CAMP BUEHRING COURT-MARTIAL DEFENSE LAWYER
MILITARY JUSTICE
Camp Buehring Court-Martial and UCMJ Defense
From courts-martial and Boards of Inquiry to other UCMJ defense and administrative actions, these are the cases I handle for service members at Camp Buehring. Click any area below to learn more.
Court-Martial Defense at Camp Buehring: What You Need to Know
Understanding how the military justice system works at Camp Buehring is the first step in protecting yourself. Knowing why a seasoned civilian defense lawyer matters is the second. This section covers both.
Courts-Martial at Camp Buehring
Three types of courts-martial can be convened for service members at Camp Buehring. A summary court-martial handles minor offenses and can impose limited punishments, including confinement and reduction in rank. A special court-martial handles mid-level offenses and can result in confinement, forfeiture of pay, and a bad-conduct discharge. A general court-martial handles the most serious offenses. It can impose lengthy confinement, a dishonorable discharge, and other severe penalties.
If you are facing a court-martial at Camp Buehring, the prosecution has likely been building its case before you were ever charged. You need a defense lawyer who can match that preparation. You need someone with the trial experience to fight in the courtroom — not just negotiate behind closed doors.
Convening Authorities at Camp Buehring
Camp Buehring is a U.S. Army installation operating under a Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States and the government of Kuwait. The installation is managed by Area Support Group – Kuwait (ASG-KU), which provides base operations, security, and life support across all U.S. Army camps in Kuwait. Camp Buehring falls under the command of U.S. Army Central (ARCENT), also known as Third Army, the Army component of U.S. Central Command. The General Court-Martial Convening Authority is the ARCENT commander. The Special Court-Martial Convening Authority is typically the ASG-KU commander.
Cases originating at Camp Buehring may be handled in-theater or deferred until redeployment. Even when proceedings are delayed until you return stateside, statements, evidence, and decisions made at Camp Buehring often shape the entire case. A skilled defense lawyer can engage with the convening authority early. Before charges are referred, there may be an opportunity to advocate for your interests, present mitigating evidence, or persuade the command to take a different path.
The Office of Special Trial Counsel
Under recent military justice reforms, certain cases are now handled by the Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC). These include sexual assault offenses, domestic violence, and related crimes. The OSTC operates independently from the chain of command. An independent special trial counsel decides whether to refer these cases to court-martial — not your commanding officer.
This means that for certain offenses, the convening authority no longer controls whether your case goes to court-martial. Having a civilian defense lawyer who understands how the OSTC process works is critical if you are facing these types of charges at Camp Buehring.
Board of Inquiry and Administrative Separation
Not every adverse action goes through a court-martial. The Army can process you for administrative separation through a Board of Inquiry or an Administrative Separation Board. A Board of Inquiry is used for officers. An Administrative Separation Board is used for enlisted soldiers. These boards can end your military career. They can also determine your discharge characterization, which affects your veterans’ benefits and future employment.
You have the right to a lawyer at these proceedings. A civilian defense lawyer who understands the administrative separation process can cross-examine witnesses, present evidence, and argue for your retention or an honorable discharge.
Article 15 / Non-Judicial Punishment at Camp Buehring
Article 15 proceedings, also known as Non-Judicial Punishment, allow your commanding officer to impose discipline without a court-martial. At Camp Buehring, your command can impose an Article 15 for minor offenses. If you accept an Article 15, you give up your right to a court-martial. In return, you limit the maximum punishment your command can impose.
You have the right to consult with a defense counsel before accepting an Article 15. You also have the right to demand a court-martial instead. A defense lawyer can help you weigh your options and can advocate for a reduction in punishment during the proceeding.
Why You Need a Civilian Defense Lawyer
The Army provides defense counsel through the Trial Defense Service (TDS). Service members at Camp Buehring are served by the TDS 8th Circuit-South field office at Camp Arifjan, which covers installations across Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and the broader U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. TDS attorneys are dedicated defense lawyers, but they are often overloaded with cases and may rotate assignments during your case. As a civilian defense lawyer, I am not subject to reassignment or deployment cycles. I am with you from start to finish. I bring independence from the military chain of command and years of trial experience defending service members. You deserve a lawyer who has the time, focus, and experience to give your case everything it deserves.
I have defended service members at courts-martial and administrative boards at remote staging posts and major commands alike — and I have never let distance or isolation determine the outcome. I know how the military justice system works. I know the commands, the convening authorities, and the procedures. When everything you have worked for is on the line, you need a lawyer who has the experience, independence, and fight to stand with you.
About Camp Buehring
Camp Buehring is a United States Army staging post located in the northwestern Kuwaiti desert, approximately 25 miles south of the Iraqi border and 45 miles northwest of Kuwait City. The camp sits within the Udairi Range Complex, a 2,670-square-kilometer training area comprising roughly 60 percent of Kuwait’s total land mass — one of the largest combined arms training complexes in the world. The camp itself can accommodate approximately 14,000 soldiers at any given time, with a surge capacity exceeding 30,000 during major troop rotations. Udairi Army Airfield, with a 1,300-meter runway and ICAO identifier OKDI, supports helicopter operations and fixed-wing cargo flights. The host unit is Area Support Group – Kuwait (ASG-KU), which manages base operations across all U.S. Army camps in Kuwait under a Defense Cooperation Agreement with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense. Camp Buehring falls under U.S. Army Central (ARCENT), also known as Third Army, the Army service component of U.S. Central Command. The camp is the primary location for the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve and serves as the principal Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration (RSOI) hub for Army forces deploying into the Central Command area of responsibility.
Key tenant and rotating units at Camp Buehring include the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, combat aviation brigades supporting Operation Spartan Shield with Apache, Black Hawk, and Chinook helicopters, armored brigade combat teams conducting live-fire training at the Udairi Range Complex including the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team “Greywolf” from the 1st Cavalry Division with M1A2 Abrams tanks and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, the 34th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, the 185th Aviation Brigade (Theater), the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade, and the 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The camp also hosts the air assault school, which trains both U.S. and Kuwaiti soldiers. Coalition forces from the United Kingdom, Korea, and Kuwait train alongside American units at the range complex.
Camp Buehring was established in January 2003 as Camp Udairi, built on a site where the U.S. military had conducted live-fire training since at least 1994. The camp was originally constructed to stage forces for the invasion of Iraq, and from 2003 through the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, nearly every U.S. Army unit deploying to Iraq passed through its gates. Soldiers spent two to three weeks at the camp acclimating to desert conditions, zeroing their weapons, receiving IED awareness and vehicle roll-over training, and completing final mission preparations before crossing into Iraq. On October 26, 2003, Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. “Chad” Buehring — a Special Forces and Psychological Operations officer serving as the senior PSYOP planner for U.S. Army Central Command — was killed when an insurgent rocket struck his room at the Al Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad. He was among the highest-ranking U.S. casualties of the Iraq War. On May 8, 2004, Camp Udairi was renamed Camp Buehring in his honor. In September 2017, the base hosted the first-ever Desert Observer exercise, a bilateral training operation between the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and Kuwaiti military forces. On February 28, 2026, the first day of the Iran war, Iranian missiles and drones struck Camp Buehring as part of a coordinated barrage that simultaneously targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. On March 1, an Iranian Air Force F-5 fighter penetrated the base’s layered air defenses and conducted a bombing run that struck the dining facility, gymnasium, and vehicle garage — the first time in decades that a hostile aircraft struck a U.S. military installation. Multiple missile and drone strikes continued through the spring, with Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missiles and coordinated drone swarms damaging helicopter hangars, maintenance facilities, logistics warehouses, and personnel housing across the base.
For military justice, courts-martial, Boards of Inquiry, and administrative separation proceedings at Camp Buehring fall under the ARCENT chain of command. The ARCENT commander serves as the General Court-Martial Convening Authority, and the ASG-KU commander serves as the Special Court-Martial Convening Authority. Assigned defense counsel are provided through the Trial Defense Service 8th Circuit-South field office at Camp Arifjan, which covers Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Legal assistance is provided by the ASG-KU legal office. Camp Buehring’s role as the Army’s primary staging post for the Central Command area, its position as home to the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve, its 2,670-square-kilometer training complex, and its proximity to the Iraqi border make it one of the most strategically important U.S. Army installations in the Middle East.
For defense at other installations in CENTCOM, see our CENTCOM Court-Martial Defense Lawyer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of cases do you handle at Camp Buehring?
I handle courts-martial, Boards of Inquiry, administrative separation boards, Article 15 / Non-Judicial Punishment proceedings, military investigations, and UCMJ defense for service members at Camp Buehring. My primary focus is court-martial defense. This includes serious offenses such as sexual assault, drug offenses, fraud, and violent crimes under the UCMJ. Cases originating at Camp Buehring may be handled in-theater or deferred until redeployment, but statements and evidence gathered at the base often shape the entire case.
Do you represent all branches at Camp Buehring?
Yes. While Camp Buehring is primarily a U.S. Army installation, service members from every branch train and operate here, including Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. I represent service members from every branch facing military discipline anywhere in the world.
Why should I hire a civilian defense lawyer instead of the TDS?
The Army provides defense counsel through the Trial Defense Service (TDS). Service members at Camp Buehring are served by the TDS 8th Circuit-South field office at Camp Arifjan, which covers installations across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. TDS attorneys are dedicated defense lawyers, but they are often overloaded with cases and may rotate assignments during your case. As a civilian defense lawyer, I am not subject to reassignment or deployment cycles. I am with you from start to finish. I bring independence from the military chain of command and years of trial experience defending service members. You deserve a lawyer who has the time, focus, and experience to give your case everything it deserves.
What is a Board of Inquiry?
A Board of Inquiry is an administrative proceeding used to separate officers from the Army. The board reviews allegations of misconduct or substandard performance. It can recommend separation with a specific discharge characterization. You have the right to a lawyer at a Board of Inquiry. A skilled civilian defense lawyer can cross-examine witnesses, present evidence, and argue for your retention or an honorable discharge.
Can you help with Article 15 at Camp Buehring?
Yes. I can review the evidence against you, advise you whether to accept the Article 15 or demand a court-martial, and advocate for a reduction in punishment during the proceeding. Article 15 punishments can include restriction, forfeiture of pay, reduction in rank, and extra duties. Having a lawyer involved early can make a significant difference in the outcome.
I’m under investigation — what should I do?
Do not make any statements to investigators, your chain of command, or anyone else about the allegations without consulting a lawyer first. You have the right to remain silent under Article 31(b) of the UCMJ. Contact a defense lawyer immediately. The earlier I get involved, the more I can do to protect you. This includes conducting an independent investigation, engaging with the command before charges are referred, and building a defense strategy from day one.
Can you help with sexual assault allegations under the UCMJ?
Yes. Sexual assault allegations under Articles 120, 120b, and 120c of the UCMJ are among the most serious charges a service member can face. These cases carry severe penalties, including lengthy confinement and sex offender registration. Under recent reforms, the Office of Special Trial Counsel now handles these cases independently from the chain of command. I have experience defending sexual assault cases in the military. I understand the unique evidentiary and procedural issues these cases involve. If you are facing a sexual assault allegation at Camp Buehring, you need a defense lawyer who knows how to fight these specific charges.
How quickly can you get to Camp Buehring?
I travel to Kuwait for courts-martial and administrative boards. When you contact me, I will work with you to establish a timeline that meets your needs. I have spent years defending service members at courts-martial and administrative boards, and I am ready to step in when you need me.
Talk to a Camp Buehring Military Defense Lawyer Now
If you are facing a court-martial, Board of Inquiry, administrative separation, or any UCMJ action at Camp Buehring, do not wait. The prosecution is already building its case. You need a defense lawyer who is ready to fight for you.