![]() It can't be a rambling, general statement that "John is one of the nicest guys I have ever met". Expressing a willingness to go further in defense of the subject by providing a phone number or offering to show up at any hearing will double the letter's effectiveness.Īn effective character statement focuses on specifics. Normally a single paragraph that reinforces your belief in the subject and summarizes your statement. The Army can and has moved surprisingly swiftly to discharge offenders and your statement will have a lot of weight in determining the subject's fate and may just save him or her from being discharged.Īsk the subject of the character statement if they have any information that could help project a positive image such as a list of accomplishments, organizations that he or she belongs to, or any other relevant information. Spend some time thinking this through so that you can come up with material that will cast doubt on the charges. This will suggest to the reader that the incident was a one-time, out-of-character act, not likely to be repeated. ![]() If the person who needs the character statement was accused of reckless behavior, you should emphasize aspects of his or her behavior that demonstrate a serious regard for the safety and welfare of others. Make sure you address the type of behavior that the person is accused of having. The first sentence should state your overall opinion of the subject and everything else written should support that statement. Here is where you make the case for the subject by describing your experiences with him or her and giving examples of the subject's good qualities. The more distant the relationship, the more credible the letter will be perceived to be.īody. The reader will automatically assign a certain level of credibility to the letter based on the relationship. Normally a single paragraph of a couple of sentences explaining who you are (rank, place of work, etc) and your relationship with the subject (co-worker, friend, supervisor, etc). In general, character statements have three sections: To do otherwise would hurt your reputation and possibly make you subject to UCMJ action. If you are called on to write a character statement on someone's behalf, make sure what you write is 100% factual. Use plain bond paper and the official memorandum format. Your statement will represent both you and the subject and its appearance will have some influence. Type your statement and print it on good quality paper. They just want to get an idea of the person's history so that they can make a fair decision based on the evidence. And the members who will be judging the case don't care if you use bad grammar. He will be grateful for any effort on his behalf. Usually, when things get to the point where character references are requested, the person is in potentially serious trouble and his career is on the line. The important thing is that you cared enough and took the trouble to write. ![]() If you are asked to write a character statement, don't worry if you can't write well. An NCOIC or manager would normally be considered to be impartial due to the enforced distance and formality required by a supervisor/subordinate relationship and because of the integrity a senior NCO is assumed to have. The most effective and meaningful character statements are those written by people who have known the accused person for a long time and who can be considered to be impartial. The people who will read your character statement don't know the individual personally, want to judge him or her fairly, and are depending on you to accurately and honestly describe the subject's character. A character statement helps judges, Commanders, First Sergeants, and other strangers make fair decisions by providing a factual description of a person's character. Because he or she is being judged by strangers who don't know him, character statements will be required for his defense. Occasionally Soldiers get into trouble and become subject to some form of formal punishment where he is judged by members outside the unit.
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