Last month, two Navy judge advocates – Cmdr. Sylvaine Wong and Cmdr. Ken Magee – were honored with Outstanding Career Judge Advocate Awards from the Judge Advocates Association (JAA) and Judge Advocates Foundation (JAF). The awards are given annually to officers from all branches of service, and they recognize judge advocates making outstanding contributions to the military.
The Outstanding Career Judge Advocate Awards are two of several honors presented by national organizations to members of the Navy’s Judge Advocate General (JAG) community in recent months. Magee, a deeply respected member of the JAG Corps’ Reserve Law Program, currently serves as the assistant officer in charge and Command Services Department head at Region Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic Detachment Groton, Conn.
Widely admired for his dedication to mentoring junior service members, Magee manages the daily operations of the detachment, which includes 30 officers, enlisted, and civilians in three locations and provides legal services across a nine state area of responsibility. Wong recently completed a very successful tour as deputy director of the Military Personnel Division (Code 61) at the Office of the JAG (OJAG) in Washington, D.C. She is credited with managing the Navy JAG Corps’ recruiting program, which spans more than 200 American Bar Association-accredited law schools throughout the nation, and reinvigorating the organization’s inclusion and diversity initiatives.
"Sylvaine’s recognition is extremely well-deserved. She is an exceptional leader, an expert attorney, a sought-after mentor, and an officer who exemplifies the very best of the Navy JAG Corps in everything she does,” said Capt. Thomas Leary, director of Code 61. “Sylvaine’s contributions to our division have been significant, and will have a lasting and favorable impact on the JAG Corps many years into the future," he added.
Wong also recently received a Military Meritorious Service Award from the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) for her many professional accomplishments, and for enhancing civil-military relations between the Navy JAG Corps and the Asian Pacific American community. Another Navy judge advocate, Lt. Andrea Liou, was also presented a Military Meritorious Service Award from FAPAC. She was honored for her tireless work on behalf of indigent clients and victims of domestic violence.
Her award citation read, in part: “Lt. Liou’s tenacious work ethic, unflagging spirit, meticulous legal acumen and fierce disposition have made her the excellent leader she is … [she] is an intelligent and fierce leader for her community and a shining example to young Sailors and attorneys alike.”
The JAA is national legal society dedicated to upholding the honor of the profession of law, and to fostering the development of military law and cooperation between military and civilian practitioners and among the various JAG branches of the military. FAPAC is s a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the civilian and military Asian Pacific American employees in the federal and District of Columbia governments.
Bravo Zulu to all Navy JAG community award recipients!