Can I Receive a GOMOR or Letter of Reprimand After a Sexual Assault Allegation?
Even when a military sexual assault allegation does not result in charges or ends in acquittal, many service members are stunned to learn that the command can still issue a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand or other adverse administrative actions. These reprimands often become the tool commands use to impose career-ending consequences without proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This page explains how GOMORs and Letters of Reprimand are used after Article 120 allegations and how Gonzalez & Waddington defends service members against unfair administrative punishment.
Short Answer
Yes. A command may issue a GOMOR, LOR, or similar adverse administrative action even if no charges are filed or you are acquitted at court-martial. These actions require no criminal conviction and rely on a much lower evidentiary standard. A poorly handled reprimand can permanently destroy promotion opportunities, trigger administrative separation, and follow you for the rest of your career. Fighting a GOMOR effectively requires immediate action and experienced military defense counsel.
Why Commands Use GOMORs After Sexual Assault Allegations
Administrative Punishment Without a Trial
GOMORs allow commands to impose serious consequences without meeting the burden of proof required at court-martial. When prosecutors decline charges or a panel acquits, some commands use reprimands as an alternative way to show they took action. This approach bypasses the protections of the criminal justice system.
Optics and Career Protection for Leadership
Commanders face intense pressure to demonstrate responsiveness to sexual assault allegations. Issuing a reprimand after an investigation allows leadership to claim decisive action even when the evidence is weak. These decisions are often driven by optics rather than fairness.
Lower Evidentiary Standards
Unlike court-martial, reprimands are based on subjective command judgment. Hearsay, untested allegations, and investigative summaries are often relied upon. Without a strong rebuttal, the command version becomes the permanent record.
Using Reprimands as a Bridge to Separation
GOMORs and LORs are frequently used to justify administrative separation. Once filed in a permanent record, they make retention, promotion, and continued service extremely difficult.
How a GOMOR Can Affect Your Career Long-Term
Permanent Filing Is Career-Ending
A permanently filed GOMOR is often fatal to promotion, command opportunities, and future assignments. Boards view reprimands as proof of misconduct even when no conviction exists.
Impact on Security Clearances
Adverse administrative actions can trigger clearance review or suspension. Clearance loss alone can end many military careers.
Use in Future Proceedings
Once issued, a reprimand can be used in future adverse actions, evaluations, and separation proceedings. It becomes a building block for further punishment.
Aggressive Military Defense Lawyers: Gonzalez & Waddington
Watch the military defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington break down how they defend service members worldwide against UCMJ allegations, CID/NCIS/OSI investigations, court-martials, Article 120 cases, administrative separations, and GOMORs. If you’re under investigation or facing charges, this video explains what your rights are and how experienced civilian military counsel can make the difference.
How Gonzalez & Waddington Defends Against GOMORs and Reprimands
We Attack the Basis of the Reprimand
Our firm dissects the allegations, investigative findings, and command assumptions underlying the reprimand. We expose inconsistencies, reliance on unproven allegations, and misuse of evidence that failed in criminal proceedings.
We Prepare Comprehensive Rebuttals
A rebuttal is often the only opportunity to stop permanent filing. We prepare detailed, evidence-based rebuttals that include witness statements, investigative flaws, prior acquittals, and legal analysis demonstrating why the reprimand is unjustified.
We Argue Filing Determinations Aggressively
Commands must decide whether a reprimand is filed locally or permanently. Gonzalez & Waddington fights for local filing or withdrawal whenever possible, emphasizing fairness, due process, and the absence of proven misconduct.
We Coordinate Administrative and Criminal Defense Strategy
Our approach integrates criminal defense results with administrative strategy. An acquittal or declination becomes a cornerstone of the rebuttal, not an afterthought.
Possible Outcomes After a GOMOR or LOR
| Outcome | Career Impact |
|---|---|
| Reprimand withdrawn | No lasting adverse impact |
| Local filing | Limited impact, often recoverable |
| Permanent filing | Severe career damage, likely separation |
| Follow-on administrative separation | Potential loss of career and benefits |
Frequently Asked Questions About GOMORs After Sexual Assault Allegations
Can I Get a GOMOR If I Was Acquitted?
Yes. Commands may still issue reprimands after acquittal, which is why immediate rebuttal preparation is critical.
Is a GOMOR Worse Than an Article 15?
In many cases, yes. A permanently filed GOMOR can be more damaging to a career than nonjudicial punishment.
How Much Time Do I Have to Respond?
Deadlines are short. You should contact a defense lawyer immediately to prepare a rebuttal.
Can a GOMOR Be Removed Later?
Removal is difficult and rare. The best chance to stop a GOMOR is at the rebuttal stage.
When Should I Hire a Lawyer?
Immediately. Early legal intervention often determines whether a reprimand becomes permanent.
The Bottom Line: A GOMOR Can End a Career If Not Fought Immediately
GOMORs and Letters of Reprimand are powerful administrative weapons that commands frequently use after sexual assault allegations fail to result in convictions. Without an aggressive defense, these actions can permanently derail a career despite innocence. Gonzalez & Waddington has extensive experience defeating and mitigating GOMORs arising from Article 120 allegations and understands how to stop administrative punishment from becoming a backdoor conviction.
