Nighthawk News

As the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team continues its upward momentum of mobilizing for Iraq, more than 3,400 Soldiers must take every step in preparing to leave home.

Ensuring that bills are paid on time, health issues are addressed and civilian jobs are secured upon returning are just a few of the issues that are sorted out prior to leaving.

One of the most important concerns that each Soldier must consider are legal issues, and the members of Camp Atterbury’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate are on the case.

Offering advice on many legal concerns, the office’s paralegal and judge advocate general officers prepare members of the 76th for their absence from family and home.

Lt. Col. Alex Murphy, the 205th Infantry Brigade, First Army, brigade judge advocate general officer, talks with Soldiers assigned to the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during a mobilization briefing. The 76th is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in January as part of a scheduled year-long mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 205th is a multi-component team consisting of active, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers and Department of Army civilians. The Brigade's primary focus is the First Army post-mobilization training of U.S. Army forces bound to support Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Multi National Task Force (East), Kosovo. The Bayonet Brigade also has the mission of training Army Reserve units in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana to ensure their combat readiness.
DoD photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Bell (Released)

“This advice gives the Soldiers peace of mind knowing that if something happens, their families will be provided for,” said senior paralegal Sgt. 1st Class Roger McConnaughey. “It’s a morale issue as well. You don’t want Soldiers having issues on their mind while in a dangerous environment. These are issues we try to relieve so they can concentrate on the mission over there.”

Among the top concerns on Soldiers’ minds is civilian job security, McConnaughey said.

“The topic of most concern that we receive are issues related to Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act,” he said. “We make sure that Soldiers have properly notified their employers and given them copies of their orders, and they don’t have any unanswered questions about going back to work when they come back.”

McConnaughey said that while issues with employers and Guardsmen are few and far between, most of them stem from a lack of understanding, which JAG officers can help relieve. “Sometimes the problem is simply the employers not knowing the law,” he said. “Once you educate them, there’s almost never a problem.”

While job security is an issue that can be addressed, the legal advice given by the SJA office can educate deploying servicemembers on cost savings on loans, debts and mortgages, McConnaughey said.

“We also inform them on Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act, which notifies creditors to lower interest rates for Soldiers to a federal cap of six percent,” he said. “In most cases, this takes away some of the financial burden on the families.”

The most important issue that legal officials take care of, however, is arranging statements of will and powers of attorney, McConnaughey said. While most civilian wills can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,000 in legal fees, wills completed by the Atterbury SJA staff are free to Soldiers.

“In many cases, these are better wills or documents than the ones they would get in the real world,” McConnaughey said. “It’s not some fill-in-the-blank piece of paper; it’s a custom package tailored to each individual Soldier and their family. From burial expenses and method of internment to establishing trust funds through a life insurance policy, we cover it all.”

Many of the 76th members who have already received the legal counsel said that the advice was very helpful.

“As a platoon leader, I want to make sure that my Soldiers are taken care of,” said 2nd Lt. Kevin Schultz of B Company, 1st Battalion, 163rd Field Artillery Regiment. “We have to make sure that their wishes are carried out. You can’t assume that everything is carried out the way you want it, and this guidance ensures that it will be.”