What is a Command Investigation?

A command investigation is a formal, commander-ordered inquiry the military uses to establish facts and decide whether corrective action, administrative penalties, or referral to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is warranted. If you received notice of one, understanding the process is the first step toward protecting your rights and your career.

Command Investigation Defined

A command investigation — sometimes called a command-directed investigation (CDI), an administrative investigation, or an AR 15-6 — is an internal fact-finding inquiry that a commanding officer orders to look into alleged misconduct, leadership concerns, accidents, property loss, or any other matter affecting the command. The authority to order one is inherent to command itself, and commanders hold broad discretion over what to investigate.

A command investigation is not a criminal investigation. Professional law enforcement organizations — CID, NCIS, AFOSI, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service — handle suspected crimes. A command investigation gathers facts so the commander can decide what to do next. That decision can still carry career-altering consequences.

Why Commanders Order Investigations

Commanders typically launch command investigations to address:

• Misconduct allegations such as harassment, fraternization, misuse of government property, or hazing
• Leadership and climate concerns, including toxic leadership and breakdowns in good order and discipline
• Accidents, incidents, and safety violations
• Loss or destruction of government property (handled as Financial Liability Investigations of Property Loss, or FLIPLs)
• Policy or regulatory violations under service-specific or DoD directives

How Each Service Branch Handles Command Investigations

Each branch runs command investigations under its own governing regulation.

• Army — AR 15-6 Investigations. Governed by Army Regulation 15-6, Procedures for Administrative Investigations and Boards of Officers.
• Navy and Marine Corps — JAGMAN Investigations. Governed by Chapter II of the Manual of the Judge Advocate General (JAGMAN) under JAG Instruction 5800.7G. Reports are typically due within 30 days of the convening order.
• Air Force and Space Force — Commander-Directed Investigations (CDIs). Used for command matters not covered by another investigative authority.
• Coast Guard. Follows its own administrative investigation policies, which align with DoD guidelines.

In every branch, the appointing authority selects an investigating officer (IO) who outranks the subject, the IO consults a legal advisor, and a judge advocate reviews the final report before the commander acts on it.

The Command Investigation Process

Although procedures vary by branch, every command investigation follows the same arc:

• Triggering event — a complaint, incident, or commander concern prompts the inquiry.
• Appointment of the IO through a written convening order naming the IO, scope, and deadline.
• Legal consultation with the servicing Staff Judge Advocate (SJA).
• Evidence gathering — the IO interviews witnesses, reviews documents, and builds a factual record. Formal rules of evidence don’t apply.
• Findings and recommendations drafted for the appointing authority.
• Legal review by a judge advocate for procedural compliance and legal sufficiency.
• Approval and action — no action, corrective action, adverse administrative action, or referral for UCMJ proceedings.

Your Rights as the Subject of an Investigation

Servicemembers under a command investigation retain important rights:

• Right to legal counsel through Trial Defense Service, the Defense Service Office, or a civilian military law attorney.
• Article 31 rights against self-incrimination if the IO suspects criminal misconduct.
• Right to review adverse findings and submit a written rebuttal before the appointing authority takes final action.
• Right to submit evidence, including documents and witness names.

What you say in an interview shapes the report on the commander’s desk — talking to an attorney first is almost always the right call.

Potential Outcomes

Command investigation findings can result in no action, counseling or reassignment, letters of reprimand (including GOMORs in the Army), nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, UCMJ, adverse evaluations, denied promotions, administrative separation, or referral for court-martial charges.

Command Investigation vs. Commander’s Inquiry vs. Criminal Investigation

A single incident can trigger more than one of these in parallel.

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