WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii – A Soldier who pleaded guilty to physically assaulting his wife and damaging military housing property was sentenced by a military judge to nine months in prison during his court-martial May 18 at the Wheeler Army Airfield courtroom.
Pfc. Michael D. Bluford, 22, a motor transport operator assigned to Forward Support Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, was also sentenced to reduction in rank to E-1.
On March 6, 2025, Bluford was at his home at Schofield Barracks when he assaulted his pregnant wife in their bedroom. Hearing the fight, the wife’s brother-in-law intervened and removed Bluford from the bedroom.
Shortly afterward, Bluford returned to the bedroom, kicked in the bedroom door and proceeded to yell and throw objects at the victim.
The brother-in-law called 911 which resulted in a response from the military police and Emergency Medical Services. After observing the scene and the victim’s injuries, the military police notified the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The victim’s injuries and property damage were photographed, and she participated in an interview with Army CID agents.
After the incident, Bluford’s command ordered him to attend counseling with the Family Advocacy Program and substance abuse counseling through the Army’s Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care.
Several months later on Oct. 17, 2025, five neighbors witnessed Bluford violently assault his wife in the driveway of their home and reported it to authorities. On this occasion, she declined to participate in the investigation or allow officials to photograph her injuries.
During the trial, his wife declined to cooperate with the prosecutors and instead testified on behalf of the defense at Bluford’s sentencing hearing. She did not want her husband to be court-martialed.
“In March 2025, after a very serious incident of domestic violence against his pregnant wife, the unit did everything they could to rehabilitate Pfc. Bluford, giving him an opportunity to use resources such as the Family Advocacy Program, Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care and counseling through the Chaplain. However, only seven months later he again committed a violent assault against his wife. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his misconduct and shows that while the Army supports its Soldiers and does give second chances, those chances are not unlimited,” said Capt. Catherine Ricci, prosecutor, Seventh Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
“The good order and discipline of the Army, along with the safety of every Army family, depend on one clear message: domestic violence is not tolerated. This nine-month confinement sentence sends that message loud and clear,” said Capt. Jeffrey Ust, prosecutor, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, 130th Engineer Brigade.
“Domestic violence has no place in our ranks. It is a serious crime that undermines the foundation of trust and respect on which our Army is built,” said Special Agent in Charge Ruben Santiago of Army CID’s Pacific Field Office. “The Army will take swift and decisive action against anyone involved in domestic violence.”
Bluford is currently confined at the Navy’s Pearl Harbor Brig and is awaiting orders to be transferred to an Army military corrections facility.
This case was investigated by Army CID’s Pacific Field Office and the Schofield Barracks Military Police.
About the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel: The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit http://www.army.mil/ostc.
To Report a Crime: If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at http://www.p3tips.com/armycid.