Military Command Investigation Lawyer

Military Command Investigation Attorney at Aaron Meyer Law

A military command investigation often starts quietly, long before anyone decides whether criminal charges make sense. A commander orders a review of an incident, an officer gets appointed to ask questions, and the process can feel informal even though the outcome rarely is. Many service members assume these administrative reviews are routine.

But an unfavorable finding can lead straight to a referral for court-martial or a board looking at separation. It can also leave a permanent mark in a personnel file. Military command investigation lawyer Aaron Meyer holds an active California State Bar license and has practiced before military courts around the world. Before becoming a military criminal defense lawyer, he  served as a Marine Corps judge advocate before opening his California-based practice in 2014. Since then, he has represented service members from the first meeting with an investigating officer through trial by general court-martial.

If your command has opened an inquiry into you, talk with us about what is happening before you say anything further to anyone in your chain of command.

AR 15-6, JAGMAN, and Other Command Investigations We Defend Against

Every branch runs these administrative inquiries a little differently, but the goal is the same: give a commander the facts needed to decide what happens next. We represent service members through:

• Army AR 15-6 investigations into misconduct, policy violations, or command climate complaints
• Navy and Marine Corps JAGMAN investigations ordered under the JAG Manual
• Air Force and Space Force command-directed investigations (CDIs)
• Boards of Inquiry and administrative separation boards that follow an investigation
• Preliminary command inquiries opened before any formal charges exist
• Investigations that escalate toward an Article 32 hearing or referral to court-martial

Some of these inquiries stay administrative and end with counseling or a letter in a file. Others become the foundation for a criminal case, which is why the version you are facing matters as much as the label attached to it.

What’s at Stake in a Military Command Investigation?

Is a command investigation really a big deal if no one has called it criminal yet? It can be. Findings from these inquiries regularly shape whether a commander moves toward non-judicial punishment, a formal board, or a court-martial referral. For serious offenses like sexual assault, a special trial counsel decides whether to refer the case, not the commander.

Under Article 31 of the UCMJ, anyone questioning you about a suspected offense has to tell you what you’re suspected of and that you don’t have to say anything at all. That protection applies the moment someone in your chain of command starts asking pointed questions, not just once NCIS or CID gets involved.

An unfavorable report can also follow a service member into a security clearance review, a promotion board, or a retirement characterization long after the investigation itself closes.

How a Command Investigation Can Lead to an Article 32 Hearing or Court-Martial?

A command investigation that turns up evidence of a serious offense does not end there. For any case headed to a general court-martial, Article 32 of the UCMJ requires a preliminary hearing first. At that hearing, an impartial hearing officer looks at whether there’s probable cause and whether the case belongs at that level.

Aaron Meyer has represented service members at this stage repeatedly, arguing against referral before a case ever reaches a courtroom. He has also spoken to military legal audiences, including at Regional Defense Counsel-West training, on exactly this part of the process.

A command investigation lawyer involved early can sometimes shape the record before the hearing officer ever writes a recommendation, rather than reacting to it afterward.

Case Results From Command Investigations and Military Courts-Martial

Aaron Meyer Law has represented service members whose cases began as command investigations before reaching an Article 32 hearing or a referral decision.

In one matter, a Marine Corps captain at Quantico, Virginia faced sexual assault and rape allegations that were dismissed in full following the Article 32 preliminary hearing.

In another, an Air Force master sergeant stationed in Misawa, Japan had all charges dismissed after the hearing officer recommended the case go no further.

A separate case involved a Marine Corps major accused of roughly $182,203 in financial fraud. That matter was resolved at non-judicial punishment rather than a felony-level court-martial, preserving an honorable discharge and full retirement.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer during a command investigation, even if I haven’t been charged with anything?

Yes, it’s worth talking to one before you’re formally charged. A command investigation can produce the evidence a commander later uses to decide whether to refer a case for court-martial. What you say to an investigating officer now can become part of that record.

What’s the difference between a command investigation and an NCIS, CID, or OSI investigation?

A command investigation is run by an officer appointed from within your unit, while NCIS, CID, and OSI are dedicated military law enforcement agencies. A command inquiry can be referred to one of those agencies if it turns up evidence of a serious crime.

I already answered some questions before I got a lawyer. Does that matter now?

It can. Statements made before you understood your rights under Article 31 are sometimes still usable, but there may be grounds to challenge how or when they were obtained.

What should I expect if I’m stationed at Camp Pendleton, Naval Base San Diego, or MCAS Miramar and under investigation?

Service members at Southern California installations are often investigated under JAGMAN procedures specific to the Navy and Marine Corps. The case moves up through the local chain of command before any decision on an Article 32 hearing. Working with a California-based command investigation lawyer familiar with these installations can make it easier to get answers and stay informed through each stage.

Does hiring a civilian lawyer cost more than using my assigned military defense counsel?

Hiring civilian counsel is a private expense, while military defense counsel is provided at no cost. You may hire civilian counsel in addition to or instead of that assigned attorney. Aaron Meyer Law offers a free consultation to talk through what that would look like in your situation.

How long does a typical command investigation take?

There’s no fixed timeline. A straightforward AR 15-6 or JAGMAN inquiry can wrap up in a few weeks, while one involving multiple witnesses, forensic evidence, or an Article 32 referral can stretch for months.

Can a command investigation affect my security clearance or retirement benefits?

It can, separate from whatever happens in any court-martial. An unfavorable finding can trigger a clearance review or affect how a later discharge or retirement gets characterized, even if no criminal charges ever follow.

Get Help With Your Military Command Investigation Now

Waiting to see what a command investigation turns into is rarely the safer choice, since statements and decisions made early often shape everything that follows. Aaron Meyer Law works with service members at bases throughout California and beyond who are trying to understand what an investigating officer is actually looking at.

A conversation now, before the next interview or hearing, can make the rest of this process easier to manage. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your command investigation.