Who is authorized to impose an Article 15?

The authority to impose an Article 15 action, which is a non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), is vested in commanding officers. This reflects the need for command authority and responsibility in maintaining discipline and order within the ranks. Commanding officers have the discretion to determine appropriate disciplinary actions for minor offenses without resorting to formal court-martial proceedings.

While any commissioned officer is a leader, not all of them are commanding officers with the authority to impose an Article 15. Enlisted members, regardless of rank, do not have the authority to impose non-judicial punishment, which rules them out as authorized personnel for this action. Moreover, while generals do have commanding authority and can impose an Article 15, the designation is not exclusive to them; other ranks of commanding officers, including those of lower rank, retain this authority as long as they are acting in their capacity as a commanding officer. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the broader category of commanding officers who are specifically designated to impose this type of discipline.