NJP Routing and Commander Authority

Commander Authority on NJP

Per UCMJ Article 15 and MCO 5000.14DMCO 5000.14D Enclosure 3 paragraph j, commanders impose Non-Judicial Punishment for minor offenses without referral to court-martial. The authority comes with strict procedural requirements and direct accountability for the legal sufficiency of the proceeding.

You are the imposing authority. The S-1 prepares the package. You decide.

Authority Limits by Grade

NJP authority and punishment limits scale with command grade.

Officer punishments are more limited. Consult the Manual for Courts-Martial for specifics.

Pre-Mast Preparation

Before mast, your S-1 should hand you a complete package. Do not proceed without these items.

• Charge sheet with specifications using exact MCM language
• Investigation summary or Command Investigation
• All witness statements (signed and dated)
• Member acknowledgment of rights and election (acceptance of NJP or demand for trial by court-martial)
• Member's Page 11 history
• Prior NJP records on file
• ESR printout
• Any matters in extenuation and mitigation member submitted

Reject incomplete packages back to S-1. Do not start mast with gaps.

Conducting Mast

The mast itself follows a structured sequence.

1. Open the proceeding. State the article, the date, and identify the member by full name and SSN.
2. Read the specifications. Each specification, verbatim from the charge sheet.
3. Confirm member's election. Member elected to accept NJP or demand court-martial. If member demands court-martial, stop NJP and refer to legal.
4. Hear evidence. Allow the member to present matters in extenuation and mitigation. Hear witnesses if member requests.
5. Render findings. For each specification, find guilty or not guilty.
6. Impose punishment if guilty. State each punishment imposed. Within authority limits.
7. Advise of appeal rights. Member has the right to appeal to the next superior commander.
8. Sign UPB. Authenticate the proceeding.

Punishment Options

Combine these per your authority limits.

• Reduction in grade (one grade for E-4 and below at company commander level)
• Forfeiture of pay (limits vary by authority)
• Restriction (to specified limits)
• Extra duties (no more than 45 days at higher authority levels)
• Correctional custody (limited to E-3 and below in some cases)
• Suspended punishments (you may suspend any of the above for a period)

A combination respects each individual limit. You cannot exceed the maximum on any single category.

Post-Mast Actions You Direct

After signing the UPB, direct your S-1 to take these actions.

1. Page 11 entry. Per MCO P1070.12MCO P1070.12, NJP results are documented in the Service Record Book and OMPF. Direct the entry.
2. UPB to supporting IPAC. S-1 routes the UPB to PAC for unit diary processing.
3. Pay impact transactions. Reductions and forfeitures process via UD/MIPS. Coordinate timing with PAC.
4. Promotion eligibility flag. If reduction occurred, MOL promotion module updates.
5. Member receives copy. Member gets a copy of the UPB and Page 11.

Pay Impact Coordination

Forfeitures and reductions affect pay starting the next pay period after PAC processing.

Coordinate with S-1 to ensure timing matches your intent. A reduction effective immediately should hit the next LES.

Appeal Process

Member has the right to appeal to the next superior commander within 5 days of NJP.

1. Member submits written appeal stating grounds.
2. Appeal goes to next superior in the chain (you cannot review your own NJP).
3. Superior commander reviews the record and may set aside, mitigate, or affirm.
4. Decision is final.

Do not act on a suspended punishment until appeal period expires or appeal is decided.

Common Errors

These create legal risk on the proceeding.

1. Specification language deviates from MCM. Fix by re-drafting before mast. Imprecise language opens the door to appeal.
2. Missing rights advisement. Member did not sign acknowledgment. Do not proceed.
3. Punishment exceeds authority. Each category has a separate limit. A single excess invalidates the punishment.
4. No Page 11 entry posted. NJP without Page 11 documentation is incomplete record.
5. Late UD/MIPS processing. Pay impact delayed past intent. Track with S-1.

Decision Framework

Before any NJP, ask these questions.

• Is this offense better suited for non-punitive measures (counseling, extra training)?
• Does the member's record support NJP or warrant administrative separation processing?
• Is the evidence sufficient for guilty finding beyond reasonable doubt?
• Does my command grade authority cover the punishment I intend to impose?
• Have I consulted the Staff Judge Advocate where the case is complex?

Refer to the SJA when the answer to any of these is unclear.

Related Roles

NJP touches every role in the chain.

• Marines facing NJP review their rights, election options, and the appeal process.
• Leaders counsel pre-NJP, witness statements, and post Page 11 entries documenting underlying conduct.
• Admin at S-1 prepares the UPB package and routes the post-mast paperwork.