For Military: What is the difference between an Article 15 and a Field Grade Article 15?

Question

What is the real difference? Know the FG is worse.

Answer 1

The difference is the amount of punishment that is allowed to be meted out.

For a Company Grade Art 15, the commander can only impose a limited amount of punishment, including loss of pay and restriction to base. This is usually given for lesser offences under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

A Field Grade Art 15 is given by a "Field Grade" officer, usually Col or above. This punishment can include jail time.

For more information, check out: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/l/blucmj15.htm

Answer 2

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An Article 15 can be given to anyone, but it must be given by an officer of higher rank than the person receiving it. The higher the rank of the officer giving it, the greater the punishment he/she can hand out.

Company grade officers (2 Lt, 1 Lt, and Captains) can not hand out really severe Article 15s.

Field grade officers (Majors, Lt. Colonels and Colonels.) on the other hand, can hand out some really nasty punishments.

If a person really screws up and is going to get an Article 15, and the supervisor is a Company Grade officer, they often kick it up to the Commander, who is usually a Field Grade officer. That way the punishment can be more severe.

So yes, a Field Grade Article 15 is a lot worse.

Answer 3

A field grade is an instant demotion with an option of 45 day no pay and extra duty.