Oct. 22, 2015

Sailors Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

SANTA RITA, Guam (Sept. 30, 2015) - The heritage committee onboard the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) held a celebration for Hispanic heritage month on the ship’s mess decks, Sept. 30. During the event members of the heritage committee, as well as Sailors of Hispanic descent, spoke about Hispanics throughout history that have made important contributions to our nation.

Oct. 15, 2015

How China Shot Down Its Own A2/AD Lawfare Strategy

Last month, President Obama made political history by becoming the first U.S. president to visit the Arctic, where he discussed American interests in that region and the need for nations around the world to collectively address the challenges of climate change.  During that same week, another momentous event of a different sort occurred nearby:  five warships from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) transited through U.S. territorial seas off the coast of Alaska, near the Aleutian Islands. 

Oct. 14, 2015

Legalman promoted to honorary chief petty officer at NSW pinning ceremony

SAN DIEGO - Aundra Howard sat in the first of 12 long rows of folding chairs, his Navy uniform meticulously pressed, family members sitting on his left and right. Among the hu...

Oct. 9, 2015

SEAFAIR 2015 – A ceremony at sea, welcoming immigrants who serve 

“Welcome,” “welcome,” was a greeting repeated again and again on July 29, 2015 to the eight newly naturalized service members aboard the USS Boxer (LHD-4). Welcome, our brothers and sisters...

Oct. 1, 2015

Lt. Cmdr. Hunter M. Abell Receives WSBA Courageous Award

U.S. Navy officer honored for serving overseas and promoting international relationships From Washington State Bar Association SEATTLE, WA [Sept. 23, 2015] — The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) presented Seattle attorney Lieutenant Commande...

Sept. 24, 2015

DSO West Holds Change of Command

Defense Service Office (DSO) West held a change of command ceremony aboard the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California, on September 18, 2015. Rear Adm. John G. Hannink, Commander of Naval Lega...

Aug. 18, 2015

Region Legal Service Office Northwest Receives Distinguished Service Award

Silverdale, Wash – The American Bar Association has announced the Region Legal Service Office Northwest was recognized for exceptional performance in the area of legal assistance and was awarded the 2014 Distingu...

Aug. 11, 2015

RLSO NDW Holds Change of Command

Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW) held a change of command ceremony at its courtroom spaces aboard the Washington Navy Yard, District of...

Aug. 7, 2015

RLSO Midwest Holds Change of Command

Rear Adm. John Hannick, Judge Advocate General of the Navy and Commander of Naval Legal Service Command, presided over the ceremony in which Capt. Gregory Bart relieved Capt. Terrence Costello as commanding officer of Region Legal Service Office (R...

Aug. 4, 2015

Navy Judge Advocates Speak to Interns About Careers

Now that summer is here, Navy JAG Corps interns have come to the National Capital Region (NCR) to participate in a range of Navy activities, and to learn about a future career in the naval service. At a panel discussion aboard the Washington Navy Yard, attorneys from the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), Military Personnel (Code 61), the Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW), as well as the Defense Service Office North, sat down with interns from the NCR to talk about what they can expect from their first tour in the corps, June 9, 2015.

July 30, 2015

Prep work to testify for Navy Medicine Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiners

BREMERTON, Wash. - From the clinical to the courtroom, the initial Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner (SAMFE) training held at Naval Hospital Bremerton switched to the military justice process for t...

July 14, 2015

JTF-GTMO Legalmen awarded commendation

The Assistant Command Fitness Leaders (ACFLs) for Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO) recently received commendation from Rear Adm. Kyle Cozard, commander, JTF-GTMO and Capt. Mark Winter, chie...

June 26, 2015

Navy JAG Corps Welcomes New Leadership

The U.S. Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps held a change of office ceremony on June 26, at the Washington Navy Yard. During the traditional change of office ceremony, presided over...

June 26, 2015

Navy JAG Corps Holds Change of Office Ceremony

Today, the Navy JAG Corps will hold a change of office ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard. During the traditional change of office ceremony, presided over by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm...

June 23, 2015

USS Emory S. Land Judge Advocate Engages with Royal Malaysian Navy Legal Officer

Lt. Ryan J. Sylvester, Command Judge Advocate from submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) visits with Legal Officer Lt Cmdr. Mohd Shamsuni of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in one of the RMN...

June 16, 2015

Supporting RLSO Japan’s Legal Assistance Mission With Innovative Remote Services

When I approached the end of my obligated service on active duty, I knew I wanted to stay reserves. The problem was the reason why I was leaving active duty in the first place. My...

June 9, 2015

U.S., Brazil JAG Subject Matter Expert Exchange

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard judge advocates travelled to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil for a subject matter expert exchange (SMEE), focusing on operational and international law, with Brazilian navy judge advocates on March 30.

June 2, 2015

RLSO NDW Holds Change of Command

Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW) held a change of command ceremony on April 24, 2015 at the National Museum of the Navy aboard the Washington Navy Yard.

June 1, 2015

Law Day 2015: Mock Trial

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (May 1, 2015) -- Serving in the role of the court reporter, Lt. Theresa Poindexter of the Belvoir Hospital Office of the Command Judge Advocate takes notes during a mock trial based on the story of the Three Little Pigs. Members of ...

May 19, 2015

In the News: Cmdr. Michael Jones promoted to military judge

Navy Reserve Commander and Scioto County Domestic Relations Court Magistrate Michael L. Jones graduated from The 58th Military Judge Course at The Judge Advocate General’s School - University of Virginia. Jones was selected by the 2014 Navy Judicial Screening Board to attend.

May 13, 2015

Judge Advocate General Nomination

The following message was released by Judge Advocate General of the Navy Please join me in congratulating Rear Admiral James W. Crawford, III, JAGC, U.S. Navy, on his nomination by the President to be our next Judge A...

April 28, 2015

Power of attorney: Which one do I need?

After nearly a decade and a half of war, service members and their spouses are likely familiar with general powers of attorney. The most common type of power of attorney is a durable, general power of attorney. This document transfers nearly every legal right a person has to another individual. Durable means the document survives even if you are incapacitated for some reason (e.g. in a coma in a hospital).

April 24, 2015

LAMP 2014 Distinguished Service Awards

The Navy JAG Community proudly nominated five legal assistance attorneys and three commands for the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) 2014 Distinguished Service Awards. We are pleased to a...

April 21, 2015

Seven Things You Should Know About Knowledge Management

1. It's Not (Just) SharePoint. Successful knowledge management activities focus equally on people, process and technology. There is an important and necessary culture-shift that creates an environment...

April 14, 2015

Preventing sexual assault re-victimization requires change in culture

PEARL HARBOR – Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) is currently at the forefront of Navy training and education, but less discussed and publicized among SAPR topics is the issue of command or peer retaliati...

March 13, 2015

Deputy Judge Advocate General Nomination

Please join me in congratulating Captain John G. Hannink, JAGC, U.S. Navy, on his nomination by the President to be our next Deputy Judge Advocate General o...

March 6, 2015

JAG Corps In-Service Procurement Program Results

The Fiscal Year 2015 Judge Advocate General’s Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) Selection Board met on Feb. 10, 2015 and considered 15 highly qualified applicants.

Feb. 25, 2015

Legal Services for Crime Victims

Navy Victims' Legal Counsel (VLC) provide eligible victims of a military sexual offenses with a dedicated attorney to help them understand the investigation and military justice process, safeguard their legal rights and interests, advocate on their behalf, and obtain additional support in accessing resources that may assist in their recovery.

Feb. 24, 2015

Tax Season: What You Need to Know

When does tax season start and end? The tax season began January 20th and ends April 15th for people in the United States and June 15th for those stationed overseas. Those stationed in combat zones get an automa...

Feb. 18, 2015

Five Things You Need to Know about Retaliation

Retaliation is harmful action against someone for something they did or said. It includes ostracism and is often described as professional or social. Retaliation is a violation of the UCMJ....

Dec. 9, 2014

Navy Legalmen Hone Skills in Two-Part Program

On Sept. 12, 2014, 16 legalmen from duty stations around the world graduated from the Mid-Level Legalman Course held at Naval Justice School Deta...

Dec. 5, 2014

IRS Presents Judge Advocate with Service Award

Two senior members from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), flew to Washington, D.C. from Atlanta, Ga., to present Lt. Ericka Droguett, judge advocate assigned to Office of the Judge Advocate Gene...

Dec. 2, 2014

Judge Advocate Shares Experiences with Chicago Legal Community

What exactly is “non-judicial punishment?” When would a commanding officer use a summary court martial? And how can the Navy ensure that a defendant’s due process rights are guarant...

Nov. 6, 2014

First Tour Judge Advocate Participates in Multi-National Exercise 

Join the Navy and see the world?  Eighteen months into his first tour at Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Midwest, first tour judge advocate Lt. Adam Smith had seen more “amber waves of grain” than “blue of the mighty deep.” 

Nov. 4, 2014

Work/Life Balance in the Navy JAG Corps

Life-work balance means different things to different people. To some, it means finding an equal place for work and the rest of your life. For others, it’s a matter of at least fin...

Oct. 27, 2014

Navy Region Northwest Recognizes Disability Awareness

Cmdr. Edward K. Westbrook II, Navy Region Northwest staff judge advocate, has an office teammate read him an email while he wears goggles to simulate blindness during National Disability Employment Awareness month. Navy Region Northwest participated ...

Sept. 30, 2014

Leadership from the bench

Editor’s note: At a recent judge advocate retirement, the Chief Judge of the Department of the Navy, Capt. Chris Reismeier, gave a keynote address. The following is an adaptation of that speech, which gives a JAG Corps perspective of leadership from...

Sept. 9, 2014

U.S., Partner Nation Judge Advocates Support PANAMAX 2014

Twelve judge advocates from three nations assembled in August for PANAMAX 2014, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to test the ability of a multinational force to defend th...

Aug. 21, 2014

NLSC Junior Officer & Sailor of the Quarter

It is my distinct pleasure to recognize outstanding judge advocates and legalmen for professional excellence and dedication to service. I am pleased to announce that the following individuals have been selected as the Naval Legal Service Command Junior Officer of the Quarter and Sailor of the Quarter for the period from April to June 2014.

Aug. 19, 2014

Environmental Law (Code 12)

The Office of the Judge Advocate General Environmental Law Division (Code 12) provides subject matter expertise to the Navy Judge Advocate General on the impact of environmental law on naval operations. 

Aug. 14, 2014

USS Peleliu is All-American

The ship’s command citizenship representative (CCR), Lt. Connor D. Flynn, armed with passion, training, and “know-how” to assist service members with becoming U.S. citizens, screened every Peleliu Sailor listed on the Fleet Training Management and Planning System (FLTMPS) Report as “non-citizen.”  With pacesetting leadership, he then worked with Peleliu chain-of-command, and personnel and support staff to accomplish a monumentally ambitious goal of an “All-American” crew

July 3, 2014

Pago Pago, American Samoa native serves aboard USS Harry S. Truman

Petty Officer Jasmine Laumoli serves aboard USS Harry S. Truman....

July 1, 2014

Navy Lawyer Completes Summer Immersion Portion of Program for Emerging Leaders

U.S. Navy Lt. Ryan J. Sylvester, judge advocate assigned to Defense Service Office North, recently completed the Summer Immersion portion of the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction’s (WMD Center) Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) at National Defense University (NDU). He was selected for this program as part of the seventh PEL class of 25 members, which has representatives from across the services and the U.S. Government.

June 6, 2014

2014 Outstanding Navy Legal Professional

During the 2014 Law Day celebration held on May 2nd at the Kitsap County Courthouse in Port Orchard, WA, the Kitsap County Bar Association recognized Lt. Lauren F. Hanzel, Naval Submarine Support Center, Bangor staff judge advocate, as the 2014 Outstanding Navy Legal Professional. 

June 3, 2014

Navy bids fond farewell to Italian employee with four decades of service

The Region Legal Service Office, and the greater Navy community in Naples, bid a farewell to Concetta Henderson on April 29th, 2014, as she retired after over four decades of service. As an Italian local national, Mrs. Hen...

May 13, 2014

Admiralty & Maritime Law Division – Home of the Silver Oar 

When the going gets tough, the tough call the Admiralty and Maritime Law Division (Code 11), within Naval Civil Law Support Activity.  Code 11 provides legal advice to the Fleet worldwide, adjudicates claims against the Navy, asserts claims on behalf of the Navy, and serves as agency counsel supporting the Department of Justice in federal lawsuits involving the Navy. 

April 29, 2014

Judge Advocate General's Corps In-Service Procurement Program

 The FY-14 Judge Advocate General's Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) Selection Board met on January 30th, 2014 and considered 11 highly qualified applicants. Due to unique circumstances this year, two exceptional applicants will commission through this program.

Feb. 24, 2014

NLSC Junior Officer, Sailor of the Quarter

It is my distinct pleasure to recognize outstanding judge advocates and legalmen for professional excellence and dedication to service. I am pleased to announce that the following ind...

Feb. 18, 2014

Navy Lawyer Expands Horizons at Sea Practicing Operational Law

From leaving the turmoil of a war-torn nation following the break-up of the Soviet Union, to now teaching thousands of Navy and Marine Corps operators in the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG) the law of armed conflict,  Lt. Givi Tibaneli, a Navy judge advocate, is on an eight-month deployment practicing a unique and specialized form of his profession.

Feb. 3, 2014

2013 Legalman & Sailor of the Year

Please join us in congratulating Legalman 1st Class (SW/AW)  Michael Monteith on his selection as the 2013 Judge Advocate General Legalman of the Year, and Legalman 1st Class (SW/AW) Earl Brown on his selection as the 2013 Naval Legal Service Command Sailor of the Year.