed: 3 officer panels and 1 enlisted panel. The other 7 were tried by a military judge alone.
Attempt Charged Mostly Alone
Article 80 was the only charge in 8 of the 11 cases. Article 133 (conduct unbecoming), Article 82 (solicitation), and Article 119b (child endangerment) were each charged in 1.
Rank of the Accused
Of the 11 accused, 6 were junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 4 were NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 1 was an officer or warrant officer. In all Army Article 80 cases in 2024–2026, junior enlisted members were 49%, so this group was more junior.
Case Counts and Rule Changes
The 2021–2023 records show 17 cases over 3 years, about 6 a year. Since 2024 there have been about 4 a year: 5 in 2024, 4 in 2025, and 2 so far in 2026, a partial year. These 11 cases were 20% of the 54 courts-martial at Wheeler in 2024–2026.
Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether to prosecute covered offenses such as sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder. For offenses after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence under new sentencing parameters. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so trials since 2024 include cases under both the old and new rules.
What the Records Cannot Show
The records do not describe the evidence or the plea terms. They do not include nonjudicial punishment or administrative separations.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 80 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Wheeler Army Airfield that charged Article 80 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2021–2023 (17) and 2024–2026 (11). Comparisons use every Army case charging Article 80 in 2024–2026.
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
- Wheeler Army Airfield: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 80 (Attempts): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Wheeler Army Airfield, 2020–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 75 Cases (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Wheeler Army Airfield, 2024–2026? 54 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Army Article 80 Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025
- Article 80 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Before and After 2019
- Article 80 at San Diego, California Before and After 2019
- Attempt Cases at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: 2013–2018 vs. 2019–2023
- Article 120b at Fort Hood Before and After 2024
- Article 80 explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 80 Cases at Wheeler Army Airfield, 2024–2026
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.