Detachment for Cause

March 20, 2025

A detachment for cause (DFC) in the Navy is governed by MPM 1611-020, available at this link.

A detachment for cause is one of the strongest administrative measures used in the case of Naval Officers. A DFC should be issued in the following circumstances:

misconduct - however, only in usual circumstances with a detachment for cause be approved when no other adverse action was taken;
substandard performance involving one or more significant events resulting from gross negligence or complete disregard of duty;
substandard performance of duty over an extended period of time; or,
loss of confidence for an officer in Command

Before a detachment for cause is recommended, the following steps should be taken:

counseling, guidance, and appropriate use of fitness reports;
reassignment within the Command or the determination that it is not feasible;
reports of misconduct; and,
advisement of the Officer on the effects of a detachment for cause

To request a detachment for cause, the following information should be provided:

state the reasons for the request, in detail;
indicate the time that officer was on board and the length of time the DFC should cover;
list the correction actions that were taken;
indicate if any disciplinary action was taken, if any; and,
provide formal, written notification to the officer in question, and give him/her, typically, 15-days to respond

A response to a detachment for cause should be concise and factual. A good response will include additional and outside evidence corroborating what the Officer in question is saying.

Final action on a DFC will be taken by PERSCOM. In addition to approving/disapproving a DFC, PERSCOM may also initiate the elimination of the Officer in question, which will lead to a Board of Inquiry.

Any officer facing a detachment for cause should recognize that his/her career is immediately is in jeopardy. Navy JAGs are available to assist; however, they are often over-worked and inexperienced. A civilian lawyer can be retained, which allows the Naval Officer in question to be represented by an experienced and effective lawyer.

This Article was written by Attorney Matthew Barry. Attorney Barry is highly rated by former clients and has a proven track record of success.

The Law Office of Matthew Barry represents Soldiers worldwide. He has offices on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Central U.S. Attorney Barry and his team will travel to any base, worldwide, to represent Soldiers accused of misconduct.