Usmj 91 Compliance Summary of United States Marine Corps Article

United States Marine Corps Article 91 covers the issue of insubordination of superior officers. More specifically, it reads as follows:

"Any warrant officer or enlisted member who

(1) strikes or assaults a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or petty officer, while that officer is in the execution of his office;

(2) willfully disobeys the lawful order of a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer; or (3) treats with contempt or is disrespectful in language or deportment toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer while that officer is in the execution of his office; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct"

(USMC, 2013).

Purpose of Article

The obvious purpose of Article 91 is to ensure that enlisted personnel exhibit appropriate respect for their superior officers;...

According to the Article, there are several qualifiers intended to prevent unintentional violations of its provisions. For example, it requires that the offending individual know that the victim is a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, or petty officer; and it requires the superior officer is acting in his superior capacity ("in the execution of office") at the time . With respect to violations pertaining to willfully disobedience; it also requires that the order issued is a lawful order (USMC, 2013).
Understanding the Elements of Article 91 and Avoiding Article 91 Violations

Article 91 violations come in three varieties: (1) actually striking or assaulting the superior officer; (2) disobeying a lawful order; and (3) acting or speaking disrespectfully toward a superior officer (USMC, 2013). To avoid being charged under…