Who may order an officer into pretrial confinement?

• A. The ACC.
• B. A Corrections Officer.
• C. The SJA.
• D. The SPCMCA.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that pretrial confinement can only be ordered by the person who has been designated as the confinement authority within the command. In this scenario, that designated authority is the ACC. This role is the authority in the chain of command specifically empowered to authorize detention before trial, ensuring the action is appropriate, accountable, and subject to proper review.

A corrections officer does not have the legal power to impose pretrial confinement; they operate within the facility, not at the command level to authorize detention. The Staff Judge Advocate provides legal advice and recommendations, but cannot unilaterally issue confinement orders. The Special Court-Martial Convening Authority handles convening the court-martial process, not the general authority to order pretrial confinement for an officer, unless explicitly vested with confinement authority for that situation. Therefore, the ACC is the appropriate and designated authority to order pretrial confinement.