Area defense counsel here for military members

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Service members must conform and abide by all rules and regulations set forth by the military justice system. But, reprimands, legal punishment or being accused of committing an offense can be stressful, especially if it seems there is nowhere to turn for help.

However, Airmen can get free legal defense service without fear of reprisal or jeopardizing their career. The Area Defense Counsel here is there for military members to seek advice and gain representation to ensure their constitutional rights are protected.

"Commanders and the legal office have a job to do and the ADC's job is to defend those Airmen in need of assistance," said Staff Sgt. Angelique Richardson, defense paralegal. "We believe each Airman deserves the same type of individualized representation when confronted with administrative or criminal proceedings."

The ADC provides checks-and-balances to the military justice system, similar to the U.S. justice system. The ADC works for the Air Force Legal Operation Agency and is not directly tied to the base. The separation between the two help the ADC, helps Airmen gain insight on punishments or actions that can be taken before and after an incident, according to Richardson. The ADC does not report to any installation commanders but reports directly to the AFLOA commander in Washington, D.C., so this make the ADC 100 percent confidential: the chaplain is the only other agent with that status.

"The military justice system is one of the fairest justice systems in the world," said Richardson. "We provide the same services as civilian defense attorneys and we make sure that our clients are served as best as possible, regardless of what the client is facing."

The ADC helps clients with: letters of counseling, letters of reprimand, administrative demotions, administrative separations, dereliction of duty, false official statement, failure to go, driving under the influence, underage drinking, non-judicial punishment actions and military courts-martial.

The best way to have a successful military career is to avoid getting in trouble in the first place. If you do find yourself in a bad situation, the ADC is here to support and help Airmen.
The ADC realizes the importance of people understanding their rights, informing Airmen that they always have a right to remain silent when under investigation until they have spoken to an ADC representative. A statement given prematurely, before the evidence against a client is shown, could potentially decide a case unfavorably for the client, depending on how that statement is construed.

Airmen are encouraged to contact the ADC at 456-8355 if they have questions or to set up an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome.