Navy JAG Corps Judge Advocate General's Corps

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii  –   Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) 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.   Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Hawaii held a …

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 (CNLSC), and to advance to the grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half).  The nomination is now pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. We are pleased to announce that CAPT David G. Wilson, JAGC, U.S. Navy, has been nominated by the President to serve …

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 (SCIL). 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 …

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. LT Ashlee Goodwin gets to interface with some of the …

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 …

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 …

In a press release on Friday, the Department of Defense announced that the President has nominated Rear Admiral Darse “Del” E. Crandall Jr., JAGC, U.S. Navy, to be the next Judge Advocate General of the Navy, and for appointment to the grade of Vice Admiral.

Admiral Crandall’s nomination is now pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Confirmation is a separate process and may not be presumed, but I ask that …

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. 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 …

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 Office of the Judge Advocate General's Legal Assistance Division (Code 16) team for its extraordinary mission impact during 2020, at the Washington Navy Yard.   

Capt. De Tolve presented Code 16's acting Division Director Ms. Kate Somerville with the Department of the Navy (DON) Superior …

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. Legalman 1st Class Sophia Davis was named Office of the Secretary of Defense …

A majority of sexual assault victims report feeling a lack of support from their leadership, and almost two-thirds of victims report experiencing a behavior in line with retaliation. As a former Staff Judge Advocate, these numbers did not reflect my experiences advising Navy commands. Every commanding officer I met handled allegations seriously, and did everything in his or her power to protect victims’ rights. As a VLC, I have discovered …

Region Legal Service Office Southeast (RLSO SE) held a change of command ceremony at the Beacon aboard Naval Station Mayport, Fla., May 14, 2021.

Rear Adm. Darse E. “Del” Crandall, Jr., deputy judge advocate general and commander of Naval Legal Service Command, presided over the ceremony in which Cmdr. Brian Korn relieved Capt. Joseph Hoelz as commanding officer of RLSO SE.

During the ceremony, Hoelz thanked his Sailors for a rewarding tour …

In February, the Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps In-Service Procurement Program (IPP) Selection Board met to consider 18 highly qualified applicants for Fiscal Year 2021.

Established in 2013, IPP competitively selects fleet Sailors for a funded law degree and a JAG Corps commissioning path similar to what the longstanding Law Education Program (LEP) provides for line officers.

The board uses a whole-person concept to identify applicants with the greatest potential for successful service as …

NAS Sigonella   –   What is the Military Claims Act (MCA)? The MCA is a mechanism to administratively settle and pay claims arising from personal injury, death, or damage and loss of real or personal property caused by the Department of Defense (DOD).The MCA is a mechanism to administratively settle and pay claims arising from personal injury, death, or damage and loss of real or personal property caused by the Department …

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of the JAG community received individual and team awards from the American Bar Association’s 2020 Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP).

LAMP fosters the continued growth of the military legal assistance programs; promotes the delivery of legal services to military personnel and their family members, and works with other organizations to enhance the scope, quality, and delivery of free or affordable legal services …

Yeoman First Class (Surface Warfare) Jonathan A. Swager, assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), was selected for the Secretary of the Navy Secretariat Staff Senior Sailor of the Quarter for the 2nd Quarter, Fiscal Year 2021 (FY-21). Yeoman First Class (Surface Warfare) Jonathan A. Swager, assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), was selected for the Secretary of the Navy Secretariat Staff Senior …

Service members, military retirees, and their families are sadly not immune from consumer and financial fraud and are often directly targeted. High mobility, a steady government paycheck with publicly available information on salaries, BAH, etc., by rank and location, and other factors contribute to bad actors seeking to take advantage of service members and their families. According to the Federal Trade Commission, military members reported higher median loses from consumer …

Washington, D.C.  –  

As Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) – which is commemorated each April throughout the Department of Defense – draws to a close, the Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps continues working tirelessly on behalf of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.  Its Victims’ Legal Counsel (VLC) program has provided assistance and advocacy to more than 6,100 people since its inception, fulfilling a critical legal need. …

Washington, D.C.  –  

Two Sailors from the Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) community earned promotions through the U.S. Navy’s Meritorious Advancement Program (MAP) in February.

Legalman 1^st Class Tyler M. Belz and Legalman 1^st Class  Abigail G. Morgan – formerly 2^nd Class Petty Officers – were both promoted to the next paygrade.

“This program is intended to give commands greater authority to better shape our Navy by developing …

Lt. Cmdr. Dennis Harbin – a judge advocate currently serving as a joint legal observer and trainer for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – was awarded the 2021 Richard R. Baxter Military Prize by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) Lieber Society on the Law of Armed Conflict. His writing topic was “Targeting Submarine Cables.”

The Lieber Society serves as ASIL’s focal point for the study …