31 MAY 1951: The Uniform Code of Military Justice, approved by Congress one year prior, was formally enacted. Drafted to make military justice more closely resemble civilian criminal law, the UCMJ produced substantive changes within the Air Force legal community. For the first time, judge advocates performing trial duty in General Courts-Martial were required to be either graduates of accredited law schools or members of the bar. They also had to be certified as competent by the TJAG. Convening authorities for General Courts-Martial were required to conduct impartial and thorough investigations prior to proceeding with a trial. Additionally, Staff Judge Advocates received increased responsibilities in advising convening authorities as to their duties. The UCMJ also extended new rights to criminal defendants, and significantly changed the appellate process with the establishment of the Court of Military Appeals.
Source: Mr. Wade Scrogham, AF JAG Corps Historian
To read more about the history of the drafting of the UCMJ, check out the Harvard Law School Library Blog.
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