Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center Hosts 33rd Annual MSNG Judge Advocate General Conference

Photo By Cpl. Justin Humphreys | Associates and graduates from Mississippi College School of Law stand for a group picture at the 33rd Annual MSNG Judge Advocate General Conference at the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. The conference was a way for judge advocates to fulfill their annual educational requirements while maintaining relationships with judge advocates from different units. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Spc. Justin Humphreys, 102d Public Affairs Detachment)  

GULFPORT AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, MS, UNITED STATES

04.01.2017

Story by Spc. Justin Humphreys 

102d Public Affairs Detachment

GULFPORT, Miss. – The 33rd Annual Mississippi National Guard Judge Advocate General conference was held this weekend at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center.

The purpose of the conference is for judge advocates to complete their annual continuing education requirements as well as visit with old friends.

“We hold this conference every year because judge advocates are required to get continuing legal education every year,” Lt. Col. Michael Majors, the full-time legal advisor to the adjutant general of the Mississippi, said. “We also do this for camaraderie and esprit de corps of the JAG Corps. This is the one time a year where all the JAGs get to see each other because, for the most part, we’re all across the state.”

Although it’s an annual conference, the weekend consists of more than just meetings.

“The conference consists of classes, but we also hold a dining-in ceremony and a group event in which all the JAGs are allowed to participate,” Majors said.

Judge advocates from Mississippi Army and Air Guard units all over the state gather for the event.

“Joint Force Headquarters sponsors and puts on the conference,” Majors said. “Judge advocates from other units from the Mississippi Army National Guard are 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 184th Sustainment Command, 2/20th Special Forces Group, 185th Aviation Brigade, and 1108th Aviation Group. On the Air Force side are the 186th Air Refueling Wing and the 172nd Airlift Wing.”

Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of the Mississippi, and Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, the MSNG senior enlisted advisor, spoke Saturday morning about plans for the MSNG.

Another guest speaker at the conference was the Deputy Chief Counsel of the National Guard Bureau, Lt. Col. Erin McMahon. As the deputy chief counsel, her job is to directly advise the Chief and the Vice Chief of the National Guard, the Director of the Army National Guard, and the Director of the Air National Guard.

At the conference, McMahon gave updates about the number of JAG Corps cases in the past year and spoke about the special victims counsel program of the JAG Corps.

“The SVC program represents victims of sexual assault in all military justice manners that concern the victim,” McMahon said. “We’ve been looking at the stats and we’re hoping this year the number of sexual assaults plateaus because more people are reporting events in real time.”

The JAGs are provided a lot of information throughout the weekend including changes made to Army regulations and an update from the National Guard Bureau.

“The biggest thing given to us this weekend was changes in Army Regulation 15-6, which is the Investigation Guide to Informal Investigations,” Majors said. “It was also good to hear the update from NGB, with their view from the top.”

Majors lastly wanted to leave a reminder that the JAG Corps is an important asset for anyone in the military.

“If you’re ever having a legal question, don’t hesitate to contact your judge advocate,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for.”

• Date Taken: 04.01.2017
• Date Posted: 04.02.2017 19:57
• Story ID: 228878
• Location: GULFPORT AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, MS, US
• Hometown: JACKSON, MS, US