Airmen sentenced during courts-martial

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristen Rohrer
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Two Travis Airmen, assigned to the 660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, were sentenced in summary courts-martial proceedings on Jan. 11.

One, a senior airman was sentenced to reduction in grade to E-3, forfeiture of $350 and five days confinement. The other, an airman first class was sentenced to reduction in grade to E-1, forfeiture of $250 pay and five days confinement during two separate trials. The Airmen served the five days of confinement in Solano County Jail in the general prison population. The Airmen plead guilty.

Both Airmen were charged with fleeing apprehension by Armed Forces policemen, a violation of Article 95 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and willfully broke military property of the United States with the amount of damage in the sum of less than $500, a violation of Article 108 of the UCMJ. In addition, the Airmen were charged with drunk and disorderly conduct which was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the Armed Forces as well as unlawfully entering property of the U.S. Government, two violations of Article 134 of the UCMJ.

The Airmen could have been tried at a special court-martial, where the maximum punishment includes one year of confinement and a bad conduct discharge. However, due to the Airmen's willingness to accept responsibility for their crimes and their duty history, both were tried at a summary-court martial. A summary-court martial is the lowest level court-martial. The maximum punishment for these offenses at a summary court-martial is reduction in grade to E-1, forfeiture of up to 2/3 pay for one month and confinement for up to one month.

After drinking heavily on the night of Dec. 9, the Airmen illegally entered Bldg. 1328, an abandoned dorm on Travis, and began breaking various pieces of government property to include mirrors and a window.

After hearing a disturbance, Security Forces investigated the building and confronted both Airmen. The members then attempted to flee from the armed forces policemen. While attempting to flee one Airman broke a dorm room window to escape. After fleeing for a short time, both Airmen were apprehended by police, placed under arrest and remained in custody until courts martial proceedings began.

Before sentencing, Lt. Col. Robert Brisson, Summary Court-Martial officer, gave each Airman a chance to explain their actions and apologize in their own words to the court. 

After listening to the accused and making his decision, Colonel Brisson announced the sentence and his reasoning for the decision.

While explaining his sentence to one of the Airman, Colonel Brisson remarked, "You made some poor decisions and there are penalties. I admire that you plead guilty and apologized as that is important, but there are still consequences to pay."

"The response of the court is to make you understand that this behavior will not be tolerated," he added. "You were an outstanding Airman up until the night of Dec. 9, and it took one violation of the law to take these stripes."

After sentencing the other Airman, Colonel Brisson also explained his choice.

"I appreciate your years of service and the deployments you have made for this country, however, you broke the law and did so on your own accord; you made the decision."

"We expect in the Air Force that you live up to its standards 24 hours-a-day seven days-a-week. Unfortunately, you have done this for all your time in the Air Force except for those 20 minutes."