The Military and the Law

Military law is the law which governs members of the Armed Services and, to some extent, the relations of other persons with the Armed Services. Military law often is thought of as synonymous with court-martial, but that is not correct. The number of people who will be involved in a court-martial during a year-either as an accused, or as one having duties in connection with a court-likely will be less than two percent of any large military organization. Members of the military service, however, are involved with military law every day in the year.

It governs the way in which troops are trained, the Government property which is entrusted to one's care, and the compensation which is received at the end of each pay period.