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10 USC § 938 - Art. 138. Complaints of wrongs 

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s938"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 938 - Art. 138. Complaints of wrongs"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "938"
section_name: "Art. 138. Complaints of wrongs"
chapter_number: 47
chapter_name: "UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE"
subchapter_number: "XI"
subchapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 78.)"
---

# § 938. Art. 138. Complaints of wrongs

Any member of the armed forces who believes himself wronged by his commanding officer, and who, upon due application to that commanding officer, is refused redress, may complain to any superior commissioned officer, who shall forward the complaint to the officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction over the officer against whom it is made. The officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction shall examine into the complaint and take proper measures for redressing the wrong complained of; and he shall, as soon as possible, send to the Secretary concerned a true statement of that complaint, with the proceedings had thereon.

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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 78.)

| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 938 | 50:734. | May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 138), 64 Stat. 144. |

The words “commanding officer” are substituted for the word “commander”. The word “who” is inserted after the word “and”. The word “commissioned” is inserted after the word “superior” for clarity. The words “The officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction” are substituted for the words “That officer” for clarity. The word “send” is substituted for the word “transmit”. The word “Secretary” is substituted for the word “Department” for accuracy, since the “Department”, as an entity, could not act upon the complaint.