July 8, 2021

RLSO NDW Billet Spotlight: Naval Air Station Patuxent River

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

LEGADs Bolstered International Rule of Law During Historic 50th Iteration of BALTOPS

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.

Oct. 28, 2020

CJTF-HOA JAG trains BIR soldiers

Recently, Lt. Cmdr. Alison Hoyt, the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) deputy staff judge advocate stepped in to provide critical training to the Armed Forces of Djibouti (FAD) Bataillon d’intervention rapide (BIR), on behalf of the Defense Institute for International Legal Studies (DIILS).

Oct. 9, 2020

Lt. Belyea Attends 2021 Leadership Development Program

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) provides deliberate, experiential learning opportunities for future leaders. The program is designed for high-potential individuals who have an understanding and appreciation for DoD’s global mission. One of the 2021 ELDP selectees – Navy judge advocate Lt. Ashley Belyea – certainly meets those criteria.

Sept. 29, 2020

Commissioning of LTJG Tate

Lt. j.g. Thaddeus H. Tate, Jr. enlisted as a naval intelligence analyst in 2009, and, since then, he has been chasing his career goals at full speed. Now a member of the Navy JAG Corps, Tate was selected in 2018 for the In-Service Procurement Program (IPP). He is now attending Officer Development School, and he will begin his first tour as a judge advocate at Region Legal Service Office, Naval District Washington (NDW) at the end of 2020.

July 15, 2020

LEGADs Supporting Law and Order During BALTOPS20

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, BALTOPS20 was the 49th iteration, taking place June 7-16. NATO Allies participated in live training events including air defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, and mine countermeasure operations.

June 5, 2020

A Day in the Life of Admiralty Attorney Lt. Cmdr. Kyle Fralick

This first decade of Lt. Cmdr. Kyle Fralick’s Navy JAG Corps career was diverse and accomplished, and it prepared him well for his current assignment at the Department of Justice (DOJ). Fralick graduated from the JAG ...

May 13, 2020

In Fallon, the Unexpected is Expected

No two days are the same for Lt. Timothy Garcia, who leads the bustling Region Legal Service Office Southwest branch office located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nev.In fact, Garcia’s role as branch head is just...

March 27, 2020

LN2 Sawyer Selected for the In-Service Procurement Program

The Navy JAG community's In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) Selection Board convened to consider 13 highly qualified candidates on Feb. 4, 2020. The board relied upon the “whole person” concept to identify applicants with the greatest potential for successful service as a Navy judge advocate. Ultimately, Legalman 2nd Class Cade A. Sawyer was named the 2020 IPP selected.

Feb. 28, 2020

2020 Class of Presidential Leadership Scholars Announced

The Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program has announced that Lt. Cmdr. Jarrod Franks -- a member of the Navy JAG community -- has been selected as one of the 60 Scholars chosen for the program’s sixth annual class. PLS serves as a catalyst for a diverse network of leaders brought together to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Jan. 9, 2020

Navy Announces New Legalman Conversion Opportunities

Beginning in 2020, the Navy’s Legalman (LN) community is expanding career opportunities for Sailors interested in cross-rating.

Nov. 8, 2019

Judge Advocate and Harvard Law School Fellow Shares Public Service Experience

Lt. Joshua Fiveson – a judge advocate currently assigned to the Appellate Government Division at the Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy – provided remarks at the 20th annual dinner for Harvard Law School (HLS) Heyman Fellows in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 25, 2019

Reservist Re-affiliates with Navy Reserve Law Program

Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Baugh – an accomplished civilian attorney, as well as a former judge advocate and Navy Reserve member – re-affiliated with the Navy Reserve Law Program. Motivated by a sense of duty...

Sept. 13, 2019

Judge Advocates Recognized with 2019 LATINA Style Awards

Two Navy judge advocates – Lt. Cmdr. Margaret “Maggie” Cole and Lt. Melissa “Mely” Rodriguez – were presented with 2019 LATINA Style Meritorious Service Awards on Sept. 5 at the 16th Annual National Latina Symposium in Arlington, Va.

Aug. 30, 2019

JAG Community Member Completes Clerkship at D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

Navy judge advocate Lt. Cmdr. Ben Adams took a new oath of office during a special ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., Aug. 13. Adams returned to active duty after completing a one-year clerkship at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Aug. 30, 2019

Navy JAG Corps Officers Benefit from the Career Intermission Program

Three Navy judge advocates share their Career Intermission Program stories, and how this vital Navy program benefitted them professionally and personally.

Aug. 20, 2019

Navy Hosts First Joint-Service Disability Evaluation System Certification Course

The Navy’s Disability Evaluation System Counsel Program (DESCP) hosted the first-ever Joint Service DESCP Training and Certification Course at Lackland Air Force Base, July 15-18. Nearly 200 practitioners from all branches of service attended this milestone event, which was planned and staffed by JAG community personnel.

Aug. 9, 2019

Distinguished NLSC Attorney Earns Award, Selected for the Executive Leadership Development Program

Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW) is proud to announce that Erica S. Riley has been selected to participate in the Department of Defense’s...

July 12, 2019

National Security Law Extern Makes His Mark

Alex Park knew he wanted to be a judge advocate even before he applied to the Georgetown University Law Center. “That feeling was solidified when, while in law school, I learned the JAG Corps provided an opportu...

July 9, 2019

NCIS SJA Presents Law Enforcement Public Service Award to Interagency Investigative Team

Lt. David Layne, staff judge advocate, Executive Assistant Director for Atlantic Operations Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), presented a public service award to members of the NCIS, Defense Criminal investigative Service, Internal Revenue Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in the case of United States v. Randolph M. Prince.

June 28, 2019

The JAG Community Supports BALTOPS 2019

Eight members of the Navy’s JAG community – as well as U.S. Marine Corps judge advocates and a civilian attorney – provided critical legal support to the Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2019 exercise June 9-21 in the B...

June 27, 2019

CARAT 2019: Building Security Through Maritime Domain Awareness

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Todd Hutchins, staff judge advocate assigned to Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, and Royal Thai Navy Capt. Yuthanavi Mungthanya, commanding officer of HTMS Bandpakong (FFG 456), participate in a maritime domain awarenes...

June 21, 2019

Miller Wins Junior Civilian of the Year

Diane Miller, Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) EURAFSWA (Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia) Detachment Rota, received the Junior Civilian of the Year 2018 for Naval Legal Service Command (...

June 7, 2019

Day in the Life of a Navy JAG

Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington's recruiting team hosted a successful "Day in the Life of a Navy JAG" event, welcoming law students and career service advisors from local law schools to the Pentagon. The event included variou...

April 26, 2019

Legal Officer Course Mobile Training Team

Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore is quickly becoming a hub for innovation and creative ways to train the over 6,000 Sailors assigned in the area. A joint effort by NAS Lemoore staff judge advocate (S...

April 16, 2019

Professional Development at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Region Legal Service Office Southeast first tour judge advocates from Jacksonville, Mayport, and Pensacola traveled to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to participate in "Kings Bay Day," an...

March 29, 2019

Navy Judge Advocate helps train African nations in Cutlass Express 2019

Cmdr. Brian Whitaker, a judge advocate assigned to Navy Reserve Commander Navy Europe-Navy Africa-Sixth Fleet, joined with sailors and marines from around the world in Pemba, Mozambique in support of exercise Cutlass Express 2019, Jan. 28-Feb 6.

March 22, 2019

Naval District Washington Trains Prosecutors and Investigators

Lt. Amanda Serfess – trial counsel at Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington – trained local JAG community and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) personnel. During two lively lea...

March 1, 2019

RLSO MIDLANT Hosts Second Annual “A Day in the Life of a U.S. Navy JAG”

Region Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic’s (RLSO MIDLANT) recruiting team hosted another successful “A Day in the Life of a U.S. Navy JAG” event, welcoming 33 prospective judge advoca...

Feb. 26, 2019

MIT SEMINAR XXI: Foreign Politics, International Relations, and the National Interest

Navy JAG Corps senior officers and civilians seeking to deepen their understanding of national security and foreign relations policy are eligible to apply to be Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Seminar XXI Fellows at no cost to themselves or their assigned command.

Feb. 22, 2019

Legalman Selected for JAG Corps In-Service Procurement Program

The Fiscal Year 2019 Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) selection board met in February to consider 15 highly qualified applicants and selected Legalman 1st Class Matthew B. Burns, Strategic Communications Wing One (SCW-1) the second legalman selectee in the program’s five-year history.

Feb. 12, 2019

Five Years In, Navy JAG Corps In-service Procurement Program Continues to Shine

This past month, Region Legal Service Office Naval District Washington (RLSO NDW) hosted a commissioning ceremony for Lt. j.g. Melisa Wink, welcoming her as the newest member of the RLSO NDW and Navy JAG Corps wardroom. Wink, a 2018 honors graduate of George Mason University School of Law, checked aboard RLSO NDW in 2015 as Cryptologic Technician Collection 2nd Class Wink, the third Sailor to have earned her law degree through the JAG Corps In-service Procurement Program (IPP).

Feb. 8, 2019

USS John C. Stennis Hosts Rare General Court-Martial at Sea

A rare naval tradition was observed onboard the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as the First Navy Jack was hoisted up the signal yardarm, indicating a General Court-Martial was being held at sea.

Jan. 28, 2019

Direct Commissioning Officer Program Selectee Blazes a New Trail

The Navy Reserve Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps recently welcomed its first enlisted selectee under the Direct Commissioning Officer Program (DCOP). Blazing a trail for other enlisted Sailors,...

Jan. 11, 2019

JAG Community Members Build Relationships in Key West

In late November, Legalman 1st Class Dameon Smith and Lt. John Wilson, from the Naval Air Station Key West staff judge advocate office, proactively arranged a tour of the Coast Guard station in Key West, ...

Dec. 14, 2018

Lt. Bob Liu Supports Largest Overseas Navy Hospital

With only a handful of military treatment facilities with dedicated staff judge advocates (SJAs), there aren’t many judge advocates with medical law experience. Fewer have to deal with the mix of medical law with a layer of foreign national law and a...

Sept. 25, 2018

2018 Victims’ Legal Counsel Symposium

Members of the Navy's Victims’ Legal Counsel (VLC) Program attended the 2018 training symposium aboard Naval Base San Diego the week of August 21-24. In addition to the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff, in att...

Aug. 28, 2018

U.S. Navy Judge Advocates Make their Mark in RIMPAC 2018

The world’s largest international maritime exercise was recently completed on and around the islands of Hawaii, and U.S. Navy judge advocates played an active, critical role in these operational training events. The Rim of the...

Aug. 16, 2018

Fleet Cyber Command Officer is First JAG to Earn IWO Pin

Cmdr. Danielle Higson, deputy staff judge advocate assigned to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/ U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), became the first member of the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps in the Navy to earn the Information Warfare Officer pin during a ceremony held at FCC Headquarters Aug. 10.

July 15, 2018

Providing Legal Support for the “Carrier in the Desert”

Few judge advocates and legalmen get to work in the aviation community, and even fewer have an opportunity to serve as the indispensable legal team for the “Carrier in the Desert.” The staff at Regio...

July 13, 2018

Legal Advisor to the Physical Evaluation Board

Today, we’re highlighting Lt. Autumn Gibo, legal advisor to the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) at the Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards (SECNAVCORB),...

July 10, 2018

Judge Advocates Join 22 Nations for BALTOPS Exercise

U.S. judge advocates and NATO legal advisors met at the BALTOPS 18 Pre-Sail Conference in Klaipeda, Lithuania, discussing both real world and exercise issues of international and operational law. The Conference was a final opportunity for face-to-f...

June 19, 2018

Reservist Argues High-Profile Case Before CAAF

Capt. Bree Ermentrout argued an emerging issue before the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) at Fort Hood, Texas, on April 5. Ermentrout is attached to the Navy’s Reserve Law Program unit which provides support...

May 18, 2018

Legalman Earns Law Degree Through JAG Corps In-Service Procurement Program

Legalman 1st Class Sharon Soileau, Region Legal Service Office Hawaii, graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law, earning her Juris Doc...

April 13, 2018

JAG Community Personnel Support Pacific Partnership 2018

Lt. Ingrid Paige, who is attached to the Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Japan branch office in Singapore, is currently serving as a staff judge advocate in support of Pacific Partnership 2018 (PP18). Deployed ...

April 3, 2018

Navy Environmental Law Practice - Marine Mammal Research

It's safe to say that the Navy is a unique client when it comes to environmental law. Many of the challenges are intuitive when you consider the Navy is a kine...

March 13, 2018

JAG Corps 50th Milestones: Military Justice Litigation Career Track

On Dec. 8, 2017, the Navy JAG Corps celebrated its golden anniversary. Throughout this milestone 50th year, we will periodically look back on important breakthroughs and events t...

Feb. 28, 2018

Submarine Lawyers

Lt. Jared Hudson and I recently went underway to provide legal assistance to the crew of the USS Newport News (SSN 750). The "New-News" is a Los Angeles class fast-at...

Feb. 23, 2018

Intelligence Specialist Selected for JAG Corps In-Service Procurement Program

The Fiscal Year 2018 Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) selection board met in February to consider 24 highly qualified applicants and selected Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Thaddeus H. Tate Jr., Office of Naval Intelligence.

Jan. 26, 2018

Meet Kristen Childers RLSO SW Administrative Officer

“If you’re going to do something, give it your full effort or don’t do it at all.” A lesson Kristen Childers learned early on and that has stuck with her, in everything she does...