Michael D . Murphy 1st Lieutenant Michael D . Murphy , was a United States Air Force colonel , and was commander of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency . A former top lawyer in the Air Force , Murphy was relieved of his command on November 30 , 2006 after Air Force officials discovered that he had been disbarred more than 20 years earlier and did not have a law license . " Air Force Times " reported that Murphy was disbarred in Texas in 1984 and Louisiana in 1985 . Murphy reportedly had never disclosed to his commanders that he was disbarred , despite Air Force rules requiring such disclosure . Ironically , Murphy had held two of the most elite postings in the Air Force Judge Advocate General ' s Corps : Commandant of the Judge Advocate General ' s School and Commander of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency , the latter being the only commander position within the JAG Corps . " Air Force Times " reported that Murphy failed to file an appeal on time for a client convicted of burglary in 1981 . As a result , the state of Texas sued Murphy in 1982 accusing him of professional misconduct . Texas then suspended Murphy ’ s law license for seven years . In January 1983 Murphy applied to be admitted to the Louisiana bar , stating under oath that he had never been sued nor been the subject of a disciplinary action . Both Texas and Louisiana then permanently disbarred Murphy for lying on his Louisiana bar application , Texas doing so in May 1984 and Louisiana in September 1985 . Murphy joined the Air Force after being suspended by Texas but before being disbarred by either state . On May 29 , 2007 , court - martial charges were preferred against Colonel Murphy . The charges were absence without leave ; failure to obey order / dereliction of duty ; false official statement ; larceny ; and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice ( UCMJ ) Articles 86 , 92 , 107 , 121 , and 133 , respectively . The charges were forwarded to Major General Robert L . Smolen , Commander , Air Force District of Washington , for disposition . On April 14 , 2008 , Colonel Murphy was arraigned . If convicted of all charges , Murphy could have faced up to 41 years in prison . Military members facing punishment may raise a " good soldier defense " that draws in specifics of their duty performance as mitigation against the charges against them . Murphy ' s performance record while assigned as White House Military Office ( WHMO ) general counsel from late 2001 to early 2005 remains under a nondisclosure agreement Murphy was required to sign as part of his assignment . The WHMO declined to release Murphy from his nondisclosure agreement , so Murphy was unable to discuss specifics of his assignment even to his lawyers . Records show Murphy had served with distinction , earning praise and promotion recommendations from superiors . The military judge ruled that without the WHMO records , Murphy would be unable to present a good soldier defense or adequately present mitigation evidence , and that the maximum punishment authorized would be no further punishment . On March 30 , 2009 , Murphy ' s court - martial began at Bolling Air Force Base in the District of Columbia , where he once was head of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency . Murphy was convicted of three counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman , one count of failure to obey a general regulation , two counts of larceny greater than $ 500 and one count of larceny less than $ 500 . The charges for conduct unbecoming and officer and a gentleman and failure to obey a regulation relate to Murphy ' s alleged failure to inform the Air Force of his disbarment in Texas and Louisiana while continuing to serve in positions that require a valid law license . On February 22 , 2010 , Air Force spokeswoman Lt . Col . Barbara Carson announced that Murphy would be retired from the Air Force effective April 1 , 2010 . A commissioned officer is retired in the highest grade in which he served satisfactorily . Murphy was retired in the grade of first lieutenant .