Photo By Brittany Trumbull | Shirley Barlow, Fort Rucker Staff Judge Advocate court reporter, spends her final days...... read more read more
FORT RUCKER, Ala. — After 42 years in military legal offices, Shirley Barlow is retiring from Fort Rucker, but not yet from the profession that has shaped her life.
Barlow, Fort Rucker court reporter for the past decade, began her Army career in 1987 in Würzburg, Germany, with the 3rd Infantry Division. She first entered the Army as a legal clerk and spent her entire career in the Judge Advocate Corps.
“I’ve been in JAG Corps for 42 years. I was never anything else,” she said.
Barlow retired from active-duty Army in 2003 and has worked as a military civilian across the globe. She and her family have made a home everywhere, from Georgia to England to Alabama.
She said one of the most influential leaders she worked for was John Hartsell, her supervisor at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Hartsell stressed the importance of preparation and made sure every civilian employee under him was considered mission essential.
“He often told me, ‘Always prepare for every hearing like a general court-martial,’” Barlow said. “I still do that with anything I work on today.”
Barlow grew up in Miami, Fla. and initially chose the legal field because it offered more promotion potential. But once she worked on her first court-martial, she said she knew she had found the right fit.
“I knew that was supposed to be my job,” she said.
Throughout her time at Fort Rucker, Barlow said she has valued the people and the variety of work she encountered.
“I’ve met some very interesting people that I liked working with,” she said. “And I’ve done some diverse things here.”
Her approach to the job has remained consistent. She said that no matter what someone was in court for, everyone who enters the courtroom deserves dignity.
“I’ve seen people come in who’ve done things I don’t agree with, but it’s not my business to judge,” she said. “I treat everybody like they’re human because they are.”
Although she is stepping away from her full-time role here, Barlow said she is not ready to retire completely and hopes to find a part-time remote position.
“I think I still have a lot to give,” she said. “One of the worst things you can do is retire completely because you just let your mind go. I want to keep my mind working.”
Barlow and her husband plan to remain in Enterprise, Ala., until he eventually retires from his position at Fort Benning, Ga., a new chapter they look forward to beginning together.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.01.2025 11:25 |
| Story ID: | 552646 |
| Location: | FORT RUCKER, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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