Case Results - Go Article 15 - Not Guilty

On June 7, 2023, John Caulwell of the Law Office of Will M. Helixon represented a Sergeant Major client at a General Officer Article 15 hearing in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Case Synopsis:

SGM (E-9), assigned to 10TH AAMDC in Kaiserslautern, Germany, was wrongfully accused and investigated by CID for BAH Fraud in the amount of $75,215.07.  The Client was also charged with UCMJ Article 107 (False Official Statement) for allegedly lying to the CID Agent about his marital status.  The Client was facing a General Officer’s Article 15 and, if found guilty on any charges, other negative impacts to his career and ability to retire after 26 years of Honorable service.

Legal Strategy: 

John worked closely with the Client and his Dependents to gather and record the accurate facts regarding their residency status at the time the Client’s PCS orders and DA Form 5960 (Authorization for BAH) were generated.

John also closely collaborated with expert witnesses from DFAS and then thoroughly and meticulously researched DFAS regulations to determine the Client was legally entitled to the amount of BAH for which he was wrongfully accused of stealing.

John then generated a well-written and effective rebuttal packet complete with a cover letter and enclosures to present to the General Officer adjudicating the General Officer’s Article 15.  Additionally, John was telephonically present on the Client’s behalf for the second reading of the Article 15 to make strong, concise and convincing arguments against all charges.

Case Result: 

The Client was found NOT GUILTY on all charges which included two charges of UCMJ Article 121 (Theft of Military Property) for the BAH Fraud allegations and one charge of UCMJ Article 107 (False Official Statement) for allegedly lying to a CID Agent about the Client’s marital status.  The Client was cleared of all allegations, unflagged and permitted to retire on schedule with a clean record and no other negative impact after 26 years of Honorable service.

More about the Law Office of Will M. Helixon.

Will M. Helixon established the Law Office of Will M. Helixon in February of 2016.  Originally headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, the firm’s original mission was to defend members of the military in courts-martial, adverse administrative proceedings and other criminal proceedings. Today, the firm has worked as military lawyers in multiple complex and high-profile military cases.  The firm now handles most military matters, including medical issues involving the MEB/PEB process, adverse administrative matters, military justice matters including Nonjudicial Punishment, Administrative Separation Boards, and Boards of Inquiry, and legal assistance matters, including rebutting GOMORs, responding to QMP Boards, fighting attempts to revoke Soldier’s security clearances, and submitting matters for the correction of military records.  The firm also assists officers navigate the minefield of findings of adverse information (AAIP) in AR 15-6 Investigations (command directed investigations), Selection Boards (Promotion Boards), Special Selection Boards, and Special Selection Review Boards (SSRB).  No longer in Kansas City, the firm now has European offices physically located in Vilseck, Germany and in Wiesbaden, Germany.  Call us today to assist with your legal issue in Europe, Germany, or the United States.  All military lawyers at the Law Office of Will M. Helixon maintain licenses to practice before all military trial courts.