Federal · Title 14 — Coast Guard

14 U.S.C. § 2538: Inclusion and command review of information on covered misconduct in personnel service records

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute requires the Coast Guard to document misconduct convictions or punishments in personnel records and directs commanding officers to review misconduct history when members are assigned or transferred.

Read the full statutory text
If a complaint of covered misconduct is made against a member of the Coast Guard and the member is convicted by court-martial or receives nonjudicial punishment or punitive administrative action for such covered misconduct, a notation to that effect shall be placed in the personnel service record of the member, regardless of the grade of the member. to reduce the likelihood that repeat offenses will escape the notice of supervisors and commanders; and to help inform commissioning or promotability of the member; A notation under paragraph (1) may not be placed in the restricted section of the personnel service record of a member. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prohibit or limit the capacity of a member of the Coast Guard to challenge or appeal the placement of a notation, or location of placement of a notation, in the personnel service record of the member in accordance with procedures otherwise applicable to such challenges or appeals. Under policy to be prescribed by the Secretary, the commanding officer of a unit or facility to which a covered member is assigned or transferred shall review the history of covered misconduct as documented in the personnel service record of a covered member in order to become familiar with such history of the covered member. In this subsection, the term “covered member” means a member of the Coast Guard who, at the time of assignment or transfer as described in paragraph (1), has a history of 1 or more covered misconduct offenses as documented in the personnel service record of such member or such other records or files as the Commandant shall specify in the policy prescribed under subparagraph (A). 1 1 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (1).”. Under policy to be prescribed by the Secretary, the Commandant shall establish procedures that are consistent with the law, policies, and practices of the Department of Defense in effect on the date of enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 to consider and review the personnel service record of a former member of the Armed Forces to determine the suitability of the individual for civilian employment in the Coast Guard.

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