Watch: How to Respond to an AR 15-6 and Command-Directed Investigation

The video below breaks down the real strategy for approaching AR 15-6 and command-directed investigations,
explains why the rebuttal matters, and gives practical insights for building an effective response.
Watch it first, then use the guidance on this page to draft a rebuttal that protects your career.

In this video, you will learn:

• What an AR 15-6 investigation really is, how it differs from criminal and administrative proceedings,
  and why commanders rely on written findings.
• How investigative flaws like missing evidence, misinterpreted timelines, and unsupported assumptions
  can create a narrative that harms your career.
• Why a written rebuttal is often more important than what you say during the investigation.
• The common mistakes service members make in rebuttals—and how to avoid them.
• The framework for building a rebuttal that challenges evidence gaps rather than attacking people.

Use this video as the foundation for your strategy. The rest of this article explains each of these
points in full detail so you can turn insight into action.

What an AR 15-6 or Command-Directed Investigation Really Is

An AR 15-6 investigation, or a command-directed investigation as it is called in other branches,
is an administrative fact-finding process. It is not a trial. It is not neutral. And it is not designed
to protect you.

These investigations are often treated casually by service members. Many believe that if they just
explain what happened, the commander will see the truth and everything will work out. That belief
costs careers.

The findings of a command investigation often become the foundation for everything that follows:
letters of reprimand, NJP or Article 15, separation boards, boards of inquiry, promotion denials,
QMP actions, and even court-martial decisions. If the investigation gets the facts wrong, every
downstream decision can be wrong as well.

Why Command Investigations So Often Get It Wrong

Command investigations are frequently conducted by officers with limited training in evidence evaluation,
interview technique, credibility assessment, or digital forensics. Many investigators rely heavily
on summaries rather than primary evidence. Statements are often accepted at face value.

Investigators misread text messages, misunderstand timelines, skip witnesses, and jump to conclusions.
Exculpatory evidence is ignored. Hearsay is treated as fact. Assumptions quietly become findings.

Because the burden of proof is extremely low in an administrative investigation, these errors often
go unchallenged unless someone forces the issue. That opportunity usually comes only once:
during the rebuttal.

Common Weaknesses Seen in Bad Investigations

The Rebuttal Is the Most Important Part of the Process

Commanders rely on written findings. They rely on conclusions. Verbal explanations almost never fix
a flawed investigation. Once a narrative is written into an official record, it tends to harden.

The rebuttal is your opportunity to correct the record before those findings become permanent.
It is not a formality. It is often the single most important document in your administrative case.

When Not Submitting a Rebuttal May Be Strategic

There are situations where responding is not the right move. If the case is clearly headed toward
court-martial, submitting a rebuttal can create statements that later become evidence against you.
That decision requires careful legal judgment and should never be made casually.

How to Build a Strong AR 15-6 or Command Investigation Rebuttal

1. Tone Is Not Optional

The tone must be calm, professional, and disciplined. Emotional writing, venting, or attacking people
destroys credibility. This document will be judged not just for content, but for maturity and judgment.
It becomes an official legal record.

2. Attack Evidence Gaps, Not Individuals

A strong rebuttal focuses on facts and logic. Identify contradictions. Highlight missing witnesses.
Correct timelines. Show where conclusions are unsupported. You are not attacking the investigator.
You are exposing the gaps in the investigation.

3. Present Evidence in an Organized Way

Supporting documents must be precise and purposeful. Screenshots, duty logs, GPS data, or records
should be clearly labeled and explained. Do not dump massive amounts of data and hope someone finds
something helpful. Tell the reader exactly what each exhibit proves and why it matters.

4. Present a Clear, Consistent Narrative

The rebuttal should explain what actually happened in a focused and factual way. Context matters.
Feelings do not. Avoid speculation. Avoid rambling. This is not a place for emotional storytelling.
It is a record-correction document.

5. Do Not Create New Legal Exposure

Many service members hurt themselves by over-explaining or making unintended admissions. Anything you
submit becomes permanent. You do not get to revise it later. Once it is in the record, it will follow
you for years.

6. End With a Clear Request

A rebuttal should conclude by clearly stating what you are asking for: rejection of the findings,
amendment of conclusions, or reconsideration based on missing evidence. Tie the request directly
to the flaws you identified.

Why Lawyer-Written Rebuttals Are Often More Effective

Having counsel submit the rebuttal can dramatically reduce risk. A lawyer can challenge evidence,
highlight investigative failures, and argue regulatory or legal errors without making it appear
personal or defensive.

Your Rebuttal Will Be Read for Years

Many service members do not realize that their rebuttal is not just for their immediate commander.
It may later be read by JAG officers, general officers, promotion boards, QMP panels, separation boards,
boards of inquiry, and discharge review boards.

A sloppy, emotional rebuttal can harm you long after the investigation ends. A disciplined, strategic
rebuttal can protect you years later when decisions are made without you in the room.

Final Reality Check

A command investigation is often the first draft of a story about your career.
Your rebuttal is your chance to correct that story before it becomes permanent.

Save everything. Document everything. Preserve evidence. Think carefully about how every word will
be read months or years from now. Once you submit a rebuttal, you cannot undo it.

If you are facing an AR 15-6, command investigation, reprimand, Article 15, or other adverse action,
take it seriously from the start. The decisions you make early often determine everything that follows.