July 24, 2021 - Region Legal Service Office Hawaii held a change of command ceremony on July 21, 2021, aboard Battleship Missouri (BB 63) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.  Rear Adm. Darse E. “Del” Crandall, Commander, Naval Legal Service Command, presided over the ceremony in which Capt. Bradley A. Appleman was relieved by Cmdr. Michele V. Rosen as commanding officer.

July 22, 2021 - We are pleased to announce that CAPT David G. Wilson, JAGC, U.S. Navy, has been nominated by the President to serve as Commander, Naval Legal Service Command, and to advance to the grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half).  The nomination is now pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

July 22, 2021 - Capt. Joseph Hoelz – who currently serves as Fleet Judge Advocate at U.S. Fleet Forces Command – has been awarded the first-ever Rear Admiral Horace B. Robertson Prize for International Law from the U.S. Naval War College’s Stockton Center for International Law.

July 8, 2021 - When considering where the Navy is conducting some of its most cutting edge science and technology, you may not think of Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NASPR) or Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP), but on these two bases, you will find commands that are at the tip of spear of Naval Aviation and science and engineering research and development.

July 7, 2021 - Baltic Sea Operation (BALTOPS) is the largest annual exercise series in the Baltic Sea. Its purpose is to improve training for participants, enhance flexibility and interoperability, and demonstrate resolve among Allied and Partner Forces in defending the Baltic Sea Region. First established in 1972, BALTOPS50 was the 50th iteration and took place June 2-18, 2021. NATO Allies engaged in live training events including air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction and mine countermeasure operations.

July 1, 2021 - Navigating post-nonjudicial punishment (NJP) actions is understandably confusing. It is important to handle modifications to punishment correctly at the command level to ensure compliance with servicemembers’ due process rights. Keep in mind that, for many actions, a command must have an articulated reason for changing the punishment, such as a demonstrated conduct improvement or a determination that the punishment resulted in clear injustice. If a valid reason exists, there are four courses of action that NJP authorities or their successors in command can take under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) Article 15, paragraph 6: suspension, mitigation, remission, and a set aside.

June 21, 2021 - Please join me in congratulating Rear Adm. Darse “Del” E. Crandall Jr., on his nomination by the President to be our next Judge Advocate General of the Navy, and for his appointment to the grade of Vice Admiral.  His nomination is now pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

June 10, 2021 - The Kitsap County Bar Association recognized Lt. Ryan M. Feingold and Legalman 2nd Class LaClaire Cartwright during the 2021 Law Day celebration, a joint civilian and military award ceremony. This year’s ceremony, themed “The Rule of Law Now,” was held virtually on May 7. Kitsap Superior Court Judge Kevin D. Hull was the presiding judge, and State Supreme Court Justice Deborah Stevens served as keynote speaker.

June 7, 2021 - During an All Hands call, Capt. Rock De Tolve, acting Assistant Judge Advocate General for Civil Law, presented awards for individual achievement and commended the Code 16 Team for its extraordinary mission impact during 2020, at the Washington Navy Yard.   

June 4, 2021 - Legalman 1st Class Sophia Davis was named Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Sailor of the Year (SOY) by the Navy’s senior enlisted leader at OSD. She was chosen from among Sailors assigned to all activities under the direct supervision of OSD. Davis currently serves as a defense paralegal in the Legal Department in the Office of Military Commissions.