Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
Nov. 19, 2012
Army, Navy TJAGs visit Camp Phoenix
CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan -- The Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 hosted the top Judge Advocate Generals from the Army and Navy Nov. 5-6, 2012. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Dana Chipman and U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Nanette DeRenzi traveled to Afghanistan to visit their services' deployed legal offices.
Nov. 13, 2012
U.S., Foreign Judge Advocates Participate in PANAMAX 2012
For two weeks in August, military forces from the United States and 16 partner nations participated in PANAMAX 2012, a USSOUTHCOM-sponsored exercise that simulated defending the Panama Canal from attacks by a fictional anti-capitalist, extremist organization. The exercise scenario incorporated a variety of sea, air, land, and cyber attacks.
Nov. 6, 2012
Judge Advocate Assigned to SAPR-L Training Team Completes Mission
Cmdr. Christopher Mora recently returned to his duties as branch office head for Region Legal Service Office Southeast Branch Office New Orleans after 30 days traveling the southern United States and Western Europe as the judge advocate assigned to the Navy Personnel Command (NAVPERS) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Master Mobile Training Team (MMTT).
Nov. 1, 2012
RLSO SE and PCU Norfolk Supports Flood Victims in Pensacola
The Navy JAG community rallied to provide claims assistance to dozens of military families affected by unexpected torrential rain that flooded homes and businesses causing Escambia County to decl...
Oct. 25, 2012
Victim Witness Assistance Program, More than Just Filling out a Form
This past April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign reiterated the importance of providing this critical support to victims.
Oct. 16, 2012
Cyber Law: Challenges, Law, Billets
How to legally conduct military operations in cyber space has proven to be an enormous challenge. Even the most fundamental issue of law - what body of law applies to cyber space operations – has been debated. Despite the ongoing dialogue among legal scholars and policy makers on the applicable legal structure to apply, cyber threats to U.S. national security or interests continue to mount.
Oct. 3, 2012
Navy Legal Office Names Change, Services Remain Intact
The Naval Legal Service Command realigned its offices Oct. 1, but its legal services to the fleet did not change. Legal assistance services were previously provided by Naval Legal Service Offices (NLSOs). As a result of the realignment, a servi...
Sept. 27, 2012
Advancing the Rule of Law Worldwide – DIILS at 20 Years
It’s 0700 on a steamy Monday, and the sun is rising above Lake Kivu in eastern Congo. Fishermen in dugout canoes ply the lake’s waters in pursuit of the first catch of the day. The merchants of Bukavu, the capital of the picturesque South Kivu province, ready their wares to be sold on the streets of the city center. A team of U.S. Navy judge advocates assembles their gear for another day with the Congolese Army.
Sept. 19, 2012
Naval Legal Service Command Adapts to Best Serve Navy, Clients
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Beginning in October, the Judge Advocate General's Corps will reorganize the Naval Legal Service Command (NLSC) to meet the Navy's evolving demands for expeditionary legal services support while continuing to provide quality milit...
Sept. 18, 2012
NLSO Mid-Atlantic Wins Model Partnership Award
Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic was recognized as a 2012 Model Partnership by the Virginia Beach City Public School System for its volunteer work with high school students at Virginia Beach First Colonial High School.
Sept. 13, 2012
Naval War College Professor Supports Legal Training To Congo
U.S. Naval War College professor Capt. Kevin Brew returned from a mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where he led a three-person judge advocate general officer team to train the DRC military on core legal topics such as ethics and ...
Sept. 7, 2012
Reserve Legalman Recognized with Prestigious Awards
The reserve legalman of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps are known for their professional excellence and dedication. It is therefore my pleasure to announce the below individuals who rec...
Aug. 14, 2012
Nimitz Holds Courts-Martial at Sea
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) convened the first of four courts-martial at sea June 12. Courts-martial are not typically held on board a ship. The legal team and the judge stood for a photo after the court-martial. From left to right: ABE ...
Aug. 6, 2012
Judge Advocates Receive Outstanding Service Awards from American Bar Association
Two Navy judge advocates were honored by the American Bar Association (ABA) at the 2012 ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago Aug. 3.
July 24, 2012
A Focus on Legal Representation Outside the Courtroom
Although providing courts-martial representation is commonly seen as the primary role of legal defense departments, defense counsel spend a great deal of their time on administrative sep...
July 23, 2012
Legal Community Bids Heartfelt Farewell to Longtime Japanese Advisor
In May 1983, Ms. Mari Okamoto, née Terao, began work as an interpreter and legal assistant for the U.S. Navy. On June 22, she celebrated her retirement after twenty-nine years of service with a ceremony at the Officer’s Club onboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Okamoto, Mari-san to her friends, was joined by just a small sample of the countless service members and civilians – Japanese and American alike – whose lives she touched.
July 20, 2012
New Leadership Takes Helm of Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps
The U.S. Navy's Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps held a change of office ceremony on July 20, at the Washington Navy Yard. During the traditional change of office ceremony, presided over...
July 19, 2012
Pro Bono Assistance and Operation Standby
The ABA Military Pro Bono Project, established in 2008, is an innovative collaboration between the military and civilian bars designed to expand legal support for active-duty enlist...
July 13, 2012
Intern Spotlight: Brittany Pizor & Brenna Miller
We interns at Region Legal Service Office Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia were quite excited to share what we had picked out for our ‘word for the week.’ Little did we know we had both picked the same word: Family. The word has been slowly brewing in our minds for quite some time now. In our first week on the job, our office held a command function. We were both instantly impressed at how collectively everyone intermingled. There were no couples by themselves, no one sitting alone, just pure communal relations. We couldn’t help but feel comfortable amongst our colleagues.
July 11, 2012
Command Master Chief Farewell
Master Chief Legalman Chris Browning retired July 2 after more than 25 years of service in the Navy. He most recently served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Judge Advocate General and the Command Master Chief for Commander, Naval Legal Service Command. Master Chief Legalman Paul St. Sauver took the reins from Master Chief Browning following the Washington Navy Yard ceremony.
July 10, 2012
A Legal Assist of the USS Enterprise on its Last Voyage
Capt. Michael T. Palmer, commanding officer, Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic (NLSO MIDLANT), conducted a meritorious mast for 15 enlisted Sailors and one civilian, recogniz...
June 21, 2012
San Diego Sailors Rescue Victim from Near-Fatal Car Wreck
San Diego-based Sailors were among the first responders to a collision accident on Interstate 15 in Temecula, Calif., April 20. At about 7 p.m., Lt. Cmdr. Justin Henderson, Lt. John Andrew Schaffer, Lt....
June 12, 2012
Legalman Receives Victim Assistance Award
Legalman 2nd Class Lisa Martin, Region Legal Service Office Southeast, received the Outstanding Victim Advocate award during the 28th annual observation of National Victim’s Rights week, hosted by the Mayor’s Victim Assistance Advisory Council in Jac...
June 11, 2012
Navy JAG Corps Leadership Team Nominated
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Rear Adm. Nanette M. DeRenzi has been nominated for appointment to the rank of vice admiral and for assignment as judge advocate general of the...
June 7, 2012
SAIGE Honors Marine Judge Advocate with 2012 Meritorious Service Award
The Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) recognized Marine Corps Lt. Col. T. Jay Hunting Horse, Operational Law Division, Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), with ...
May 31, 2012
The U.S. Legal Mission in Iraq: The First and Last Chapter
On April 9, 2003, as the world watched ecstatic Iraqis tear down the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad’s Firdos Square, I got word that my flight into Baghdad was set for that night. At that time I was serving as the staff judge advocate for a Special Operations Task Force that was supporting the initial phases of Operation Iraqi
May 24, 2012
RLSO EURAFSWA Does Its Part for Operation Unified Protector
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) launches a Tomahawk cruise missile to support Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn. Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical comman...
May 18, 2012
Navy Lawyer Receives USO Woman of the Year Military Leadership Award
Navy judge advocate, Lt. Katie Worstell, received a Military Leadership Award during the 46th Annual USO Woman of the Year Luncheon hosted by the USO of Metropolitan New York May 1. Worstell is one of five female service members who received the award honoring dedication, achievement, and exceptional service to the country. One female recipient was chosen from each branch of the armed forces to be recognized for their accomplishments.
May 15, 2012
Judge Advocates Receive Awards for Outstanding Service
The Judge Advocates Association (JAA) and the Judge Advocates Foundation (JAF) announced the 2012 recipients of the JAA Career Armed Services Attorney Award, the Maj. Gen. William K. Suter D...
May 1, 2012
From the Well to the Helm in Six Weeks
Lt. Carina Podgorski reports on board Clyde Submarine Base in Faslane, Scotland, for a briefing shortly before taking part in Joint Warrior 11-2. This exercise includes Sailors from more than a dozen countries working together for deployment certific...
April 24, 2012
Legalmen: Why We Should Develop the Art of Writing Persuasively
With an aristocratic drawl, Bryan Garner gently informed a group of Seattle-area legal professionals that they were trained to write poorly. In attendance at Garner’s writing seminar - in addition to civilian legal professionals - were 15 service members from Naval Legal Service Office Northwest. Indistinguishable in their civilian attire, attorneys and legalmen alike were excited to meet the legendary Garner, author of law school favorites The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style, The Winning Brief: 100 Tips for Persuasive Briefing in Trial and Appellate Courts, and Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges (a book he co-authored with Justice Antonin Scalia).
April 17, 2012
ROLFSOs: One Individual Augmentation, Five Different Experiences
We wrap-up our five-part Rule of Law Field Support Officer series with a message from the Commander, Rule of Law Field Support Mission Afghanistan, Rear Adm. James W. Crawford III, followed by our final post by Lt. Jennifer Myers.
April 12, 2012
My deployment to Afghanistan was the adventure of a lifetime. I was assigned as a Rule of Law Field Support Officer (ROLFSO) to Kandahar Provincial Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Kandahar City. As a ROLFSO at Kandahar PHQ, my role was particularly focused on the Afghan National Police (ANP) and the investigative portion of Afghan law enforcement.
April 3, 2012
Lt. Philip Rohlfing with Nawa’s District Community Council Justice Sub Committee....
March 28, 2012
Navy Lawyer Wins Distinguished Award for Energy Security Thesis
A judge advocate was awarded the Jamie Grodsky Award for Environmental Law Scholarship from The George Washington University Law School March 22 for his original paper on reforming the nation's renewable fuel policy.
March 27, 2012
In January 2011, I deployed to Afghanistan as a part of the Rule of Law Field Force–Afghanistan. After I arrived, I was attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, also known as Task Force Duke.
March 26, 2012
Navy JAG Mentors Afghan Law Students
In my short time as a Navy judge advocate, I have had many interesting experiences on land and at sea. One of my most rewarding experiences has been mentoring a group of young Afghan law students as they prepared for the Phili...
March 22, 2012
Throughout March and April, we will share stories from five Navy judge advocates who have served as Rule of Law Field Support Officers (ROLFSOs). We kick-off the series with an introduction to the Rule of Law mission in Afghanistan by Army Brig. Gen. Mark S. Martins. Following the introduction we have our first post provided by Lt. Kyle Fralick, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.
March 20, 2012
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: How to Maximize the Benefits and Minimize the Risks
Currently, the average judge advocate enters the service with roughly $111,000 in student loan debt, and that amount is expected to rise. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program is a student loan repayment pr...
March 15, 2012
Operating Forward from the Sea: Legalmen Support Carrier Strike Group Operations
At the time the story was written the John C. Stennis Strike Group and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) legal department included: Lt. Cmdr. David Lee, Legalman 1st Class Lakisha Baldwin, Lega...
March 1, 2012
Judge advocate provides pro bono service
Judge advocates, unlike many civilian attorneys, are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At a moment’s notice, judge advocates must be ready to serve our clients whenever and ...
Feb. 28, 2012
Spot Delivery Car Sales
This article is not a substitute for individual legal advice and readers are advised that they should consult a lawyer to obtain proper advice for any legal issue. The most common car purchase pr...
Feb. 23, 2012
NLSO EURAFSWA and BUMED Assist Sailor and Family with Living Donor Program
In memory of U.S. Air Force retired Master Sgt. Ronald Alden "Cookie" Cookson: Cookson and his wife, Susan Cookson, at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C., August 2011....
Jan. 13, 2012
2011 Legalman and Sailor of the Year
Please join us in congratulating Legalman 1st Class (SW/EXW/IDW) Anaestasia Jackson on her selection as the 2011 Judge Advocate General Outstanding Legalman of the Year, and Legalman 1st Class (SW/AW) Alicia Mares on her selection as the 2011 Naval Legal Service Command Sailor of the Year. In a community ripe with highly talented legalmen, their service during 2011 was particularly noteworthy.
Nov. 22, 2011
Have you considered serving as a Navy legalman?
The JAG Corps is actively seeking applications from Sailors desiring conversion to the legalman rating. Opportunity is limited, so interested Sailors must act quickly. You must be on active duty, serving in paygrades E-3 through E-5, and have less ...
Nov. 17, 2011
Prosecution, Defense Discuss Arraignment in USS Cole Case
They waited 11 years, but today a planeload of Americans who traveled here earlier this week saw the arraignment of Abd al Rahim Hussein Muhammed al N...
Nov. 1, 2011
JAG Corps 2020.1
The following message was released by Judge Advocate General of the Navy Vice Adm. James Houck and Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy Rear Adm. Nanette M. DeRenzi. The JAG Corps published JAG Corps 2020 five years ago to chart our course for ...
Aug. 15, 2011
Military Personnel Code 61
When I found out I would be taking over Military Personnel (Code 61), I asked my colleague, “Don’t they do recruiting?” I had to confirm that the office was in D.C. and not Millington. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate that the work of Code 61 impacts the careers of every judge advocate.
March 30, 2011
Information Operations and Intelligence Law – Code 18
Washington — OJAG’s Code 18 was established in October 2009 in response to the critical need for a JAG community of experts in information operations, intelligence law, and cyber law and policy. Its establishment complimented the Navy’s unveiling of the Information Dominance Corps, OPNAV N2/N6, and the stand up of Fleet Cyber Command/10th Fleet. In support of the CNO’s conviction that the Navy will be at the forefront of managing information flows across the cyberspace warfighting domain in the next conflict, Code 18 establishes OJAG as a crucial player in this effort.
Jan. 15, 2010
Criminal Law (Code 20)
Washington — Most everyone knows Code 20 as the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG) division that sends out the military justice newsmailers. If you’re in a military justice billet, you may also think of us as the office that provides trial and defense counsel assistance. What you may be surprised to learn, however, is that those things are a relatively small – though fun – part of what we do.