“You disrespected your evaluator.”

The words sliced through the small office and left no room for excuses or ribbing.

General Vance took two official legal forms out of the back flap of the manila folder and laid them side by side on the desk.

“The first form starts formal court-martial proceedings under Article Eighty-Nine for disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer,” General Vance said.

“A court-martial conviction means a bad-conduct discharge and a federal record.”