Latest news with #UCMJ
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army reveals 2-phase plan to remove service members with gender dysphoria
The Army on Wednesday said it is approaching its second phase of separation with service members experiencing gender dysphoria, an initiative that follows the Trump administration's directive of prioritizing military excellence and readiness. A new memo issued by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and obtained by Fox News Digital outlines two phases in the separation process, the first of which will be completed at the beginning of June. The first phase, which ends June 6, allows service members who have been diagnosed with or have a history of gender dysphoria to identify themselves and volunteer to separate from the military branch, an Army spokesperson told Fox Digital. Pentagon Ceases Gender Transition Treatments As It Moves To Boot Trans Troops Once a service member notifies an immediate commander, that commander will then notify a superior, initiating the separation process. Soldiers who reached a threshold for years of service qualify for voluntary separation pay or double the pay a service member would get by separating from the Army for various reasons, the spokesperson said. Read On The Fox News App Hegseth Bans Future Trans Soldiers, Makes Sweeping Changes For Current Ones However, they will not qualify for separation pay if they have not reached the years of service, if there is pending administrative action against them or if they are facing Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) code infractions. In the case of pending administrative action against them, their discharge may also not be honorable. The Army said those who volunteer for separation, but do not qualify, will still be separated and afforded benefits; they will only forfeit the additional separation pay, according to the spokesperson. After the June 6 deadline for voluntary separation, the Army will enter the involuntary separation phase. In the second phase, "there will be means of identifying those who did not want to self-identify," the spokesperson said. Hegseth Orders Deadline For Trans Service Members To Leave Military: 'Out At The Dod' The spokesperson said soldiers' records, prior to the new policy, reflected service members' sex at birth. Once they are identified, a separation process will begin. Transgender Sailors, Marines Offered Benefits To Voluntarily Leave Service Or Face Being Kicked Out "Regardless of potential outcome, every service member will be treated with dignity and respect, however this shakes out," the spokesperson said. Driscoll's guidance comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order Jan. 27, "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth heeded Trump's executive order with a memo outlining what the Department of Defense needed to do to article source: Army reveals 2-phase plan to remove service members with gender dysphoria
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. Army hears murder case of Ft. Leonard Wood soldier
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo — Specialist Wooster Rancy, 21, is being accused in the October 2024 murder of 23-year-old Sgt. Sarah Roque. Last October, officials Fort Leonard Wood said Sgt. Roque's body was found in a dumpster on October 22. Sgt. Roque was a member of the 5th Engineer Battalion. According to the U.S. Army, an Article 32 hearing took place Tuesday at the military installation. Spc. Rancy is charged with murder and obstructing justice in violation of Articles 118 and 131b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel preferred charges against Spc. Rancy on Oct. 20, 2024. Wooster Rancy, Courtesy of Phelps County Jail The hearing gives investigators a chance to lay out the case to a Preliminary Hearing Officer (PHO) who will then examine evidence and testimony, both of which were provided Tuesday. The next step is for the PHO to issue a report and make recommendations regarding the appropriate disposition of the case. This hearing is required before charges can be referred for trial by general court-martial according to Article 32 of the UCMJ. If it is referred to court-martial, a military judge will be selected. The schedule, dates for pre-trial hearings, and the trial itself. Sgt. Roque was a native of Ligonier, Indiana, and was a bridge crewmember. She also served as a Mine Dog Handler with the K9 detachment. 'Sergeant Roque was a daughter, sister, friend, and Soldier who chose to serve our country bravely and honorably,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding General at the time of her death. Sgt. Roque's awards and declarations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. Sarah Roque – Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Fort Leonard Wood Spc. Rancy is originally from North Miami, Florida, joining the Army in 2022 and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood. Rancy is being held in jail at the Midwest Joint Regional Confinement Facility at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR -
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
County settles lawsuits over ex-deputy's sex crimes
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Sedgwick County Commission voted unanimously to settle lawsuits filed by two female inmates who a former detention deputy sexually assaulted in 2022. Dustin Burnett, 24, is currently serving a 68-month (five years and eight months) sentence after entering an Alford plea in 2023 on charges of unlawful sexual relations and official misconduct. He was initially charged with two counts of official misconduct after officials said he saw inmates use a pipe to break a window in the jail and smuggle contraband into the jail. Soon after, two female inmates came forward telling investigators that they had sexual contact with Burnett. The women filed suit against the county and Sheriff Jeff Easter. On Wednesday, commissioners voted 5-0 without discussion to settle the lawsuits, one for $200,000, the other for $175,000. Man in critical condition after stabbing in downtown Wichita Details in the lawsuits show that Burnett was 'separated from the Army after less than 2 years for the Commission of a Serious Offense in violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as a result of possessing, receiving, or viewing child pornography.' Burnett was also accused of theft, making false statements, threatening other members in his platoon, and malingering before his discharge in 2020. The lawsuit says that despite his military record of misconduct, he was still hired by the sheriff's office. It also notes that eight days before he attacked the two women, he attempted to solicit another female inmate for a sex act that was reported. Burnett is currently serving his sentence in Lansing Correctional, according to state records, with his earliest possible release date being Jan. 19, 2027. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office upholds high standards of professional conduct and accountability. Sheriff Jeff Easter continues taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals in custody and to maintain public trust. Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
County to consider settlement over ex-deputy crimes
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Sedgwick County will discuss settling a lawsuit filed by two women who a former detention deputy sexually victimized. Dustin Burnett, 24, is currently serving a 68-month (five years and eight months) sentence after entering an Alford plea in 2023 on charges of unlawful sexual relations and official misconduct. He was initially charged with two counts of official misconduct after officials said he saw inmates use a pipe to break a window in the jail and smuggle contraband into the jail. Soon after, two female inmates came forward telling investigators that they had sexual contact with Burnett. Burnett is currently serving his sentence in Lansing Correctional, according to state records, with his earliest possible release date being Jan. 19, 2027. Prosecutor still wants Augusta teens to be tried as adults His two victims filed suit against the county and the sheriff. Court documents in the lawsuit filed by one of the victims show that Burnett was 'separated from the Army after less than 2 years for the Commission of a Serious Offense in violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as a result of possessing, receiving, or viewing child pornography.' Burnett was also accused of theft, making false statements, threatening other members in his platoon, and malingering before his discharge in 2020. The lawsuit says that despite his military record of misconduct, he was still hired by the sheriff's office. It also notes that eight days before he attacked the two women, he attempted to solicit another female inmate for a sex act that was reported. Sheriff Jeff Easter, the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners, and Burnett are all named as defendants in the women's lawsuits. The County Commission's agenda for Wednesday, April 23, shows that they will discuss settling the lawsuit with the two victims. Legal counsel for the county has recommended that the county settle the lawsuit. Under the proposed settlement agreement, Sedgwick County would pay $175,000 to one victim and $200,000 to another to settle all claims against the county and Sheriff Jeff Easter. KSN has reached out to the sheriff's office and the Sedgwick County commission for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Air Force Commander Punished with 21 Days' Confinement, Forfeiture of Pay After Guilty Plea
A former commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio was sentenced to 21 days in confinement and forfeiture of pay after he pleaded guilty to having an inappropriate relationship with a staff sergeant despite being ordered by superiors to stop. Col. Christopher Meeker, the former commander of Wright-Patterson's 88th Air Base Wing, was sentenced Tuesday evening after entering a guilty plea to violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including Article 90, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, and Article 134, fraternization. As part of his plea agreement, the government dismissed a specification of extramarital sexual conduct that he was previously charged with. Col. Matthew Stoffel, the judge in the case, sentenced Meeker to 21 days' confinement at the Ohio base, as well as reprimand and forfeiture of $7,000 of pay per month for two months, a news release from Air Force Materiel Command said. Read Next: Vehicle Incident at Border Kills 2 Marines, Injures Another; Investigation Underway A UCMJ legal expert told that the case is significant, noting that it's quite uncommon for those types of cases to end in imprisonment and adding they often are settled with administrative and nonjudicial punishment. "There was something extra egregious here," Eric Carpenter, a former military lawyer who is now a law professor at Florida International University, told in an interview Wednesday. "The jail time really probably reflected the egregiousness of the violation of the orders." Meeker had been removed from his command of the 88th Air Base Wing on Dec. 29, 2023, by Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, the commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. But the behavior that led to the court-martial took place after Meeker's time in that leadership position, the base said in the news release. "Air Force prosecutors said Meeker fraternized by engaging in a personal and sexual relationship with a staff sergeant," the news release from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said. "He also disobeyed Shipton's direct order to discontinue all electronic and personal contact with the enlisted airman by continuing the relationship." Meeker was eventually charged Oct. 25 with violations of three articles of the UCMJ. Shipton had transferred the case to 18th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Charles Bolton, who served as the convening authority, due to potentially being called as a witness in the case. Notably, Meeker opted to waive an Article 32 pre-trial hearing and, upon entering a guilty plea Tuesday, "permanently waived his right to present evidence and had to explain why he was guilty." Meeker did not answer a phone call or text messages sent to a number listed for him in public records Wednesday. Wright-Patterson detailed that Meeker said he "willfully disobeyed" an in-person and electronic no-contact offer and that he acted "selfishly, for my own personal happiness." Meeker marks the latest Air Force officer in recent years to plead guilty during court-martial proceedings. Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, the former commander of the 19th Air Force, faced a court-martial last year after being accused of sexual assault and other allegations by a subordinate. He pleaded guilty to some of the lesser charges and was found not guilty of sexual assault. Former Maj. Gen. William Cooley, previously the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, was convicted in 2022 of forcibly kissing his sister-in-law and then retired as a colonel. Related: 2-Star Air Force General Pleads Guilty to Unprofessional Relationship, Adultery as Sexual Assault Trial Begins
