Can you refuse an order in the military?
Yes, you can.
Wait, wait. Don't go do it yet.
Let me break it down.
I'm Cody Harnish, UCMJ attorney.
Let's talk about what makes an order lawful, what makes it unlawful, and what happens if you get it wrong?
First, in the military, you should know that orders are already presumed to be lawful in the first place.
But when we break it down, a lawful order consists of these three things.
One.
It's given by someone authorized to give such an order.
Two, it's communicated in words
And
Three,
most importantly, it must pertain to a military duty.
What's an unlawful order? Well, obvious examples if someone is ordering you to go commit a crime.
Obviously not lawful.
What's...