Fort Bliss Command-Directed Investigation Defense Lawyers
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A Command-Directed Investigation is an administrative inquiry ordered by command to examine alleged misconduct or performance issues. Although not criminal, it can jeopardize careers and may escalate to reprimands, separation, or court-martial. At Fort Bliss, Gonzalez & Waddington provide guidance on these processes. Call 1-800-921-8607.
Watch the criminal defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington break down how they defend criminal cases and service members worldwide against Federal Charges, Florida State Charges, 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 criminal defense lawyers can make the difference.
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges or a criminal investigation by federal authorities, the military, or the State of Florida, early defense matters. Gonzalez & Waddington provide disciplined, trial-focused criminal defense for high-stakes cases involving serious allegations and complex evidence. To speak with experienced criminal defense lawyers and get confidential guidance, call 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-909-7407 to request a no-cost, confidential consultation.
Yes. Administrative separation can occur independently of the court-martial process and is handled through command channels under regulatory procedures.
A Board of Inquiry is an administrative fact‑finding process that determines whether separation is supported, while nonjudicial punishment is a disciplinary tool for minor misconduct. NJP does not itself require separation, but its results may be used in administrative actions.
The government must generally prove its case by a preponderance of the evidence. This means the board must find it more likely than not that the alleged basis for separation occurred.
A board is typically composed of three officers senior in grade to the service member. At least one member is usually from the same branch or occupational field when possible.
The board may review documents, witness testimony, service records, and any exhibits submitted by either side. Rules governing admissibility are more flexible than those used in courts‑martial.
The board may review whether a service member has sufficient qualifying service and whether the case impacts retirement eligibility. Final determinations depend on regulations governing the member’s component and status.
The board makes findings regarding the appropriate characterization based on the member’s overall service record and the substantiated basis for separation. Possible characterizations include honorable, general, or under other than honorable conditions.
Yes. Service members may retain a civilian attorney at their own expense to represent them during the administrative process.
Fort Bliss sits in far West Texas, anchored in El Paso and extending into southern New Mexico near the Franklin Mountains. Its position along the U.S.–Mexico border gives it a unique regional character shaped by desert terrain and binational commerce. The installation’s proximity to El Paso’s civilian communities creates a tightly connected military–civilian environment.
The expansive desert and mountain landscapes provide rare training conditions for large-scale maneuver and air-defense operations. Its borderland placement supports missions that require rapid mobility across a wide, open range complex. The surrounding transportation hubs further enhance deployment readiness.
Fort Bliss is a major U.S. Army installation known for housing key air and missile defense elements and large combat formations. Tenant units conduct missions tied to strategic deterrence, testing, and integrated air-defense capabilities. The base serves as an anchor for regional joint training initiatives.
Training areas accommodate live-fire events, brigade-level exercises, and air-defense integration tasks. Units stationed here maintain a heightened tempo to support global readiness requirements. The installation plays a central role in sustaining deployable forces.
Fort Bliss supports a substantial active-duty population with a mix of combat arms, sustainment, aviation, and command elements. Rotational forces and transient units frequently use the ranges and test areas. Medical, logistics, and intelligence capabilities round out daily operations.
The base maintains consistent movement tied to brigade training cycles and ongoing missile defense missions. Units often rotate between field environments and deployment preparation events. This operational rhythm shapes daily life for service members and families.
High operational demand can lead to increased investigations, administrative reviews, or UCMJ actions. Service members may encounter issues related to training incidents, personnel matters, or deployment-related conduct. These processes occur within a formal military justice framework on the installation.
The military defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington represent servicemembers at Fort Bliss in matters involving investigations, non-judicial proceedings, and courts-martial. Their work supports those navigating the legal complexities that can arise in a high-tempo environment. Representation covers personnel assigned to or passing through the installation.
Fort Bliss sits in far West Texas, extending into southern New Mexico, and is anchored along the urban corridor shared by El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Its position along the Franklin Mountains and the high-desert basin shapes both daily operations and tactical training conditions, offering expansive maneuver areas unlike those found at most U.S. installations. The surrounding civilian communities of El Paso, Horizon City, and Chaparral maintain close ties to the post, supporting a strong military–civilian connection through schools, commerce, and regional services. Its proximity to the U.S.–Mexico border also gives Fort Bliss a distinctive geopolitical relevance, influencing its operational posture and interagency coordination.
The installation hosts a major U.S. Army presence and serves as home to key combat-ready and testing-centered units. Fort Bliss supports air and missile defense operations, large-scale ground training, and mission command functions that require both extensive land and advanced range capabilities. Units stationed here conduct integrated training ranging from live-fire exercises in its vast training areas to high-tempo command-level rehearsals that prepare forces for global contingencies. The post also accommodates tenant organizations that contribute to testing, evaluation, and sustainment activities across the Army enterprise.
Fort Bliss supports a substantial active duty population, including soldiers assigned to deployable brigade formations, sustainment and aviation units, and intelligence and medical activities. The installation’s training rotation schedule remains consistently active, with incoming and outgoing units conducting pre-deployment and reintegration tasks throughout the year. Because Fort Bliss maintains one of the Army’s largest contiguous training complexes, personnel stationed here experience a high operational and exercise tempo, often tied to overseas commitments and rapid-response missions.
With such a dynamic environment, service members assigned to or transiting through Fort Bliss may encounter a range of military justice matters governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Investigations, administrative actions, non-judicial punishment, courts-martial, and separation proceedings can arise from training incidents, deployment preparation, or unit-specific demands. The military defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington represent servicemembers at Fort Bliss and understand how the installation’s unique operational climate influences the handling and resolution of UCMJ-related issues.
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A Command-Directed Investigation is ordered by a commander with appropriate authority over the service member or unit involved. The decision is often made after consultation with legal advisors.
No, a Command-Directed Investigation is administrative, not criminal, but it can lead to criminal, disciplinary, or separation action based on its findings.
A Command-Directed Investigation is an administrative inquiry ordered by a commander to gather facts about alleged misconduct, performance issues, or concerns affecting good order and discipline. It is not a criminal proceeding.
Yes, digital evidence such as texts, emails, social media messages, and call logs are commonly reviewed during CDIs.
The CDI report itself is not always permanently filed, but its findings and resulting actions often become part of the service member’s administrative record.
