MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N. J. (USTCNS) --- Twenty-First Air Force commander, Maj. Gen. George N. Williams, offered nonjudicial punishment proceedings under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to Capt. Darron A. Haughn last week Friday.

Haughn was the pilot of a C-130 aircraft that impacted the ground short of the runway in December 1999 at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, killing three military passengers and injuring seven others.

"This decision comes after a lengthy personal review by General Williams of the recommendations of Brig. Gen. Paul J. Fletcher, the 314th Airlift Wing Commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., as well as the recommendations of a military judge who conducted a pretrial investigative hearing and the accident investigation board report," said Capt. Jeff Glenn, Air Mobility Command spokesperson.

Capt. Haughn has three duty days, unless he requests an extension, to accept the offer of nonjudicial punishment proceedings or demand trial by court-martial. If he accepts nonjudicial punishment proceedings, he is entitled to present his case to Williams, who will then determine whether he committed any offense, and if so, whether he should be punished and what punishment to impose.

Punishment options which may be imposed by Williams under Article 15 include: a reprimand, forfeiture of one half pay for two months, 30 days arrest in quarters and/or 60 days restriction, or various combinations of those punishment actions.

Generally, details of Article 15 proceedings are protected by the Privacy Act and the actual punishment imposed, if any, may not be disclosed. (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).