{"id":50642,"date":"2024-02-05T20:16:55","date_gmt":"2024-02-05T20:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/02\/05\/court-martial-begins-this-week-for-fired-artillery-battalion-commander\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:03:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:03:47","slug":"court-martial-begins-this-week-for-fired-artillery-battalion-commander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2024\/02\/05\/court-martial-begins-this-week-for-fired-artillery-battalion-commander\/","title":{"rendered":"Court-martial begins this week for fired artillery battalion commander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The general court-martial for the former commander of a Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington-based field artillery battalion will begin this week, according to an online court docket and an I Corps spokesperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Col. Herman Bernard West faces a general court-martial for alleged \u201cconduct unbecoming an officer and sexual harassment,\u201d said I Corps spokesperson Lt. Col. Jennifer Bocanegra. Stars and Stripes first reported<\/a> the Army\u2019s intent to court-martial West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bocanegra said the charges were referred to a general court-martial on Jan. 30. General courts-martial are the military\u2019s most severe trial forum \u2014 unlike lesser courts, general courts-martial may sentence officers to dismissal, a punishment roughly equivalent to a dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West\u2019s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8, she added. Bocanegra also noted that West \u201cis innocent until proven guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t