Defending Those Who Defend Us®
In the military, Commanding Officers/Generals are charged by direction of the President of the United States with the responsibility to maintain good order and discipline within their ranks. Thus, depending on the seriousness and complexity of a criminal allegation, the relevant Commanding Officer/General may ask law enforcement agencies to take jurisdiction over the investigation and/or order a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
A preliminary inquiry is a type of “command investigation” usually conducted by an officer-member of the command tasked to discover the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegation, compose a written report, and, finally, brief the Commanding Officer/General on the inquiry’s findings. From this initial examination, the Commanding Officer/General can decide whether the allegation has any merit, and, if so, seek investigative assistance from law enforcement, request legal assistance from the base Staff Judge Advocate, or initiate a request for legal services to begin the court-martial process.