What type of legal action consists of a military judge and a five-member panel for serious offenses?

A General Court-Martial is the correct answer because it is specifically designed to handle the most serious offenses within the military justice system. This type of court-martial includes a military judge and a panel of five members, who are usually commissioned officers, though enlisted members can be included if the accused requests them. The General Court-Martial has the authority to adjudicate a wide range of serious crimes that could include felonies such as murder, sexual assault, and crimes against military law.

In contrast, a Summary Court-Martial is intended for minor offenses and usually consists of one officer serving as the sole judge. A Special Court-Martial, while more serious than a Summary Court-Martial, does not involve the five-member panel but rather a military judge and may include a panel of members depending on the case; it handles offenses that are more serious than those dealt with in a Summary Court-Martial but less serious than those in a General Court-Martial. Non-judicial punishment is an administrative action that does not involve a court-martial and deals with minor infractions without a formal trial process.