15th WG JA conducts court martial for 647th SFS Airman Published March 18, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Robert Mauro 15th Wing Legal Office JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii- -- Senior Airman Marcus Duke, with the 647th Security Forces Squadron, was tried before a panel of officers in a special court-martial in the Woodring Law Center courtroom at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Feb. 25. Airman Duke was charged with one specification under Article 81, Uniform Code of Military Justice, conspiracy to commit larceny, and one specification under Article 121, UCMJ, larceny. Airman Duke was found guilty of both charges and specifications. Airman Duke made an arrangement with a local civilian and married simply for the benefits. Because of his new marital status, Airman Duke was able to move out of the base dormitory and the civilian received free military health care. Airman Duke also received base housing allowance and cost of living allowance (with dependent rate). These benefits totaled more than $30,000. For the crimes he committed, Airman Duke was sentenced to a bad conduct discharge, restriction to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for two months, and reduction to the grade of E-3 (airman first class). Entering into a "contract marriage" is a crime. By doing so, an Airman is stealing money from the Air Force and putting his career on the line. A bad conduct discharge is a punitive discharge and virtually strips all veterans benefits from the individual. No matter how much a service member puts into his career, receiving a punitive discharge negates any and all positive factors and only reflects the negative ones. For more information on military courts-martial or courts-martial procedures, contact the Hickam Military Justice Section at 448-0992.