127A-49. Special courts-martial; appointments, power and authority.

In the North Carolina National Guard, not in the service of the United States, special courts-martial may be appointed by any of the following:

(1) The commander of a brigade, regiment, comparable or higher command of the North Carolina Army National Guard, provided that the commander is a general officer.

(2) The commander of a wing, group, separate squadron, comparable or higher command of the North Carolina Air National Guard, provided that the commander is a general officer.

(3) The commander or officer in charge of any North Carolina National Guard command when empowered by the Governor or the Adjutant General of North Carolina, provided that the commander or officer is a general officer.

Except as to commissioned officers, special courts-martial shall have the power and authority to try any person subject to military law for any crimes or offenses within the jurisdiction of a general military court. Special courts-martial shall have the power to impose punishments in like manner and to the extent prescribed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, as shall be in use by the Armed Forces of the United States at the time of the offense, except that (i) no court shall have the authority to impose confinement as part of the sentence unless the court consisted of a military judge and not less than three members except that a defendant who requests a military judge alone may be sentenced to confinement, and (ii) no court shall have the authority to impose confinement in excess of six months as part of a sentence.