ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
An Andrews Airman recently learned the hard way the consequences of checking his integrity at the gate over the weekend.
Then a senior airman, Matthew Martin, pled guilty to two violations of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice Feb. 17. His violations were driving under the influence of alcohol and making a false official statement.
Airman Martin was tried in a summary court martial for the actions he took last year, said Capt. Miguel Acosta of the 316th Judge Advocate General office. Though it is the least severe of the three types of courts martial, the penalty is enough to send a message. The maximum penalty that can be handed down at a summary court martial is 30 days confinement, reduction to E-1, and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for a month.
The evidence presented at the court martial showed Airman Martin had a night of bad decisions, Captain Acosta said. After being out drinking with some friends and consuming between 10 and 12 alcoholic beverages, he chose to drive despite a designated driver's availability to take him home. In the half-mile drive to his house, he blacked out and crashed into two parked cars.
Airman Martin showed his second lapse of integrity when he lied to his first sergeant about the incident, Captain Acosta said.
Airman Martin's sentence was 30 days hard labor without confinement, reduction to E-2, and a written reprimand. While it was not the maximum sentence possible, he lost two of his stripes and will be spending 30 days in a row performing intense, physical labor for 12 hours a day.
Airman Martin's mistakes provide a lesson to all servicemembers.
"First and foremost, don't lie," Captain Acosta said. "Integrity is a core value for a reason. The truth, even if it hurts, is always the right thing to do."
"Secondly, and most importantly, never drink and drive," he said. "Between taxis, rides from a friend, the metro, or walking, there is always a better alternative to driving home after drinking alcohol. Learn from Airman Martin's mistakes, or next time, this article might be about you."
(Courtesy of the 316th Wing Judge Advocates Office)