Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy

The Judge Advocate General's Corps also known as the "JAG Corps" or "JAG" is the legal arm of the US Navy. Today the corps consists of a worldwide organization of more than 730 Judge Advocates, 30 limited duty officers (law), 500 enlisted members and nearly 275 civilian personnel, serving under the direction of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy.

The headquarters of the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Department of the Navy is located at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C..

History

In 1775, the Continental Congress enacted the Articles of Conduct, governing the ships and men of the Continental Navy. However, soon thereafter, all of these ships were sold and the Navy and Marine Corps were disbanded. In July 1797, Congress, after authorizing construction of six ships, enacted the Rules for Regulation of the Navy as a temporary measure. Then, in 1800, Congress enacted a more sophisticated code adopted directly from the British Naval Code of 1749. There was little or no need for lawyers to interpret these simple codes, nor was there a need for lawyers in the uncomplicated administration of the Navy prior to the American Civil War.

During the Civil War, however, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles named a young assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia to present the government's case in complicated courts-martial. Without any statutory authority, Secretary Welles gave Wilson the title of "Solicitor of the Navy Department," making him the first House counsel to the United States Navy.

By the Act of March 2, 1865, Congress authorized "the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for service during the rebellion and one year thereafter, an officer of the Navy Department to be called the 'Solicitor and Naval Judge Advocate General.'" The United States Congress maintained the billet on a year-to-year basis by amendments to the Naval Appropriations Acts. In 1870, Congress transferred the billet to a newly established Justice Department with the title of Naval Solicitor.

In 1967, Congress decided to establish the Judge Advocate General's Corps within the Department of the Navy. The legislation was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on December 8 1967, and ensured Navy lawyers' status as staff officers within the Navy, similar to physicians and chaplains.

The Insignia

The official insignia of the JAG Corps consists of two gold oak leaves, curving to form a semi-circle in the center of which is balanced a silver "mill rinde" [sic] , In ancient France, the "fer de moline", or millrind, was a symbol of equal justice for all under the law. The two counterbalancing oak leaves are identical and connote the scales upon which justice is weighed. Oak leaves denote a corps, and symbolize strength, particularly the strength of the hulls of the early American Navy, which were oak-timbered. In the milling of grains, the millrind was used to keep the stone grinding wheels an equal distance apart to provide consistency in the milling process. It, thus, symbolizes that the wheels of justice must grind exceedingly fine and exceptionally even. In the sixteenth century, this symbol was adopted in England as a symbol for lawyers.

The millrind can also be found in both the Staff Corps Officers Specialty Insignia and in the Enlisted Rating Insignia (LN Legalman).

Offices

Headquarters

*Judge Advocate General Corps HQ, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.

Naval Legal Service Offices (NLSO)

North Central
* NLSO North Central Headquarters, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
* NLSO North Central Detachment Great Lakes, Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
* NLSO North Central Detachment Groton, Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
* NLSO North Central Branch Office Newport, Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island
* NLSO North Central Branch Office Earle, Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey
* NLSO North Central Branch Office Brunswick, Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine

Mid-Atlantic
* NLSO Mid-Atlantic, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
* NLSO Oceana, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia
* NLSO Little Creek, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia

Southeast
* NLSO Southeast, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida
* NLSO Mayport, Naval Station Mayport, Florida
* NLSO Kings Bay, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia
* NLSO Charleston, Naval Weapons Station Charleston, South Carolina
* NLSO Roosevelt Roads, Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico

Central
* NLSO Central, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
* NLSO New Orleans, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana
* NLSO Fort Worth, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
* NLSO Memphis, Naval Support Activity Mid-South, Tennessee
* NLSO Gulfport, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Mississippi
* NLSO Corpus Christi, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas

Southwest
* NLSO Southwest, Naval Station San Diego, California
* NLSO Port Huenemes Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme, California
* NLSO Lemoore, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California

Northwest
* NLSO Northwest, Naval Station Bremerton, Washington
* NLSO Everett, Naval Station Everett, Washington
* NLSO Bangor, Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Washington
* NLSO Whidbey Island, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington

Pacific
* NLSO Pacific, United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan
* NLSO Sasebo, United States Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan
* NLSO Guam, Naval Station Guam, Guam
* NLSO Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii

Europe and Southwest Asia
* NLSO Europe and Southwest Asia, Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy
* NLSO Sigonella, Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
* NLSO Bahrain, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Bahrain
* NLSO London, Office of Naval Research London, England

Region Legal Service Offices (RLSO)

Northeast
* RLSO Northeast, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
* RLSO Northeast Detachment Groton Great Lakes, Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
* RLSO Northeast Detachment Great Lakes, Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois

Southeast
* RLSO Southeast Jacksonville, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida
* RLSO Southeast Detachment Mayport, Naval Station Mayport, Florida
* RLSO Southeast Detachment Pensacola, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
* RLSO Southeast Detachment Guantanamo Bay, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba
* RLSO Southeast Detachment New Orleans, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana

East
* RLSO East, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
* RLSO East Branch Office Oceana, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia

West
* RLSO West, Naval Station San Diego, California
* RLSO West Branch Office Ventura County Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme, California
* RLSO West Branch Office Lemoore Naval Air Station Lemoore, California

Northwest
* RLSO Northwest, Naval Station Bremerton, Washington
* RLSO Everett, Naval Station Everett, Washington

Pacific
* RLSO Pacific Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii
* RLSO Pacific Detachment Yokosuka United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan

Europe and Southwest Asia
* RLSO Europe and Southwest Asia Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy
* RLSO Europe and Southwest Asia Detachment Rota, Spain Naval Station Rota Spain, Spain
* RLSO Europe and Southwest Asia Detachment Sigonella, Sicily Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
* RLSO Europe and Southwest Asia Detachment Bahrain Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Bahrain

Trial Judiciary Offices

* Northern Circuit, Washington, D.C.
* Central Circuit, Norfolk, VA
* Eastern Circuit, Camp LeJeune, NC
* Southern Circuit, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Mayport, FL
* Western Circuit, San Diego, CA; Bremerton, WA; Camp Pendleton, CA
* WESTPAC Circuit, Pearl Harbor, HI; Okinawa, Japan; Yokosuka, Japan

Judge Advocate General of the Navy

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG) and the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy (DJAG) are appointed positions. They are both nominated by the President and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. The JAG and DJAG are appointed to a four year term of office but they usually serve for three. The JAG and DJAG have historically been officers in the service of the Navy. However statute states that a Marine officer [ [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/5148(b).html] 10 USC 5148. Judge Advocate General’s Corps: Office of the Judge Advocate General; Judge Advocate General; appointment, term, emoluments, duties.] can be appointed to either position as long as he meets the requirements stated in the section. By statute the JAG is appointed as a three-star vice admiral or lieutenant general while holding office [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=main&bill=h110-4986] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008] [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-4986] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 full text] and the DJAG is appointed as a two-star rear admiral or a major general [ [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sec_10_00005149----000-.html] 10 USC 5149. Office of the Judge Advocate General: Deputy Judge Advocate General; Assistant Judge Advocates General.] . Other than age and years of military service, there is no other statute of limitations on how many times a JAG or DJAG can be renominated for appointment to that position if the President so chooses.

List of Judge Advocates General of the Navy

Notes

See also

*U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division
*Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeal
*JAG (Television Series)

External links

* [http://www.jag.navy.mil Official website]