Manual for Courts-Martial; Proposed Amendments

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The DoD (referred to herein as "Department of War" or "DoW") requests comments on proposed changes to the Manual for Courts-Martial (MCM), United States (2024 ed.) and announces a public meeting to receive comments on said changes. The approval authority for the changes to the MCM is the President, while the approval authority for the changes to the supplementary materials is the General Counsel of the Department of War (DoW).

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 197 (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65199-65200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20893]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DOD-2026-OS-2245]


Manual for Courts-Martial; Proposed Amendments

AGENCY: Joint Service Committee on Military Justice (JSC), Department 
of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed amendments to the Manual for 
Courts-Martial, United States (2024 ed.), supplementary materials, and 
notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The DoD (referred to herein as ``Department of War'' or 
``DoW'') requests comments on proposed changes to the Manual for 
Courts-Martial (MCM), United States (2024 ed.) and announces a public 
meeting to receive comments on said changes. The approval authority for 
the changes to the MCM is the President, while the approval authority 
for the changes to the supplementary materials is the General Counsel 
of the Department of War (DoW).

DATES: Comments on the proposed changes must be received no later than 
December 14, 2026. A public meeting to receive comments concerning the 
proposed changes will be held on October 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the 
Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces building, 450 E. St NW, Washington 
DC 20442-0001 with an option for remote attendance. Details on remote 
attendance will be posted at least 7 days in advance of the meeting at 
<a href="https://jsc.defense.gov/Military-Law/Current-Publications-and-Updates/">https://jsc.defense.gov/Military-Law/Current-Publications-and-Updates/</a>.

ADDRESSES: The proposed changes to the MCM (2024 ed.) can be reviewed 
at: <a href="https://jsc.defense.gov/Military-Law/Current-Publications-and-Updates/">https://jsc.defense.gov/Military-Law/Current-Publications-and-Updates/</a>. You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Director of 
Administration and Management, Oversight and Compliance Directorate, 
Regulatory Division, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24, Suite 05F16, 
Alexandria, VA 22350-1700.

[[Page 65200]]

    <bullet> JSC Portal: <a href="http://jsc.defense.gov/Contact">http://jsc.defense.gov/Contact</a>. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this Federal Register document. The general 
policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is 
to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet 
at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> as they are received without change, 
including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Captain Mark K. Webb, U.S. Marine 
Corps, Executive Secretary, JSC, (703) 693-9299, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cf1fdeef7b2ebf9fefedce9eff1ffb2f1f5f0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9df0fceff6b3eaf8ffffdde8eef0feb3f0f4f1">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. 
The JSC website is located at <a href="http://jsc.defense.gov">http://jsc.defense.gov</a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with 
DoD Instruction 5500.17, ``Role and Responsibilities of the Joint 
Service Committee on Military Justice (JSC),'' February 21, 2018 
(available at <a href="https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/550017_5C.PDF?ver=2018-02-21-074422-370">https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/550017_5C.PDF?ver=2018-02-21-074422-370</a>). These proposed 
changes have not been coordinated within the DoW under DoD Directive 
5500.01, ``Preparing, Processing, and Coordinating Legislation, 
Executive Orders, Proclamations, Views Letters, and Testimony,'' June 
15, 2007 (available at <a href="https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/550001p.pdf">https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/550001p.pdf</a>), and do not constitute the official 
position of the DoW, the Military Departments, or any other Government 
agency. The JSC invites members of the public to comment on the 
proposed changes; such comments should address specific recommended 
changes and provide supporting rationale.
    This notice also sets forth the date, time, and location for a 
public meeting of the JSC to discuss the proposed changes.
    This notice is intended only to improve the internal management of 
the Federal Government. It is not intended to create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party 
against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any person.

    Dated: October 8, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2026-20893 Filed 10-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P


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