Describe a General Court-Martial (GCM).

• A. These are for minor offenses
• B. These are for the most severe cases
• C. They are for administrative matters
• D. They are for civilian offenses

Answer: (B)

A General Court-Martial is the highest level of trial in the military justice system, reserved for the gravest offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It handles the most serious crimes alleged against service members and can impose the broadest range of punishments the system allows, including long confinement and punitive discharges, and, in capital offenses, the most severe penalties. Trials are formal, with a military judge and a panel of at least five members, drawn from officers and enlisted personnel as required by law. The defendant enjoys rights similar to civilian trials, including the right to counsel. This level of court-martial is not used for minor offenses (that would be a summary court-martial), nor for administrative matters, nor for civilian offenses, which fall outside military jurisdiction.