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SECTION V
THE ARTICLES OF WAR 17. The Articles of War are part of the military laws enacted by Congress to control the conduct of those in military service of the United States. They govern the administration of military justice. They define the offenses for which soldiers may be tried by court martial, prescribe the composition and procedure of courts martial, and fix the limits of punishment that may be imposed by these courts. 18. The Articles of War are read to every soldier shortly after he enters the service and at regular intervals thereafter, so that no one will be able to excuse himself for a violation of any of them upon the ground of ignorance of their provisions. 19. However, as a good soldier, resolved to observe fully and in good faith the obligations of the oath of enlistment above discussed, you do not need to spend much time studying the detailed provisions of the Articles of War. As a general rule, they prohibit and penalize only such conduct as the person of ordinary intelligence will readily recognize to be wrong. The man who is resolved to do the right thing and carries out that resolution at all times, is very unlikely to violate any of the Articles of War. Should doubt ever arise in your mind as to whether anything you plan to do is improper or a violation of the Articles of War, don't hesitate to take the question to some more experienced comrade, to your first sergeant, or to your immediate commanding officer. They will be glad to advise you. |
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