Office of the Staff Judge Advocate

The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate is committed to providing legal advice and services to the command, staff and subordinate elements. OSJA coordinates with commanders at all levels and exercises staff supervision over administration of military justice. They also provide centralized administrative support for commanders for processing of courts-martial and administrative elimination actions; operate the U.S. District Court Program for the military reservation; provide legal advice and counsel concerning military affairs, legal assistance, and procurement to authorized personnel; and process claims both for and against the government.

The Soldier and Family Legal Services provides free legal advice and services to all ID cardholders, including powers of attorney, wills, estates, divorces, notarizations, tax preparation (Gold Star Families Only) and claims assistance. A U.S. District Magistrate Court is also held in the legal office on a regular basis to adjudicate on-post traffic violations and other misdemeanor citations.

Trial Defense Services, a separate legal section located within the Fort Novosel OSJA, advises Soldiers facing non-judicial punishment, court-martial, or administrative separation.

POINTS OF CONTACT

Administrative and Civil Law Division

The Administrative and Civil Law Division advises on all administrative law matters including regulatory interpretations, Ethics, Labor Law, Contracts and Fiscal Law. ADLAW provides legal advisors and completes legal reviews, administrative boards, AR 15-6 investigations, line of duty investigations and Financial Liability Investigations of Property Loss. ADLAW also conducts administrative hearings on suspensions of post driving privileges; provides legal advice on various relevant military law issues for resident TRADOC and MEDCOM schools and to assigned military and civilian personnel; advises Commanders and staff on domestic operations law matters; and, reviews post regulations and unit policy letters.

Additionally, ADLAW represents the installation in investigations and hearings conducted by the Department of Defense Office of Complaints and Investigations, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the Merit Systems Protection Board, grievance arbitrations and agency or Government Accountability Officer protests of Government procurements. It also advises installation negotiation teams in all labor negotiations with labor organizations.

ADLAW also provides legal review procurement contracts and requests for release of information under the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act. ADLAW provides legal advice on environmental law for the installation and on all ethical issues, such as gifts, fundraising, travel, and the required Office of Government Ethics required disclosures.

Documents

Military Justice Division

The Military Justice Division provides expert advice to all commanders and military law enforcement within AVCOE in order to help maintain good order and discipline. Legal support provided by the Military Justice Division includes, but is not limited to, the processing of all adverse administrative actions, preparation of Article 15s pursuant to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and prosecution of all Courts-Martial on behalf of the command. The Military Justice Division also provides a Judge Advocate to serve as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney who represents the United States in U.S. District Court. “The purpose of military law is to promote justice, to assist in maintaining good order and discipline in the armed forces, to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the military establishment, and thereby to strengthen the national security of the United States.” (Preamble, Manual for Courts-Martial (2016 Edition)).