Not only should an unlawful order not be obeyed , obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution. Military courts have long held that military members are accountable for their actions even while following orders.
Why do soldiers need to follow orders?
An order is a task given to a soldier that has to be done in a certain period of time in an efficient manner. There are three main reasons of why it’s important for a soldier to follow the orders they are given: To be disciplined, an effective combat, and be a good soldier and love your job .
Why is it important to obey orders?
Obeying orders in the military is crucial because it shows respect to officers with a higher rank . Therefore, by obeying orders, the military officer shows that they have the discipline to follow instructions from more knowledgeable and experienced officers.
Can a soldier refuse an unlawful order?
Military Insubordination
And as we learned throughout this article, any member of the armed force is allowed to refuse a direct order if he/she considers it to be “unlawful” or illegal .
What happens if the soldiers don’t obey his orders?
Penalties for Failure to Obey an Order
The penalties for violating or failing to obey a lawful general order or regulation include: Dishonorable discharge; Forfeiture of pay and allowances; and/or. No more than 2 years of confinement.
What is failure to obey a lawful order?
Disobeying a lawful order of a police officer carries higher penalties to those who refuse to follow orders lawfully issued by an officer of the law. It’s a second-degree misdemeanor , meaning its punishable by up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and/ or a $500 fine.
Can soldiers refuse to go to war?
In fact, a soldier has a legal duty to refuse to carry out an order that breaches the provisions of international statutes that deals with the conduct of war such as the Geneva conventions or the conventions of The Hague.
Do soldiers have rights?
People often assume that military members give up many, if not all, of their Constitutional rights upon joining the military. In reality, military members enjoy the same rights that civilians do , if not better. Unfortunately, most military members are not aware of their rights or simply do not choose to exercise them.
What happens if soldiers refuse to fight?
Those who can prove a religious, ethical or moral opposition to all wars may apply for a discharge or transfer to a non-combat job as a conscientious objector. ... Those who don’t receive such status but refuse to fight can face court-martial and penalties from dishonorable discharge to prison .
What happens if a soldier loses his weapon?
The military will literally shut down an installation to find an errant weapon . ... The very smallest punishment for misplacing a weapon, if it’s found within a reasonable amount of time, is a “Company Grade Article 15.” That means you can lose one grade of rank, a week of pay, and two weeks of extra duty.
Why do we follow orders?
In everyday situations, people obey orders because they want to get rewards , because they want to avoid the negative consequences of disobeying, and because they believe an authority is legitimate. ... People justify their behavior by assigning responsibility to the authority rather than themselves.
What is the important of order in general?
Its purpose is to enforce a policy or procedure unique to the unit’s situation that is not otherwise addressed in applicable service regulations, military law, or public law. A general order has the force of law; it is an offense punishable by court martial or lesser military court to disobey one.
Why should orders be followed?
Why do you need to follow orders??
Orders need to be followed in the public services because if they werent the task set would not get done in time everyone would just do the tasks in their own time .
What are unlawful orders?
Unlawful order is an order rendered without jurisdiction . How to treat an unlawful order. It is a defense to any offense that the accused was acting pursuant to orders unless the accused knew the orders to be unlawful or a person of ordinary sense and understanding would have known the orders to be unlawful.
How do I get out of an army order?
When attempting to delete assignment orders, make sure you give a reason that is justifiable and logical. In order to request an assignment deletion, you must fill out a DA Form 4187 requesting deletion of assignment . A format for the DA Form 4187 can be acquired from your S1.
Who do soldiers take orders from?
In general, military personnel give orders only to those directly below them in the chain of command and receive orders only from those directly above them.
