Administrative Law NCOIC: Sgt. Teresa Rigby

Photo By Cpl. Alexandra Amor Santosarambulo | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Teresa Rigby, a legal services specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, leads the charge for the legal care of the more than 14,000 service members and civilian employees that compromise Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. On a daily basis, Rigby fills her schedule with tasks of review, management and improvement of the standard operating procedures for the administrative law section. The ultimate goal is to ensure Marines are granted a fair and just administrative board. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexandra Amor Santos Arambulo)  

UNITED STATES

11.02.2020

Story by Cpl. Alexandra Amor Santosarambulo 

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

The U.S. Marine Corps has been America’s expeditionary force in readiness since 1775. Marines are forward deployed to win the nation’s battles, swiftly and aggressively in times of crisis. In order for the Corps to accomplish the mission, it is important to make sure everything is taken care of on the home front.
Within the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Legal Service Support Team (LSST) lies a group of Marines in charge of administrative law. Leading the charge for the legal care of the more than 14,000 service members and civilian employees that compromise the air station is U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Teresa Rigby, a legal services specialist and the administrative law non-commissioned officer in-charge (NCOIC).
Rigby screens cases and requests and assigns them to the appropriate lawyers. The Marine Corps releases multiple new or revised orders that must be upheld, and it is the legal services support team’s job to stay up to date on the newest changes.
“I know the legal organization,” said Rigby. “I continue to learn from it every day.”
Before executing orders to MCAS Cherry Point, Rigby was stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico. She filled in as the staff NCOIC with the Complex Trial Team and the trial prosecution team. Rigby attended follow on courses at the Naval Justice School aboard Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. She completed the Paralegal Research and Writing course as well as Legal Ethics for Paralegals.
“The legal community is a special type of breed,” said Rigby. “It requires us to have great attention to detail (and) professionalism, and learn to adapt and overcome.”
On a daily basis, Rigby fills her schedule up reviewing, managing and improving the standard operating procedures for the administrative law section. The ultimate goal is to ensure Marines are granted a fair and just administrative board. Rigby also has the added responsibility of managing the LSST enlisted Marines as the platoon sergeant, alongside Sgt. Trevor Tobinboyd. As the platoon sergeant, Rigby is responsible for overseeing that the internal requirements of the platoon are met and that the general conduct and appearance of its Marines are up to standards.
“We try to implement good order and discipline in the unit and serving those Marines a fair and just trial,” said Rigby.
According to Rigby, Marines working within legal services are often transferred to different sections. It’s essential to be comfortable learning a lot of new information and developing a close attention-to-detail business practice.
As Rigby moves forward in her career as a Marine, she hopes to expand on her expertise within the legal services community. One way she hopes to do this is by working within legal assistance services, a section of the LSST that handles with the board directly.
“Always, always care for the job,” said Rigby. “…learn to improve the wheel of operation. Caring for our Marines as well as the job allows us to dominate our job field and be the best we can be.”

• Date Taken: 11.02.2020
• Date Posted: 01.27.2021 14:45
• Story ID: 387027
• Location: US