Navy JAG Corps Judge Advocate General's Corps

OAHU, Hawaii  –   Lt. Cmdr. Joseph "JoHo" Horton – who serves as staff judge advocate for Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-West, Camp H.M. Smith, Oahu, Hawaii – was awarded the McGinnis Family Award for Outstanding Performance in Fleet Seminar Education at the U.S. Naval War College Joint Professional Military Education (JPME I) graduation, held June 24, 2021. Lt. Cmdr. Joseph "JoHo" Horton – who serves as staff judge advocate for Joint …

NEWPORT, R.I.  –   On July 6, the Navy JAG community commemorated the 75 On July 6, the Navy JAG community commemorated the 75^th anniversary of the founding of its Naval Justice School (NJS).  A special ceremony that included distinguished guests – as well as NJS students and staff – took place at Naval Station Newport, where NJS is headquartered. anniversary of the founding of its Naval Justice School (NJS). …

The Navy JAG Corps is proud to host our 2021 summer interns! The Navy JAG Corps offers internships and externships to law students wishing to gain valuable legal experience, the opportunity for academic credit, and greater insight into life as a Navy judge advocate. Meet some of our summer interns.

Haley Almany
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Region Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic, Detachment Groton
“I applied to the Navy …

WASHINGTON, DC  –   The American Bar Association (ABA) has announced that Navy judge advocate Cmdr. Abigail L. Meyers – who currently serves as Operations Officer at the Naval Justice School – has been selected to receive the ABA Outstanding Military Service Career Judge Advocate Award, sponsored by the Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law (SCAFL). The American Bar Association (ABA) has announced that Navy judge advocate Cmdr. Abigail L. Meyers …

YOKOSUKA, Japan  –   Defense Service Office (DSO) Pacific held a change of command ceremony at the Adm. Arleigh A. Burke Officers’ Club onboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan on July 16, 2021. Defense Service Office (DSO) Pacific held a change of command ceremony at the Adm. Arleigh A. Burke Officers’ Club onboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan on July 16, 2021.

Rear Adm. Darse E. Crandall, Deputy Judge Advocate General and Commander …

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 …