Reference & AI

DAFI 51-202

Air Force

NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

DAFI 51-202, "NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT", is a Department of the Air Force publication, dated August 26, 2026.

Published

August 26, 2026

OPR

AF/JA

Headquarters, Department of the Air Force

Official document

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DAFI 51-202 — index record

NumberDAFI 51-202
TitleNONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT
PublishedAugust 26, 2026
Certified currentAugust 26, 2026
Office of primary responsibilityAF/JA
Issued byHeadquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the indexCurrent
Last index actionRewrite, August 26, 2026
Source indexAir Force e-Publishing
Index last readOctober 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (48 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Nonjudicial Punishment (NJP) provides commanders with an essential and prompt means of maintaining good order and discipline. It is intended to promote positive behavior changes in service members without the stigma of a court-martial conviction. See MCM, Part V, paragraphs 1b, 1c, and 1e. 1.1.2. “Department of the Air Force” or “DAF” will be used when the Air Force and Space Force are referred to collectively. 1.1.3. This instruction implements requirements for the administration of NJP in the DAF. The primary source of direction and guidance on NJP is the MCM, Part V. It establishes requirements, rules, and procedures for imposing NJP on members.

Summary of changes, as printed

This document has been substantially revised and needs to be completely reviewed. With the implementation of warrant officers, Executive Order 14103 creating the Office of Special Trial Counsel, recent criminal indexing updates, and numerous other changes, a full rewrite to incorporate these changes is necessary. Changes include (1) the inclusion of previous Guidance Memorandums, (2) the addition of a section on the Office of Special Trial Counsel and Commander Authority, (3) the incorporation of the U.S. Space Force, (4) additions of definitions to the Burden of Proof, Personally Identifiable Information, and the Statute of Limitation, (5) updates to the Criminal Indexing Requirements, and (6) updates to terminology, forms, and obsolete references.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEW AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 7
  2. Section 2A—Authority to Impose Nonjudicial Punishmentp. 10
  3. Section 2B—Limitations on Commander’s Authorityp. 13
  4. Section 2C—Jurisdictionp. 15
  5. Section 3A—Responsibilities of the Initiating Commanderp. 19
  6. Section 3B—Initiating Nonjudicial Punishmentp. 21
  7. Section 3C—Imposing and Administering Punishmentsp. 25
  8. Section 3D—Action When the Member Demands Trial by Court-Martialp. 27
  9. Chapter 4—NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT APPEALS AND SELECTION RECORDSp. 31
  10. Chapter 5—SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIONSp. 39
  11. Section 5A—Suspension, Mitigation, Remission, and Set Aside of Punishmentp. 39
  12. Section 5B—Vacating a Suspended Punishmentp. 41
  13. Chapter 6—MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSp. 45
  14. Section 6A—Indorsing Forms and Correspondencep. 45
  15. Section 6B—Criminal Indexing Requiredp. 45
  16. Section 6C—Effect of Errors in Nonjudicial Punishment Proceedingsp. 46
  17. Section 6D—Disposition of Records of Nonjudicial Punishment Proceedingsp. 46
  18. Section 6E—Signaturesp. 47
  19. Chapter 7—CORRECTIONAL CUSTODY (REMOTIVATION) PROGRAMp. 48
  20. Section 7A—Program Definition and Purposep. 48
  21. Section 7B—Correctional Custody Program Facilitiesp. 49
  22. Section 7C—Operating a Remotivation Areap. 49
  23. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 53
All 112 contents entries
  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEW AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 7
  2. 1.1. Overviewp. 7
  3. 1.2. Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 7
  4. 1.3. Formsp. 8
  5. Section 2A—Authority to Impose Nonjudicial Punishmentp. 10
  6. 2.1. Commander’s Authority to Impose NJPp. 10
  7. 2.2. NJP Authority in a Joint Forcep. 11
  8. 2.3. Procedures for Imposing NJP in a Joint Forcep. 12
  9. 2.4. Procedures for Multiservice Commandersp. 12
  10. Section 2B—Limitations on Commander’s Authorityp. 13
  11. 2.5. Delegation of Authorityp. 13
  12. 2.6. Limitations on Commander’s Authorityp. 13
  13. 2.7. Commander as Victim or Witness in Commander’s Personal Capacityp. 14
  14. 2.8. Withholding Authorityp. 14
  15. 2.9. Cases Involving Offenses Covered by OSTCp. 14
  16. 2.10. Cases Involving State or Foreign Prosecution Interestp. 14
  17. Section 2C—Jurisdictionp. 15
  18. 2.11. Host Command Jurisdictionp. 15
  19. 2.12. Jurisdiction over ANG Membersp. 15
  20. 2.13. Jurisdiction over Air Force Reserve Membersp. 17
  21. 2.14. Jurisdiction over SFAS-NSD Membersp. 18
  22. 2.15. Requirement that Commander be in Title 10 Statusp. 18
  23. 2.16. Jurisdiction Over Certain Air Force Personnelp. 18
  24. 2.17. Exceptions to Support Agreementsp. 18
  25. Section 3A—Responsibilities of the Initiating Commanderp. 19
  26. 3.1. General Responsibilitiesp. 19
  27. 3.2. Notice of Recoupment of Benefitsp. 19
  28. 3.3. Timeliness of Actionsp. 19
  29. 3.4. Standard of Proofp. 20
  30. 3.5. Providing Evidence to the Member and Defense Counselp. 20
  31. Section 3B—Initiating Nonjudicial Punishmentp. 21
  32. 3.6. Initial Considerationsp. 21
  33. 3.7. Description of Offensep. 21
  34. 3.8. Notifying the Memberp. 21
  35. 3.10. Discovery of Additional Offensesp. 23
  36. 3.11. Member’s Decision to Accept or Reject Nonjudicial Punishmentp. 23
  37. 3.12. Member’s Presentationp. 24
  38. Section 3C—Imposing and Administering Punishmentsp. 25
  39. 3.13. Commander’s Findingsp. 25
  40. 3.14. Commander’s Punishmentsp. 26
  41. 3.15. Permissible Punishments. Table 3.1p. 26
  42. Section 3D—Action When the Member Demands Trial by Court-Martialp. 27
  43. 3.16. Punishment Effective Datep. 27
  44. 3.17. Release of Informationp. 27
  45. 3.18. Restrictionsp. 27
  46. 3.19. Commander’s Optionsp. 27
  47. 3.20. Withdrawing Demand for Trialp. 27
  48. Chapter 4—NONJUDICIAL PUNISHMENT APPEALS AND SELECTION RECORDSp. 31
  49. 4.1. General Guidancep. 31
  50. 4.2. Appellate Authorityp. 31
  51. 4.3. Formatp. 32
  52. 4.4. Delegation of Authorityp. 33
  53. 4.5. Procedures for Appealsp. 33
  54. 4.6. Action on Appeal by Imposing Commanderp. 34
  55. 4.7. Action on Appeal by Appellate Authorityp. 35
  56. 4.8. Officer Selection Record and Enlisted Selection Record Determinationp. 35
  57. 4.9. UIF Decisionp. 36
  58. 4.10. Action by the Servicing SJAp. 36
  59. 4.12. Action by the GCMCA SJAp. 37
  60. 4.13. Filing of the Original Record on Nonjudicial Punishment Proceedingsp. 38
  61. Chapter 5—SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIONSp. 39
  62. Section 5A—Suspension, Mitigation, Remission, and Set Aside of Punishmentp. 39
  63. 5.1. General Guidancep. 39
  64. 5.2. Consultation Requiredp. 39
  65. 5.3. Action by Successor in Commandp. 39
  66. 5.4. Suspensionp. 39
  67. 5.5. Mitigationp. 40
  68. Section 5B—Vacating a Suspended Punishmentp. 41
  69. 5.6. Remissionp. 41
  70. 5.7. Set Asidep. 41
  71. 5.8. Limitations on Suspension, Mitigation, Remission and Set Aside of Punishmentp. 41
  72. 5.9. Processing Requirementsp. 41
  73. 5.10. General Guidancep. 41
  74. 5.11. Notification to the Memberp. 42
  75. 5.12. Member’s Electionsp. 42
  76. 5.13. Timingp. 43
  77. 5.14. Commander’s Decisionp. 43
  78. 5.15. Effect on Suspended Reductionsp. 44
  79. Chapter 6—MISCELLANEOUS MATTERSp. 45
  80. Section 6A—Indorsing Forms and Correspondencep. 45
  81. Section 6B—Criminal Indexing Requiredp. 45
  82. 6.1. Procedurep. 45
  83. 6.2. Content of Indorsementsp. 45
  84. 6.3. Originalp. 45
  85. 6.4. Copiesp. 45
  86. 6.5. NJP Criminal Indexing Requirementsp. 45
  87. Section 6C—Effect of Errors in Nonjudicial Punishment Proceedingsp. 46
  88. Section 6D—Disposition of Records of Nonjudicial Punishment Proceedingsp. 46
  89. 6.6. Distribution of the DAF Forms for Criminal Indexingp. 46
  90. 6.7. Effect of Errorsp. 46
  91. 6.8. Governing Directivep. 46
  92. Section 6E—Signaturesp. 47
  93. 6.9. Contents of Recordp. 47
  94. 6.10. Supporting Documentationp. 47
  95. 6.11. Form Completionp. 47
  96. Chapter 7—CORRECTIONAL CUSTODY (REMOTIVATION) PROGRAMp. 48
  97. Section 7A—Program Definition and Purposep. 48
  98. 7.1. Correctional Custody Definedp. 48
  99. 7.2. Purposep. 48
  100. 7.3. Program Ownership and Evaluationp. 48
  101. Section 7B—Correctional Custody Program Facilitiesp. 49
  102. Section 7C—Operating a Remotivation Areap. 49
  103. 7.4. Optional Nature of Programp. 49
  104. 7.5. Remotivation Housingp. 49
  105. 7.6. Regional Facilitiesp. 49
  106. 7.7. Remotivation Planp. 49
  107. 7.8. Staffingp. 50
  108. 7.9. Training and Work Programsp. 51
  109. 7.10. Supervising Candidatesp. 51
  110. 7.11. Disciplining Candidatesp. 52
  111. 7.12. Clothing for Candidatesp. 52
  112. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 53

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Air Force index

REF: DAFI 51-202, effective August 26, 2026

Air Force e-Publishing — DAFI 51-202

This is an index record, not the publication. The official PDF is the authority; verify the current edition before acting.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial

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