Rock Island Arsenal Staff Judge Advocates mark 237th year

Rock island Arsenal, Ill.--What does a guest speaker say to a room full of lawyers at a ceremony to celebrate the 237th anniversary of the establishment of the military's Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps? According to First Army's chief of staff, Col. Steven Merkel, "Don't tell a bunch of lawyer jokes."

Military and civilian lawyers, legal administrators, paralegals and court reporters from across Rock Island Arsenal gathered at First Army headquarters to honor the legacy and history of the JAG Corps and to celebrate 237 years of military service. Col. Merkel gave the keynote address.

The JAG Corps was officially established by an act of congress on July 29, 1775, in part, due to a request from Gen. George Washington to help oversee the administration of military justice. John Tudor was appointed as the first judge advocate, earning $20.00 a month for his services, which included acting not only as prosecutor, but also as legal advisor to the court and as a 'friend" of the accused during military court proceedings.

Since the Revolution, the Army has had its own lawyers who assist commanders in maintaining discipline and enforcing standards and policy.

William "Bill" Hagan, First Army's senior civilian lawyer, explains that there have been many notable Army judge advocates who have demonstrated an extraordinary amount of loyalty, courage and dedication on the battlefield.

Hagan points to First Army as an example. "The most significant figure in First Army judge advocate history was the unit's first staff judge advocate, Col. Blanton Winship who was appointed when the unit was activated in August 1918."

"When First Army was engaged in combat operations during World War I, Winship commanded two infantry regiments while still serving as the staff judge advocate," Hagan said. "He earned the distinguished service cross and the silver star for his heroic actions at the Muese-Argonne offensive in France."

Winship, a Georgia native and graduate of Mercer University, later became the Judge Advocate General of the Army in 1931.

Hagan says the JAG Corps has now grown in number to more than 10,000 active and reserve component service men and women and civilian lawyers, legal administrators, paralegals and court reporters serving with commanders in more than 90 countries worldwide.

In his remarks to the assembled JAG Corps members, Merkel emphasized the transformation of the JAG Corps throughout the past 237 years, noting the changes he personally witnessed during the past 26 years of his military service.

"It is phenomenal the breadth of knowledge on the principles of law that the JAG Corps has to understand to meet the needs of commanders and Soldiers on the front lines of today's battlefields," he said.

Merkel compared the work of early experts in administrative and criminal law to the current corps of lawyers serving on the front lines and highlighted the fact that members of today's judge advocates are experts in multiple areas of the law profession to include international law, fiscal law, contract law, environmental law, rules of engagement on the battlefield and operational law.

First Army deputy staff judge advocate, Lt. Col. Carlos Santiago, echoed the transformation theme during an interview about the JAG Corps, "Most recently we have found ourselves developing and building judicial institutions in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Calling attention to the progress made by judge advocates in the area of nation building, Santiago said, "I was called on to assist and advise the newly appointed judges in the central criminal court system of Iraq, a court with nation-wide jurisdiction, a system Iraq did not have prior to 2003."

Merkel applauded the teamwork and cross-talk demonstrated by judge advocates from the various units across the Arsenal.

"Soldiering is a team sport and you have taught me that that, on Rock Island Arsenal, lawyering is a team sport," said Merkel. "Regardless of the unit patch, you reach out to each other and help each other all the time. I appreciate the attitude you each bring to work every day."

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Col. Merkel cut a special anniversary cake with the help of Col. Jerry Linn, Army Sustainment Command (ASC) senior judge advocate, and Staff Sgt. Ronald Pierce, ASC junior JAG Corps member.

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First Army mobilizes, trains, validates, deploys and demobilizes all Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve forces throughout the continental United States, providing trained and ready forces for diverse missions worldwide. For more information, visit our Web site at www.first.army.mil and join on us Facebook (Official) http://www.facebook.com/FirstArmy.

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