Legal Assistance Office

Our Mission

The Legal Assistance Office is available to all Soldiers, dependents, and retirees. Services include the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, name changes, and step-child adoptions. The office also offers advice in a wide range of legal areas including landlord/tenant, military administrative, family law, and consumer law. To set up an appointment, call (410) 278-1583.

We also have information papers, resources, and helpful links available below for your reference prior to setting up an appointment.

Claims Office

Our Mission

The Claims Office's Mission: pursuant to Army Regulation 27-20, is to process, investigate, adjudicate, and negotiate the settlement of non-contractual claims on behalf of and against the Army filed at Aberdeen Proving Ground. We provide professional resolution of claims filed against the United States government and assert claims on behalf of the United States government against responsible parties. Although our office cannot advise anyone in filing a claim against the government, we can provide you with the necessary forms.

If you have any questions regarding a potential claim, feel free to contact us at (410) 278-1583.

The three most common types of claims filed with this office are the following:

Personnel Claims Act, 31 USC § 3721, as implemented by Army Regulation 27-20, chapter 11.

These are administrative claims by military personnel and DA civilians only for losses incident to service. This includes household goods damages during shipment; POV shipment damage; on-post POV theft, vandalism and other unusual occurrences; and on-post quarters damage and theft. This is a gratuitous payment statute, not intended as total insurance coverage. Claims for damaged household goods are initiated by filing a Notice of Loss with your carrier within 75 days (strict deadline) of the delivery, and the formal claim must be filed within nine months of the delivery. All other claims under this chapter must be presented to an Army claims office within two years of the incident.

Federal Tort Claims Act:, 28 USC §§ 2671 – 2680, as implemented by Army Regulation 27-20, chapter 4.

These are administrative claims made by anyone against the United States Government for loss or damage caused by a government employee acting in the scope of his/her employment. The FTCA requires the filing of an administrative claim, signed and demanding a sum certain, with the appropriate agency within two years of the incident. Once the claim is filed, the claimant must wait to file suit in federal court until six months have elapsed since the date of filing, a final offer is issued, or the claim is denied, whichever comes first.

The Personnel Claims Section receives, investigates, adjudicates & settles all claims filed by active-duty service members, Department of the Army civilians, DOD civilian employees who are not employees of the Department of the Navy, Air Force, or U.S. Marine Corps, the members of the USAR or the ARNG performing inactive-duty training or active-service & civilian employees of the ARNG funded under 32 U.S.C. § 709.

Claims under Article 139, Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 USC § 939, as implemented by Army Regulation 27-20, chapter 9.

These are administrative claims made against military personnel only for loss of, or damage to, real or personal property that has been willfully damaged or wrongfully taken. Claims for death or personal injury, subrogated claims, and claims founded in negligence or breach of a contractual or fiduciary relationship are excluded. All claims under this chapter must be presented to an Army claims office within 90 days of the incident.