Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP) is a common tool for the command to use to address alleged misconduct by a servicemember. It is also often called an Article 15. That is because it is still a part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The biggest thing to know about an Article 15 is that it can be one stop before a Court Martial. That is because if a servicemember turns down an Article 15, he is saying he disputes the allegations and demands trial by Court Martial. The command may blink and withdraw the Article 15, but if they do not, it will then go to Court Martial. That is how a “judge” will be assigned, meaning it is now judicial punishment, no longer “non” judicial punishment.