When can enlisted personnel serve as members of a United States court-martial?

In the United States, enlisted personnel may serve as members of a court-martial when requested by an accused enlisted person. Under this provision, the accused has the right to require that at least one-third of the court’s membership be comprised of enlisted personnel.1

This ensures that enlisted members have a voice in the judicial process when one of their peers is facing trial. Aside from this specific request, courts-martial are typically composed of military officers selected by the convening authority to determine guilt or innocence and to hand down sentences.12