Disloyal statements

US military law

This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed. (March 2009)

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Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) also known as the General Article of the UCMJ is an article of military law in the United States that provides for penalties by court-martial various offences that prejudice good order and discipline or bring discredit upon the armed forces, such as for "disloyal" statements made "with the intent to promote disloyalty or disaffection toward the United States by any member of the armed forces or to interfere with or impair the loyalty to the United States or good order and discipline of any member of the armed forces."

## Manual for Courts-Martial

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> Explanation.
> Certain disloyal statements by military personnel may not constitute an offense under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2385, 2387, and 2388, but may, under the circumstances, be punishable under this article. Examples include praising the enemy, attacking the war aims of the United States, or denouncing our form of government with the intent to promote disloyalty or disaffection among members of the armed services. A declaration of personal belief can amount to a disloyal statement if it disavows allegiance owed to the United States by the declarant. The disloyalty involved for this offense must be to the United States as a political entity and not merely to a department or other agency that is a part of its administration.

— Manual for Courts-Martial (US Government, 2002), Chapter 4, Paragraph 72

## See also

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* Uniform Code of Military Justice
* General article (UCMJ article 134)

## External links

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* About.com article
* Kuro5hin.org article

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United States Military Judicial Authority

* Military justice
* Law of the United States

Authority|

* United States Constitution, Article I
* Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)

Standards|

* Manual for Courts-Martial
* Convening authority

Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG)|

| Army|

* Judge Advocate General's Corps, Army (Army JAG)

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Marine Corps|

* Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division

Navy|

* Judge Advocate General's Corps, Navy (Navy JAG)

Air Force|

* Judge Advocate General's Corps, Air Force

Coast Guard|

* Coast Guard Legal Division

Non-judicial punishment|

* UCMJ Article 15
* Military tribunals in the United States

Court systems|

| Trial|

* Courts-martial
* Guantanamo military commissions

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Appeal|

* Army Court of Criminal Appeals
* Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
* Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals
* Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals
* Court of Military Commission Review

Discretionary
review|

* Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
* Supreme Court

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