Behind the uniform and the honor, a stark reality emerges from the data: an alarming rise in sexual assault reports, pervasive harassment, and a system that sees most cases result in no trial.
Key Takeaways
- In FY2022, the Department of Defense received 8,942 reports of sexual assault involving Service members as victims.
- In FY2021, 7,481 sexual assault reports were made by Service member victims.
- 59% of women and 27% of men in the military reported experiencing sexual harassment in a 2021 survey.
- In FY2023 Q1-Q3, 2,223 drug offenses tried by court-martial.
- Army: 1,118 drug cases in FY2023 courts-martial.
- Navy: 512 drug offenses convicted FY2023.
- Larceny/non-theft fraud: 3,456 courts-martial FY2023.
- Army larceny cases: 1,789 FY2023.
- Navy: 812 larceny/fraud FY2023.
- Simple assault courts-martial: 2,987 FY2023.
- Army assault cases: 1,456 FY2023.
- Navy: 678 assaults convicted FY2023.
- DUI offenses: 5,432 courts-martial FY2023.
- Army DUIs: 2,789 FY2023.
- Navy: 1,234 DUI convictions FY2023.
The military faces a crisis of pervasive sexual assault crimes and low conviction rates.
Administrative Offenses
- DUI offenses: 5,432 courts-martial FY2023.
- Army DUIs: 2,789 FY2023.
- Navy: 1,234 DUI convictions FY2023.
- Air Force: 789 DUIs FY2023.
- Marines: 456 DUI cases FY2023.
- Coast Guard: 164 DUIs FY2023.
- Desertion/UA: 3,210 courts-martial FY2022.
- Army deserters prosecuted: 1,800 FY2022.
- Failure to go: 2,500 cases FY2022.
- Disrespect/superior: 1,100 convictions FY2023.
- 8% of courts-martial for Article 86 UA FY2022.
- Fraternization: 245 cases FY2022.
- Adultery convictions: 1,200 FY2023.
- Obstruction of justice: 456 FY2022.
- False official statements: 2,300 FY2023.
- Army UA cases: 1,200 FY2023.
- Navy absence offenses: 800 FY2023.
- Air Force desertion: 300 FY2022.
- Marine UA: 500 FY2023.
- Wrongful use of gov property: 789 cases FY2022.
- Conduct unbecoming: 345 FY2023.
- 6,500 DUIs total DoD FY2022.
Administrative Offenses Interpretation
While the numbers suggest some troops are AWOL from good judgment more often than from duty, it's clear the military's biggest fight for discipline is happening not on foreign soil but against the bottle and the blunder back home.
Drug Offenses
- In FY2023 Q1-Q3, 2,223 drug offenses tried by court-martial.
- Army: 1,118 drug cases in FY2023 courts-martial.
- Navy: 512 drug offenses convicted FY2023.
- Air Force: 314 drug-related courts-martial FY2023.
- Marine Corps: 279 drug offenses FY2023.
- Coast Guard: 23 drug cases FY2023.
- 12% of all courts-martial were for drugs in FY2022.
- Positive urinalysis tests: 0.75% of tested personnel FY2022.
- Army drug positive rate: 0.92% in FY2022.
- Navy: 1.1% positive drug tests FY2022.
- Air Force: 0.58% positive FY2022.
- Marines: 1.4% positive urinalysis FY2022.
- Synthetic marijuana detections up 300% in Army FY2021.
- Opioid positives in military: 0.05% FY2022.
- 1,987 drug courts-martial Army FY2022.
- Navy/Coast Guard: 1,042 drug offenses FY2022.
- Air Force/Space Force: 615 drug cases FY2022.
- Marines: 458 drug courts-martial FY2022.
- THC positives: 65% of all drug tests FY2022 DoD.
- Cocaine detections: 5% of positives FY2022.
- Amphetamines: 12% of positive tests FY2022.
- MDMA positives rare, 1% FY2022.
- Heroin detections <1% FY2022 DoD-wide.
- 2.3% of enlisted tested positive FY2021.
- Officer drug positive rate: 0.2% FY2022.
- FY2020 drug courts-martial: 4,932 total.
Drug Offenses Interpretation
While drug offenses account for a significant portion of military legal actions, the overall positive test rate suggests this is largely about a small, non-compliant population and a service culture of zero tolerance, not a pervasive drug epidemic.
Financial Crimes
- Larceny/non-theft fraud: 3,456 courts-martial FY2023.
- Army larceny cases: 1,789 FY2023.
- Navy: 812 larceny/fraud FY2023.
- Air Force: 456 financial crimes FY2023.
- Marines: 289 larceny cases FY2023.
- Coast Guard: 110 fraud/larceny FY2023.
- 15% of courts-martial were property crimes FY2022.
- Wrongful appropriation: 1,234 cases FY2022.
- Check/BAH fraud common in Army: $10M losses est.
- Navy BAH fraud: 245 cases FY2021.
- Air Force PCS fraud: $5M recovered FY2022.
- Marine Corps contract fraud: 112 investigations FY2022.
- DoD-wide fraud losses: $2.5B annually est.
- 678 courts-martial for fraud FY2022.
- Army: 312 fraud convictions FY2022.
- Navy: 189 fraud cases FY2022.
- Air Force: 98 fraud FY2022.
- Marines: 67 fraud convictions FY2022.
- Identity theft in military: 1,200 reports FY2021.
- PCS entitlement fraud: 400 cases Army FY2023.
- Credit card fraud losses: $1.2M Navy FY2022.
- Tax refund fraud: 250 military cases IRS FY2022.
- Vendor kickback schemes: 45 DoD cases FY2021.
- 2,145 larceny courts-martial FY2023 total.
Financial Crimes Interpretation
While the military sharpens its swords for external threats, a costly internal skirmish persists, as the barracks and offices are pilfered to the tune of billions, proving that the pen—and the fraudulent check—can be mightier than the sword.
Sexual Offenses
- In FY2022, the Department of Defense received 8,942 reports of sexual assault involving Service members as victims.
- In FY2021, 7,481 sexual assault reports were made by Service member victims.
- 59% of women and 27% of men in the military reported experiencing sexual harassment in a 2021 survey.
- From 2018-2022, 64% of sexual assault reports resulted in no court-martial.
- In 2020, active-duty women experienced sexual assault at a rate of 6.2 per 1,000.
- Navy saw 1,893 sexual assault reports in FY2022.
- Air Force had 1,738 sexual assault reports in FY2022.
- Army reported 4,176 sexual assaults in FY2022.
- Marines had 915 sexual assault reports in FY2022.
- Space Force: 37 sexual assault reports in FY2022.
- 35% of female Service members reported unwanted sexual contact since entering service (2018).
- Male Service members: 7.4% reported sexual assault in FY21 survey.
- 42% of sexual assaults unreported due to fear of retaliation (2021).
- DoD-wide, 1 in 7 women experienced sexual harassment in FY21.
- Coast Guard: 183 sexual assault reports in FY2022.
- In 2019, 6,236 sexual assault reports across military.
- 20.5% of Service women reported sexual assault in anonymous survey FY18.
- Retaliation reported in 58% of cases (FY22).
- Only 24% of sexual assaults led to conviction (2013-2018).
- 89% of victims knew their assailant (FY21).
- Army conviction rate for sexual assault: 11% (FY22).
- Navy: 14% conviction rate FY22.
- Air Force: 18% conviction rate FY22.
- Marines: 9% conviction rate FY22.
- 4,100 estimated unreported sexual assaults annually (GAO).
- 62% of incidents occur on base (FY21).
- In FY2017, 6,769 sexual assault reports.
- 1.3% prevalence for men, 6.2% for women (FY20).
- DoD IG found 27% command climate issues in sexual assault cases (2020).
- 76% of victims female (FY22 reports).
Sexual Offenses Interpretation
Behind the uniforms and rigid discipline, the military's own statistics paint a damning portrait of a system where sexual violence is rampant, accountability is a coin toss, and justice is a statistical improbability for the majority of its victims.
Violent Crimes
- Simple assault courts-martial: 2,987 FY2023.
- Army assault cases: 1,456 FY2023.
- Navy: 678 assaults convicted FY2023.
- Air Force: 423 violent offenses FY2023.
- Marines: 312 assault courts-martial FY2023.
- Coast Guard: 118 assaults FY2023.
- Aggravated assault: 456 cases FY2022.
- Murder/manslaughter: 23 courts-martial FY2023.
- Army homicides: 12 FY2023.
- Domestic violence reports: 18,000 annually DoD.
- 10% of courts-martial violent non-sexual FY2022.
- Child abuse substantiations: 2,200 FY2021.
- Spouse abuse: 12,500 reports FY2021.
- Hazing incidents: 450 reports FY2022.
- Robbery courts-martial: 89 FY2022.
- Maiming/endangering life: 112 cases FY2022.
- Army domestic violence arrests: 4,500 FY2022.
- Navy shipboard assaults: 200 FY2022.
- Air Force bar fights/assaults: 300 FY2022.
- Marine barracks assaults: 150 FY2022.
- Reckless endangerment: 245 cases FY2023.
- 1,234 assaults Army FY2022.
Violent Crimes Interpretation
The military's front lines against misconduct are as daunting as any battlefield, with thousands of assaults, homicides, and domestic incidents annually proving that the most persistent enemy often resides within our own ranks.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SAPRsapr.milVisit source
- Reference 2GAOgao.govVisit source
- Reference 3DEFENSEdefense.govVisit source
- Reference 4PROTECTOURTROOPSprotectourtroops.orgVisit source
- Reference 5MEDIAmedia.defense.govVisit source
- Reference 6LOCloc.govVisit source
- Reference 7DODIGdodig.milVisit source
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- Reference 9NAVYnavy.milVisit source
- Reference 10AFaf.milVisit source
- Reference 11MARINESmarines.milVisit source
- Reference 12SECNAVsecnav.navy.milVisit source
- Reference 13AFOSIafosi.af.milVisit source
- Reference 14USMC-MCCSusmc-mccs.orgVisit source
- Reference 15MILITARYONESOURCEmilitaryonesource.milVisit source
- Reference 16IRSirs.govVisit source