Military Justice News

Need to Know: These New UCMJ Laws Start Jan. 1, 2019

Friday, February 1, 2019 | Category: Military Justice - ME

Amy Bushatz reported the following in her Military.com article:

“A series of sweeping reforms and updates to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) kick in on Jan. 1, 2019, including the addition of some crimes, an expansion of victims' rights and standardizing the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers on some military bases.

Many of the changes, which stemmed in part from Joint Chiefs of Staff recommendations made in 2013, were ordered in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Put into policy early this year through an executive order from President Donald Trump, they bring what Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee during the 2017 NDAA process, called the "most significant reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice since it was enacted six decades ago."”