Army FAP Investigation

May 16, 2026

An Army FAP Investigation is explained, in depth, by Attorney Barry at this link.

FAP, which stands for Family Advocacy Program, is governed by AR 608-18, available for download at this link. Despite common believe, FAP is primarily treatment program and not an investigative body. Regardless, all Commanders, installation law enforcement personnel, physicians, nurses, social workers, school personal, FAP/CYS personnel, psychologists, and other medical personal are required to report known or suspected cases of child and spousal abuse to FAP. Every Solder, employee, and member of the military community should, but is not required to, report all suspected cases of child and spousal abuse.

Once a report is made, the an Army FAP Investigation must be convened. If the report was not made by the Commander, he/she must be informed by FAP personnel within 24 hours of a report. The process of evaluating allegations of child and spouse abuse is twofold:

gathering investigative facts; and,
conducting the psychosocial and Family assessments necessary to protect the victim of abuse and provide necessary support services

During an Army FAP investigation, FAP personnel will interview available witnesses, discover the identity of other witnesses and interview them, and collect physical evidence. Physical evidence may include photographs of injuries inflicted in an assault, medical specimens taken from the alleged victim, and weapons or other items used as weapons during the course of an alleged assault. Often times, an Army FAP investigation will run concurrently with a CID Investigation, MPI Investigation, or 15-6 Investigation.

Any Soldier that is the subject of an Army FAP Investigation should proceed with caution. He/she cannot be interviewed by any investigative body, including FAP, without being read his/her Article 31 rights. Put another way, any Soldier that is the subject of a FAP investigation does not have to cooperate, talk about what happened, or provide any evidence. It is typically best for the subject of an Army FAP Investigation to invoke his/her right to remain silent and not to consent to any searches/seizures of his/her property. However, Soldiers that are the subject of an Army FAP Investigation should still participate in treatment, but, be sure to not discuss the specific accusations made against him/her.

Once FAP is done with their investigation, the Case Review Committee (CRC) will determine, on a DA Form 7517, if the abuse is either substantiated or unsubstantiated - typically, they use the term "met criteria" or "does not meet criteria." Importantly, the CRC's findings are clinical decisions, not criminal determinations. That said, Commanders often use the CRC's decision to decide whether or not to pursue adverse action against the subject. In these situations, Soldiers may face an Article 15, GOMOR, Referred OER, Referred NCOER, Separation Board (Enlisted), Board of Inquiry (Officer), and/or Court-Martial. Furthermore, if substantiated, the subject of the investigation will be entered into the Army Central Registry, which is confidential, but can be used if any future reports are made.

Any Soldier that is the subject of an Army FAP investigation should immediately consult an experienced Military Defense Lawyer. Decisions made during the investigation can make all the difference. Furthermore, a well-crafted rebuttal to an adverse action, which should include additional evidence collected by a lawyer, can result in the case being dropped. Finally, effective representation during the Court-Martial/separation process is vital to success (i.e. allegations being unsubstantiated and/or retention in the Military). While JAGs are available to assist, they are often over-worked, inexperienced, and unwilling or unable to provide adequate advice/assistance during a FAP investigation. A civilian Military Lawyer can be retained, which allows a Soldier to be represented by a proven lawyer with good former client reviews.

This Article was written by Attorney Matthew Barry. Attorney Barry is highly rated by former clients and has a proven track record of success. He has extensive experience with all types of Military Adverse Actions, including those related to an Army FAP Investigation.

The Law Office of Matthew Barry represents Servicemembers worldwide. He has offices on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Central U.S.