General Officer Memorandums of Reprimand (GOMORs) are a long-standing tool in Army administrative discipline. While the governing regulation (AR 600-37) has remained unchanged since October 2020, the legal landscape surrounding it has shifted dramatically.
If you have received a reprimand, understanding how to reply to a GOMOR—and navigating the subsequent administrative consequences—is vital to your military career.
Why You Must Reply to a GOMOR
Submitting a robust rebuttal to a GOMOR is critical. As noted in AR 600-37, paragraph 1-6, the regulation is explicitly intended to:
“Prevent adverse personnel actions based on unsubstantiated derogatory information, irrelevant or untimely information, or mistaken identity.”
The Consequences of a Substantiated GOMOR: AAIP and “Show Cause” Boards
If the issuing authority finds the allegations substantiated, the underlying AR 15-6 investigation triggers severe administrative mechanisms. Under Army Directive 2023-03 (Army Adverse Information Program – AAIP), the system automatically generates a synopsis of the derogatory information.
1. Promotion Board Impact
The AAIP pulls the exact language from the offending GOMOR and places it on a highly visible cover page for your next promotion board. This effectively halts your chances of advancement.
2. Boards of Inquiry (Show Cause for Retention)
Beyond killing promotion potential, a permanent GOMOR often triggers a Human Resources Command (HRC) initiated “Show Cause” board (Board of Inquiry). This administrative separation board forces the officer to argue why they should be retained in the service, facing the risk of elimination with a less-than-honorable characterization.
Fighting for an Honorable Discharge under AR 600-8-24
Every military case varies, but the updated AR 600-8-24, paragraph 1-20, provides civilian defense counsel with powerful regulatory leverage to argue for an Honorable Discharge, even in the face of elimination.
If an officer’s overall military record reflects meritorious service (such as being awarded a Meritorious Service Medal – MSM), the regulation establishes clear distinctions for service characterization:
| Characterization of Service | Regulatory Standard (AR 600-8-24) |
|---|---|
| Honorable | Issued when the quality of the officer’s service has generally met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty. |
| General (Under Honorable Conditions) | Issued when the officer’s military record is satisfactory but not sufficiently meritorious to warrant an honorable discharge. |
Based on a plain reading of these paragraphs, an officer with a history of strong performance and meritorious medals has a compelling argument for an Honorable discharge rather than an Other Than Honorable (OTH) or General discharge. This is precisely why field grade officers facing boards should ensure their full achievements and ribbons are effectively presented.
Post-GOMOR Redress: DASEB and Local Filing
To avoid or remedy the fallout of involuntary separation, officers have a few administrative avenues:
- Department of the Army Suitability Evaluation Board (DASEB): Officers can appeal to the DASEB to appeal the filing of a GOMOR. This can be done immediately if the GOMOR was entirely baseless, or after a one-year waiting period. A delayed appeal allows the officer to present new Officer Evaluation Reports (OERs) demonstrating rehabilitation and continued meritorious service.
- The Power of a Local File: If a defense counsel successfully argues for a GOMOR to be filed “locally” rather than permanently, it will still be visible to promotion boards via AAIP oversight. However, a local filing carries significantly less negative weight with board members and can completely prevent a future Show Cause board.