CIVILIAN COURT-MARTIAL DEFENSE LAWYER: MILITARY PILOT REPRESENTED BY ATTORNEY RICHARD V. STEVENS HAS HIS FEB RECOMMENDATION APPROVED BY COMMAND

 

Military Defense Lawyer (Former JAG Attorney) News:

Recently, a military pilot defended by attorney Richard V. Stevens (Military Defense Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens, P.C.) had his Flying Evaluation Board (FEB) recommendation to continue flying in his jet approved. 

The pilot faced an FEB for alleged violations of flight rules. 

Military pilots – both fixed wing and rotary wing – can face adverse actions against their authorization to fly for a variety of reasons.  Mishaps and crashes.  Alleged violations of flight rules.  Alleged safety violations.  Failure to progress in training.  In these adverse actions, the pilot could face being reassigned or even permanently grounded (disqualified from further aviation service).  In certain aggravated cases, the pilot could also face losing the right to wear their wings on their uniform. 

For military pilots, these boards go by different names.

In the Navy, it is called the Field Naval Aviator Evaluation Board (FNAEB).  In the Marine Corps, it is the Field Flight Performance Board (FFPB) and Flight Status Selection Board (FSSB).  In the Air Force and Army, it is the Flying Evaluation Board (FEB).  There are also other boards for military aviation issues, depending on the type of aviation incident involved.  This includes Safety Investigation Board (SIB), Accident Investigation Board (AIB), and/or Command Directed Investigation (CDI).

A flying board in the military is a formal administrative hearing before fellow pilots in which recommendations are made about whether the respondent pilot should remain in aviation service, and whether that pilot can continue to wear his/her wings.  Based on that recommendation, the pilot could continue his/her military career, or he/she could face the loss of their flying career, military career, and be involuntarily administratively discharged from the service.

It is important to understand that after hearing all of the testimony and considering all of the evidence in the hearing, the Board members make a recommendation – which may or may not be followed.  In this FEB case, the Board members concluded that the pilot should be reinstated to continue flying his fighter aircraft.  That recommendation, however, still had to be approved by the command of the aviation community.  Thankfully, the command approved the FEB’s recommendation, which reinstated the pilot to continue flying his jet. 

While this military aviation case resulted in a positive outcome, it is important to understand that every case has different facts, and success in previous cases does not guarantee success in any particular future case.  No military lawyer or civilian defense lawyer, including those who specialize in military law, can guarantee the outcome of any military trial or case. 

For more information about the military justice system, particularly cases involving aviation issues and Flying Evaluation Boards, see:

https://militaryadvocate.com/practice-areas/flying-evaluation-board/

We offer free consultations for a case you may be involved in.  Just call us. 

Thank you. 

Attorney Richard V. Stevens

Civilian criminal defense lawyer and military defense lawyer

Military Defense Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens, P.C.

https://militaryadvocate.com/

Blog postscript: I (attorney Richard V. Stevens) am a former active duty military lawyer (JAG). My perspectives and advice, therefore, are based upon my experience as military defense lawyer and as a civilian criminal defense lawyer practicing exclusively in the area of military law and military justice. This blog addresses issues in military law, military justice, military discipline, military defense, court-martial practice, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and other military and/or legal topics. Nothing posted in this blog should be substituted for legal advice in any particular case. If you seek legal advice for a particular case, please contact The Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens for a free consultation. These military defense law offices are located in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Maryland, National Capital Region (NCR), but the military defense representation is worldwide – when necessary, the attorneys travel to wherever the client is stationed around the world.