Legal teams play vital role in Basic Combat Training

By Andrew McIntyre, Fort Jackson LeaderMarch 12, 2015

Legal teams play vital role in Basic Combat Training
Sgt. Christopher Gallon, a paralegal specialist with the 165th Infantry Brigade at Fort Jackson, S.C., reviews legal documents March 3, 2015. Legal teams are an integral part of the brigade's mission, said Col. Bryan Hernandez, the 165th commander. T... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (March 12, 2015) -- Tucked away in a small office of the 165th Infantry Brigade headquarters are two Army paralegal specialists and a legal assistant who play an integral role in the 165th mission of training Soldiers.

Paralegal specialists have the responsibility of processing Article 15s, chapter separations, courts martial and more.

"They are a phenomenal group of individuals who dedicate long hours to helping our units execute their Basic Combat Training mission," said Col. Bryan Hernandez, commander of the 165th. "Our legal team handles hundreds of legal and administrative actions every month -- these actions have a direct impact on supporting our units and their ability to conduct Basic Combat Training."

Maj. Danisha McClary, Fort Jackson chief of military justice with the Staff Judge Advocate office, said a brigade legal team is a small SJA office embedded within the brigade.

Unfortunately, paralegals work behind the scenes and not many people know how invaluable they are to the mission and to making sure Soldiers are taken care of, Hernandez said.

Sgt. Christopher Gallon, noncommissioned officer in charge of the 165th paralegal team, said the scope of the service extends well beyond punitive measures.

"We also give legal advice to our cadre here during the Reception and Integration Program, which is a program that makes sure all new Soldiers coming into our unit are aware of their resources," Gallon said.

Spc. Cameron Marshall, a 165th paralegal, said the typical amount of work here on any given day equals that of about a week in operational units.

"We have a higher volume of work because of the number of Soldiers that come through here for training," Marshall said.

Onita Brown, legal assistant with the 165th, said the key to managing the high volume of paperwork for their office is balance and creating a family-like atmosphere.

"This is a close-knit family. We see a lot of negative stuff in here, so we try and balance it out with laughter," Brown said. "We make sure we are there for one another -- not only on a work level but on personal level as well."

Brown said having a legal staff is a necessity for every brigade.

"Legal is important in every unit because we also help with the command climate. We make sure that the standards are fair across the board for everyone," Brown said. "For instance, if the commanders are aware of the rules and regulations per our guidance they can deal with one bad apple in the unit, rather than taking action against the entire unit."

Hernandez said he is very proud of his legal team's professionalism, hard work and support to the brigade.

"They are truly dedicated to supporting our units and their high operational tempo training mission," Hernandez said.

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