Duty, Obedience, and Discipline Offenses (Articles 83–94)
These fifteen articles concern a service member’s basic duties and the chain of command: being where duty requires, not evading duty by malingering, complying with quarantine, arrest, custody, and restriction, obeying lawful orders, respecting superiors and officials, and treating subordinates and trainees lawfully. They range from absence offenses under Article 86, all of which are Category 1, to mutiny and sedition under Article 94, which authorize death. Several articles in the group — including malingering, desertion, striking a superior commissioned officer, and willfully disobeying one — have forms that are sentencing-criteria offenses in time of war.
| Article | Offense |
|---|---|
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-83-malingering/">83</a> | Malingering |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-84-breach-of-medical-quarantine/">84</a> | Breach of Medical Quarantine |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-85-desertion/">85</a> | Desertion |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-86-absence-without-leave/">86</a> | Absence Without Leave |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-87-missing-movement-jumping-from-vessel-into-the-water/">87</a> | Missing Movement; Jumping from Vessel |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-87a-resistance-flight-breach-of-arrest-and-escape/">87a</a> | Resistance, Flight, Breach of Arrest, and Escape |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-87b-offenses-against-correctional-custody-and-restriction/">87b</a> | Offenses Against Correctional Custody and Restriction |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-88-contempt-toward-officials/">88</a> | Contempt Toward Officials |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-89-disrespect-toward-and-assault-of-a-superior-commissioned-officer/">89</a> | Disrespect Toward / Assault of Superior Commissioned Officer |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-90-willfully-disobeying-a-superior-commissioned-officer/">90</a> | Willfully Disobeying Superior Commissioned Officer |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-91-insubordinate-conduct-toward-a-warrant-officer-noncommissioned-officer-or-petty-officer/">91</a> | Insubordinate Conduct Toward Warrant Officer, NCO, or Petty Officer |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-92-failure-to-obey-order-or-regulation/">92</a> | Failure to Obey Order or Regulation |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-93-cruelty-and-maltreatment/">93</a> | Cruelty and Maltreatment |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-93a-prohibited-activities-with-military-recruit-or-trainee-by-person-in-position-of-special-trust/">93a</a> | Prohibited Activities with a Military Recruit or Trainee by a Person in a Position of Special Trust |
| <a href="https://ucmjoffenses.com/ucmj-article-94-mutiny-or-sedition/">94</a> | Mutiny or Sedition |
See Offenses by Sentencing Category for how each article is classified for sentencing parameters, and How UCMJ Sentencing Rules Apply for what those classifications mean.
Sources
- 10 U.S.C. §§ 883–894 (Articles 83–94, UCMJ)
- Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 2024 edition, Part IV
- Manual for Courts-Martial, United States (2024 ed.), Appendix 12C