What is one circumstance when a soldier does not have the right to refuse an Article 15 and demand trial by court martial?

• A. When on leave
• B. When aboard a ship
• C. When the soldier requests it
• D. When the charge is minor

Answer: (B)

Being aboard a ship changes how military justice is applied. At sea, the ship’s commanding officer has to handle discipline quickly and with the resources available, so the Article 15 route is used to maintain order without arranging a full court-martial. Because a court-martial isn’t practical or readily convened on a vessel, a service member in that environment does not have the option to demand trial by court-martial after an Article 15. In contrast, other situations like being on leave or scenarios where a service member explicitly requests it don’t have that same environment-based constraint, and the right to request a court-martial remains applicable.