Never underestimate the vindictiveness of a lover scorned, and never, ever underestimate the vindictiveness of a command who feels robbed of a conviction under the UCMJ. The General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand (GOMOR) has been the go-to tool for a command scorned. Look, if they could have court-martialed you and made a public example out of you, they would have. While the GOMOR might feel like a reprieve from court martial, make no mistake about it — this is a serious affair that will have a major impact on a service member’s career and reputation.
At Bilecki Law Group, we understand the weight of these GOMOR cases and the need for a strong defense. We have experienced attorneys with a deep knowledge of military affairs that can fight for you. Such was the reality for a young 2nd Lieutenant facing a GOMOR for, of all things, COVID restrictions tied to a case of fraternization. A Korean national reported the 2nd Lieutenant and two allegations were made. The first related to COVID restrictions were baseless. The second ones were allegations of fraternization with a Sergeant. While the COVID violations were baseless from the start, the command felt like they had enough to snoop around the charges of fraternization.
The Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) had both our 2LT client and the Sergeant entering Camp Casey at the same time on eight occasions over six months. Military prosecutors wanted to act like they just found Al Capone’s tax records. The reality is that in any court of law, even the biased military justice system, this was not proof of fraternization. Robbed of their public example and court martial, the command decided to go with a damning GOMOR. That’s where we again went to work. The allegations were baseless, and the GOMOR was more an element of saving face than a facilitator of justice. After a thorough investigation, our team presented our findings to the Commanding General, who ultimately agreed.
Because the military justice system is what it is, a GOMOR was filed, but we were able to ensure it was only filed locally. That’s a huge win for a young LT who’s destined to piss off through tactical incompetence more SGTs than he could ever dream of sleeping with. It’s just a fact, LTs, don’t get mad about it. GOMORs are often where careers are won and lost. You simply cannot let a command issue a GOMOR without sufficient evidence. When they do, it’s a sign of a failure of leadership and failed leaders have no right to ruin your career. Here at Bilecki Law Group, we examine the evidence, and we pursue the truth. Nothing less will do. We are beyond thrilled to have given this young officer a second chance at the career he deserves. You deserve the same.
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