Don’t Let the Chain of Command Decide Your Guilt

One minute you’re a rock star Marine.

The next, you’re a problem.

Not because of what you did, but because someone made an accusation.

And before you’ve had a chance to tell your side of the story, before any investigation is complete, before the facts are even clear… your command starts circling. Talking about accountability. Talking about integrity. Talking about “taking responsibility.”

It’s not justice.

It’s pressure.

And if you don’t recognize it for what it is, you could find yourself pleading guilty to something you didn’t do—or something they can’t even prove.

Accusation ≠ Conviction

I’ve worked with enough Marines to know how this plays out.

A junior enlisted gets accused of misconduct. Maybe it’s a relationship. Maybe it’s alcohol-related. Maybe it’s something more serious. Doesn’t matter.

The second the accusation hits, they’re treated like they’re already guilty.

They’re removed from their unit.

Isolated.

Assigned meaningless tasks.

Talked down to by people who once praised them.

Command stops looking at the evidence and starts looking for an exit. And that exit usually involves you taking the fall.

“Be Accountable” = “Plead Guilty”

Let me decode some of the language you’re going to hear:

“Take responsibility”

“Own your actions”

“Be accountable”

“This is the honorable path”

It all sounds noble on the surface.

But what they’re really saying is: “Make this easy for us. Plead guilty.”

The chain of command wants resolution. They want the problem to go away. They don’t want to testify, they don’t want disruption, and they sure as hell don’t want their leadership decisions scrutinized.

So they frame your compliance as the right thing to do.

What they don’t tell you is:

• You still have legal rights.
• The government has to prove every charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
• An accusation is not the same as evidence.
• You are not obligated to confess or cooperate.

And here’s the part that really matters:

They don’t get to decide your guilt.

Command Pressure Is Real—and It’s Wrong

Command pressure can be subtle or brutal. I’ve seen both.

You might be:

• Assigned humiliating duties
• Denied leave or special liberty
• Isolated from peers
• Threatened with worse charges if you “make them go through trial”
• Pulled into private meetings with senior leaders telling you to “do the right thing”

I’ve had clients come to me after sitting in these meetings sweating, shaking, confused, ready to sign any piece of paper that might make it stop.

They think their career is already over.

But here’s the truth: that pressure stops the moment I get involved.

When I call command, everything changes.

Because they know I don’t play that game.

They know I’ll take the case to trial if needed.

They know I’ll call out illegal command influence and fight to protect my client’s rights.

And when that power dynamic resets, the command’s tone suddenly shifts from pressure… to silence.

You’re Not Alone Even If It Feels That Way

When you’re under investigation, you feel like a ghost.

People stop talking to you. You stop being invited to events. Your once-close NCOs keep their distance. Officers look through you instead of at you.

The silence is deafening.

And if you’re young, maybe it’s your first duty station, you start to believe the only way to survive is to go along with it.

You think:

“If I just agree, maybe they’ll go easy on me.”

“Maybe I can salvage what’s left of my reputation.”

“Maybe they’ll let me stay in if I cooperate.”

But that’s a lie.

Once you plead guilty under pressure, the government gets what they want, and they don’t owe you anything.

You’re just another case closed.

That’s why you need someone who’s not afraid to push back – hard.

I Don’t Let Command Decide the Strategy

When I step into a case, I make one thing clear: I’m not here to cooperate. I’m here to defend.

If my client is innocent, we fight.

If the case is weak, we challenge every inch.

And if a plea is on the table, it will be negotiated from a position of strength, not fear.

I’ve fought for Marines who were days away from signing guilty pleas, only to discover the case was winnable.

I’ve shut down illegal command influence by calling out O-6s who thought they could bully my clients into compliance.

And I’ve taken heat from prosecutors who hate that I disrupt their playbook.

I don’t care.

Because I don’t work for the command.

I work for the warfighter who’s under fire—and who deserves a fair shot.

Why the Marine Corps Is Especially Vulnerable

I work with all branches, but let’s be honest, the Marine Corps is the worst when it comes to command pressure.

Why?

Because the culture is built on toughness, honor, obedience.

It’s drilled into Marines from day one: “Own your mistakes.”

That’s admirable on the battlefield.

But in the courtroom?

It gets twisted.

Command uses that mindset against you. They frame any resistance as disloyalty. They convince young Marines that asking for a lawyer is a betrayal. That taking a plea is the “Marine Corps way.”

Let me be clear: defending yourself is not disloyal. It’s not dishonorable. It’s not weakness.

It’s smart.

And sometimes, it’s the only thing standing between you and a future that’s still worth fighting for.

The First Step Is Silence

If you’re under investigation, or even just being questioned, the smartest first move is to say nothing.

Literally nothing.

Don’t:

• Try to explain yourself
• Write a statement
• Apologize in text or email
• Agree to “just talk” with NCIS or your command

You don’t win the fight in those rooms. You win it with strategy.

And that starts by lawyering up before the government locks in its case.

One Call Resets the Power Dynamic

I’ve had clients call me in desperation. They’ve been pressured, interrogated, isolated, and they think the only option left is to fold.

My answer is always the same:

“You’ve got options. And the pressure ends now.”

I’ll make one phone call. Just one.

And suddenly, the command knows:

• You have representation.
• They can’t keep pressing.
• Every move they make from this point forward is being watched—and challenged.

That’s the difference.

One phone call resets the power dynamic.

One attorney with a reputation for pushing back can silence the pressure overnight.

Final Thoughts

If you’re accused of a crime in the military, especially if you’re in the Marine Corps, don’t let your command decide your guilt.

They’re not the judge. They’re not the jury. And they damn sure don’t care about your future.

They want resolution.

You want justice.

That means standing your ground, shutting your mouth, and calling someone who will fight like hell to make sure your voice is heard.

Because once the charge sheet drops, the government has all the power, unless you take it back.

And that starts with one phone call.