Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) headquarters, is on Oahu. The 15th Wing is the host unit and operates F-22s, C-17s, and C-37s. The wing provides airlift, fighter, and command-and-control support for Indo-Pacific operations. The courtroom and Staff Judge Advocate’s office are on base in the Woodring Law Center at 120 Sixth Street.
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) authority for the most serious allegations, known as “covered offenses,” belongs to the Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC) District 6 at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.
Gagne, Scherer & Associates focuses on defending covered offenses and has done UCMJ cases in Hawaii for almost 20 years.
JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam Docket Activity
From 2024 through mid-2026, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam ranked among the ten busiest Air Force bases for court-martial volume. It sees its share of covered offenses.
Pending cases (not involving Gagne, Scherer & Associates) in summer 2026 include drug offenses under Article 112a and Article 92 allegations.
The court-martial results below are publicly reported JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam outcomes from cases tried by other counsel. Gagne, Scherer & Associates was not involved in any of them. We include them to show what’s being charged at the base and what the outcomes have been.
Past trial results include:
- Guilty findings on Article 120 sexual assault
- Guilty findings on Article 120b attempted sexual assault or sexual abuse of a child
- Guilty findings on Article 134 child pornography and Article 134 indecent conduct
- Guilty findings on Article 128b domestic violence
- Acquittals on Article 120 abusive sexual contact and related charges
- Convictions for drunk driving, assault, false official statement, and Article 112a drug use
Sexual-assault, child sex crimes, child pornography, and domestic violence cases can make up a substantial portion of the Hickam docket at any given time.
FAQs by Airmen Facing Charges at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Can a civilian attorney represent me at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam without an office in Hawaii?
Yes, it just takes a law license from any state, and then being sworn in at the court-martial proceeding at Hickam. Gagne, Scherer & Associates has defended UCMJ cases for Hawaii-based military members for almost 20 years as part of its global practice.
What happens when OSTC District 6 defers a Hickam case?
The case goes to the Hickam SJA and the chain of command, but the criminal exposure is effectively over. Once OSTC determines a covered offense doesn’t meet the standard for prosecution, the Air Force isn’t going to prosecute. Under current Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals (AFCCA) precedent, the JB Hickam SJA and convening authority can’t do an end-around by reimagining the same underlying conduct (actus reus) into a non-covered lesser offense, such as Article 128 assault, to get to a special court-martial. All of this can change if the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) resolves the current inter-service split differently (see United States v. Kruse, docket number 26-0156/MC, a Marine Corps case now pending).
Can a deferred Hickam case still cost me my career?
Yes, jurisdiction returns to the base legal office for administrative disposition, which can mean a Letter of Reprimand (LOR) and maybe an administrative separation. Some members are entitled to contest a separation at a board but some aren’t. The burden of proof at a discharge board is only a preponderance of the evidence, so a case OSTC wouldn’t prosecute can still end in separation.
Does JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam have an Area Defense Counsel?
Yes, the office is at 990 Scott Circle on base. The ADC office at Hickam represents Airmen and tends not to travel away from the base much due to the caseload volume there. ADCs from other bases can be brought in when needed. If a civilian counsel is in the case, coordination with the ADC will occur throughout the case and the civilian lawyer will lead the defense team.
Do I always need to hire a civilian military lawyer at Hickam?
No, airmen can safely stick with the ADC for administrative actions or lower-threat proceedings. But for any OSI investigation, any covered offense, or any contested court-martial or board, the right civilian counsel will enhance your firepower enough to challenge whatever the government throws at you.
How does OSTC prosecute cases at Hickam from Okinawa?
Most of their work is done by phone, email, and electronic file transfer, so they don’t need to be at Hickam for that. When their personal appearance is required for a court-martial or hearing, OSTC attorneys travel from Kadena. Civilian counsel and Area Defense Counsel from outside of Hawaii travel in as well. Most of the work in any UCMJ case is handled without the need for being at the base in person.
Gagne, Scherer & Associates: JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam Defense Lawyers
If you’re an active duty Airman and under OSI investigation or facing charges at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, call us at (224) 935-6172. You’ll speak directly with an attorney for free.