Mission:

 

Trial Defense Service attorneys are military officers and practicing defense lawyers, graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, licensed to practice law, and members of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. To ensure objectivity and fairness, TDS attorneys are completely independent from local commands and their legal advisers. They are supervised and rated by their superiors within TDS.

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The mission of TDS is to provide a full range of defense legal services to Soldiers worldwide, at no cost to the Soldier. These services include:

  • Representing Soldiers at courts-martial.

  • Representing Soldiers during criminal investigations and before involuntary enlisted separation, officer elimination, or grade reduction boards.

  • Counseling Soldiers regarding restraint, nonjudicial punishment (a.k.a. Article 15), and any other adverse administrative action taken pursuant to Army regulations.

 

All communications between a TDS attorney and a Soldier-client are strictly confidential and privileged.

 

TDS attorneys represent Soldiers only; they do not represent civilian employees of the Department of Defense, nor civilian dependents. In addition, TDS does not represent Soldiers pending civilian judicial proceedings or charges, to include proceedings at a federal magistrate court in a military base. TDS representation is only provided to Soldiers facing adverse action in military jurisdiction.

 

Article 15 Briefing:

1 p.m. Thursdays

TDS will only accept complete Article 15 packets. A complete Article 15 packet will contain the following:

  • DA Form 2627, Record of Proceeding Under Article 15. It must be signed by the imposing commander in block 2.
  • DA Form 268, Report to Suspend Favorable Personnel Action (Flag)
  • Soldier Record Brief
  • All evidence supporting the underlying misconduct alleged (including, but not limited to, COMPLETE copies of police reports, intoxilyzer results, sworn statements, etc.).

 

Administrative Separation Briefing:

9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesdays

TDS will only accept complete Administrative Separation packets. A complete Administrative Separation packet will contain the following: 

  • Memorandum subject: Notice of Separation, signed by the imposing commander
  • Acknowledgement of Receipt of Separation Notice signed and dated by the Soldier
  • Election of Rights memorandum
  • DD Form 2807-1, Report of Medical History; DD Form 2808, Report of Medical Examination; DD Form 3697, Report of Medical Assessment (Phase I and Phase II)
  • DD Form 3822, Report of Mental Status Evaluation
  • DD Form 4/1; DD Form 4/2; and DA Form 3286-79 (where applicable) -- Enistment and Reenlistment documentation
  • DD Form 4856, Pre-Separation Counseling
  • DA Form 268, Report to Suspend Favorable Personnel Action (Flag)
  • Soldier Record Brief
  • All evidence supporting the underlying misconduct alleged (Including, but not limited to, COMPLETE copies of police reports, intoxilyzer results, sworn statements, Article 15s with supporting documentation, counseling statements, Army Body Composition Program documentation, etc.).