Dutch Uncle
* Tertia Optio * Defend the Constitution
A word to the wise: Don't risk your veteran status or retirement by becoming an enemy of the Constitution.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...ary-retirees-under-the-ucmj-maybe-it-depends/
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...ary-retirees-under-the-ucmj-maybe-it-depends/
Recent reports of current service members, veterans and some military retirees participating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 have prompted calls for investigations into those connections and using the Uniform Code of Military Justice to prosecute the offenders.
But the law is complicated — each of those groups falls into different categories when it comes to the UCMJ and military justice might not apply in many cases. The trickiest is retirees....
... for retirees, the UCMJ does apply in some situations — it all depends on how they retired, and even that is being litigated.
In a letter to acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller this week, combat veteran and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, called for the Pentagon and services to “root out extremists” and “hold individuals accountable” under the UCMJ.
One of the earliest such cases identified from the Capitol insurrection was retired Air Force Lt. Col. Larry Rendall Brock Jr.. He was photographed inside the Senate chamber holding zip ties and dressed in military-style gear, wearing a 706th Fighter Squadron patch...
...Because Brock is a retired reservist, he doesn’t fall under the UCMJ.
Had he retired from active duty, however, the Air Force could pursue charges against him.
Though that option has rarely been used in the history of the UCMJ, there have been high-profile cases in recent years that resulted in the prosecution of retirees....
...On Aug. 5, 2017, Naval Criminal Investigative Services arrested retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Stephen Begani, at his Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, residence for communications he had with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl but turned out to be an NCIS agent.
He was later convicted and sentenced to 18 months and given a bad conduct discharge.