Military Academy Crime and Punishment

MatthewHJonesAuthor said:

<snip>
Hence these questions:
1.) Would a cadet ever be given guard duties, essentially observing and reporting to a ranking officer?
2.) If so, he would be given a specific title?
3.) If this duty exists, what might the punishment be for assaulting this kind of cadet, or is it the same as hitting a regular cadet?
4.) (Seems obvious, but I'll ask) Would a cadet at a military academy be sent to a military prison or a regular one, if convicted of a crime?

Click to expand...

I was an Officer Candidate School grad, not an Academy grad, but the process was the same.

1) Yes. Who else are you going to assign to the mid-watch? Reports will be made to the cadet chain of command, eventually ending with a commissioned officer -- which could be as high as the Commandant of the Academy.

2) Only if the particular duty had a title.

3) Just add "... while in the performance of duties assigned." to the charge sheet. It is always more serious, since the duty assigned is considered a military necessity.

4) Convicted in a Court Martial -- military facility. If convicted in a civilian court -- civilian facility.

See the Uniform Code of Military Justice for all the juicy particulars.

For question 3, there isn't any difference in an assault charge based on who or what they are doing. The severity of punishment will change. Striking a superior officer or any soldier or cadet on duty ups the punishment. What do you need to happen for your story?

By the way, one of the worst punishments for a cadet is for breaking the honor code. You will likely get expelled from the academy and, at that point, owe your service to the branch of the military the academy is for. There's a case of a cadet breaking the honor code at graduation and being dropped from the academy then assigned to man an automated arctic weather station for the next six years. Yep, automated. As in all he had to do was sit in a freezing cold shack with a stove and a rifle and air drops every few weeks with rations.

West Point commanders have a weird sense of humor.

Jeff