Commander's Legal Handbook

This Handbook is designed to assist Army Commanders in taking proper immediate action when faced with a variety of legal issues that might arise during your command. The purpose of your actions should be to preserve the legal situation until you can consult with your servicing Judge Advocate. However, like most aspects of your command responsibilities, you can fail if you just wait for things to come to you. You need to be proactive in preventing problems before they occur. In the legal arena, this means establishing and enforcing high standards, ensuring your Soldiers are fully aware of those standards and properly trained to comply with them. You must also properly train your Soldiers on all Army policies and higher level command standards so that they also understand and comply with them. Soldiers must also be well-versed in the Army Values and be able to apply those values to real- world situations, which will usually keep them well within legal bounds.Topics include:THE TOP TEN SITUATIONS WHERE YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONSULT YOUR SERVICING JUDGE ADVOCATEMILITARY JUSTICE/CRIMINAL LAW Introduction to Military Criminal Law Misconduct: Options and Duties Of The Commander Unlawful Command Influence R.C.M. 303 Preliminary Inquiry Non-Judicial Punishment, Article 15, UCMJ Article 15 ScriptSearch and Seizure Self-Incrimination, Confessions, and Rights Warning UCMJ Punitive Articles Urinalysis, Drug and Alcohol Policies Fraternization and Improper Senior-Subordinate Relationships Proper Responses to Reports of Sexual Assault Victim -Witness IssuesINVESTIGATIONS Administrative Investigations/References Intro AR 15-6 Investigations Accident Investigations (AR 385-10) Line of Duty Investigations (AR 600-8-4) Fatal Training/Operational Accident Presentations to Next Of Kin (AR 600-34) Financial Liability Investigations (AR 735-5)STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT Standards of Conduct Commanders Coins Support to Non-Federal Entities Government Motor Vehicle Transportation Family Readiness Groups Accompanying Spousal Travel Annual Filing of Financial Disclosure FormsADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND PERSONNEL ACTIONS "Flagging" Soldiers from Positive Personnel Actions Enlisted Separations Officer Separations Bars To Reenlistment - Field Initiated Qualitative Service Program (QSP) Removal of Enlisted Soldiers From Promotion Lists Removal of Commissioned and Warrant Officers From Promotion Lists Security Clearances - Suspension and Revocation Sexual Harassment Domestic Violence Amendment to the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) & FAP Article 138 Complaints Relief from CommandINDIVIDUAL SOLDIER RIGHTS Body Piercing & Tattoo Policy Conscientious Objection Behavioral Health Evaluations Command Access to a Soldier's Protected Health Information (HIPAA) Extremist Organizations and Activities Political Activities by Members of The Armed Forces Whistleblower Protection Service Member's Civil Relief Act (SCRA) Religious Accommodation INTERNATIONAL & OPERATIONAL LAW Rules of Engagement Law of Armed Conflict CLAIMS AND CLIENT SERVICES Article 139 Claims Foreign and Deployment Claims Family Support Obligations (AR 608-99) Debt and Consumer ProtectionGOVERNMENT INFORMATION PRACTICES Freedom of Information Act Program Privacy Act ProgramFISCAL LAW Fiscal Law for Commanders