In this episode, Major Laura Wheat closes out the “JAGs on the Job” series by interviewing Colonel Simone Davis and Colonel Corrie Mack about their experiences serving as judge advocates in the United States Air Force, and more specifically, working in operations and international law capacities. In case you missed the first two episodes in this series, go back to Episodes 76 and 80 to hear about military justice and discipline, and civil law and...

Happy 75th Anniversary to the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps! In this special edition episode, Major Laura Wheat interviews various key JAG Corps personnel to give brief overviews on some of the major events over the past 75 years, in chronological order. Special guest speakers include: Lieutenant General Charles Plummer, The Judge Advocate General; Major General Rebecca Vernon, Deputy Judge Advocate General; Chief Master Sergeant Laura Puza, Senior Enlisted Advisor...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco interviews Colonel Patricia Wiegman-Lenz and Major Sean McDivitt about their experiences serving as judge advocates in the United States Air Force, and more specifically, working in civil law and litigation capacities. Over the coming months, there will be one more episode in this "JAGs on the Job" series, focused on operations and international law. In case you missed it, go back to Episode 76 to hear the episode on military justice and...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco talks with Retired Chief Master Sergeant David Haskins, the ninth Senior Paralegal Manager (now called Senior Enlisted Advisor) to The Judge Advocate General—the most senior paralegal position in The Judge Advocate General’s Corps. CMSgt Haskins was the first Black/African American, as well as the first practicing the Islamic faith, to serve as Senior Paralegal Manager. CMSgt Haskins discusses his inspiration to serve, and many leadership lessons he...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco sits down with Retired Colonel Susan McNeill, the first female Black/African American judge advocate to make the rank of colonel in any of the military services. Colonel McNeill shares some notable moments in her Air Force career—from being a procurement officer during the Vietnam War, to serving in the Social Actions Office during a tumultuous time, and even witnessing the first STS-1 Columbia Space Shuttle landing after providing legal advice on a related...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco sits down with Colonel Ja Rai Williams and Lieutenant Colonel Velma Thompson to discuss integration in the Armed Services pursuant to Executive Order 9981, and research they conducted related to the history of Black/African Americans in the United States Regular Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps. In the next couple episodes, you will be able to hear from two of the very trailblazers they discuss: Colonel (Retired) Susan McNeill and Chief Master...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco interviews Lieutenant Colonel Dane Horne and Major Allison Gish about their experiences serving as judge advocates in the United States Air Force, and more specifically, working in military justice and discipline capacities. Over the coming months, there will be two more episodes in this "JAGs on the Job" series--one episode will be focused on civil law and the other on operations and international...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco talks with Lieutenant Colonel Dane Horne and Major Allison Gish about their experiences serving as judge advocates in the United States Air Force, and more specifically, working in military justice and discipline capacities. Over the coming months, there will be two more episodes in this "JAGs on the Job" series--one episode will be focused on civil law and the other on operations and international law. -------------------- Interested in learning more...

In this episode, Major Laura Quaco sits down with Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Neil, the Director of Operations for the Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC). Lt Col Neil and Maj Quaco discuss the historical background and development of OSTC—a major military justice reform required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. Historically, commanders have decided whether to pursue court-martial charges against service members for all violations of the Uniform Code of...

In this episode of the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School Podcast, Major Laura Quaco continues her conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Sandra O’Hern and Dr. Andy Akin, discussing operations and international legal principles related to Russia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. You can go back to Episode 73 to hear the first part of the conversation in which they discuss Russian history and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine leading up to the Russia-Ukraine...

In this episode of the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School Podcast, Major Laura Quaco is joined by Dr. Andy Akin and Lieutenant Colonel Sandra O’Hern for a conversation about Russian history and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine leading up to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Stay tuned for the next episode to hear the remainder of the conversation in which the host and guests discuss operations and international legal principles related to Russia and the conflict. Interested in...

In the words of General Curtis LeMay, the fifth Chief of Staff of the Air Force, “at the very heart of warfare lies doctrine.” In this episode, Major Laura Quaco and Major Victoria Smith sit down with Colonel Richard Major and Lieutenant Colonel Derek Rowe to discuss doctrine. Col Major and Lt Col Rowe are the Vice Commander and Staff Judge Advocate, respectively, at the LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. During the interview, they...

In this episode, Major Victoria Smith and Major Laura Quaco sit down with Chief Master Sergeant Tynisa "Ty" Haskins, the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps. CMSgt Haskins provides her views on leadership, fostering connections, vicarious trauma, diversity and inclusion, and related matters. Interested in learning more about the Air Force JAG Corps? Have questions about our programs or the application process? Please contact us at 1-800-JAG-USAF or...

"Space Debris and the Gray Zone” is a continuation of our National Security Law (NSL) Competition series. The NSL competition is a writing competition hosted by AFJAGS and sponsored by The JAG School Foundation. This year’s topic was How National Security Law Impacts America’s Strategic Competition in the Gray Zone. In this episode, Maj Charlie Hedden sat down with the competition winner, Maj Edwin Kisiel, to discuss his paper on how Russia, China, and other Great Power competitors can take...

This episode is a continuation of our National Security Law Competition (NSL) series. In this episode, Maj Hedden sits down with Capt Matthew Ormsbee to discuss way in which the United States can take advantage of our existing treaty with Taiwan to help prevent Chinese Gray Zone activity in the South China Sea. The NSL competition is a writing competition hosted by AFJAGS and sponsored by The JAG School Foundation. This year’s topic was How National Security Law Impacts America’s Strategic...

This episode is a continuation of our National Security Law Competition (NSL) series. Maj Charlie Hedden sits down with Capt Matthew Ormsbee to discuss how the United States can take advantage of our existing treaty with Taiwan to help prevent Chinese Gray Zone activity in the South China Sea. The NSL competition is a writing competition hosted by AFJAGS and sponsored by The JAG School Foundation. This year’s topic was How National Security Law Impacts America’s Strategic Competition in the...

In August 2021, the world watched as Kabul, Afghanistan fell into Taliban control. Among those watching were the 775,000 U.S. service members who were deployed to Afghanistan at least once in their career. For many of those men and women, watching the vents in Afghanistan brought back memories that spurred them to seek mental-health treatment. Dr. Levi Cole is an Air Force clinical psychologist, and in this interview, he discussed the surge in mental-health treatment after the events in...

This episode is a continuation of our National Security Law Competition series. Maj Erin Davis sits down with Maj Jessica Tirado to discuss how recent advancements in space technology have opened the door for our strategic competitors to take advantage of gaps in space law. Maj Tirado examines the potential for updating the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) and humanitarian laws to bridge this gap.

This is the second of a two-part interview with Maj Alan Serrano on the First Amendment. In this episode, we discuss Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, and Freedom of Religion within the military. We tackle some of the most hot-button issues, including the interplay between free speech and the use of social media, how commanders grapples with curtailing certain types of speech, what constitutes an extremist group, and how the military typically handles requests for religious accommodations.

This episode is Part 1 of a two-part interview with Maj Alan Serrano. In this episode, we discuss Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Association and Religion within the military. Interested in learning more about the Air Force JAG Corps? Have questions about our programs or the application process? Please contact us at 1-800-JAG-USAF or [email protected]. And don’t forget to check out our website at airforce.com/jag.

This episode is the first of a series of interviews with competitors in the National Security Law Competition, a writing competition hosted by The Air Force Judge Advocate General's School and sponsored by The JAG School Foundation. This year’s topic was How National Security Law Impacts America’s Strategic Competition in the Gray Zone. Capt McCaffrey’s paper discussed how our internal responses to domestic terrorism have impacted our strategic response in the Gray...

This episode is the first of a series of interviews with competitors in the National Security Law Competition, a writing competition hosted by The Air Force Judge Advocate General's School and sponsored by The JAG School Foundation. This year’s topic was How National Security Law Impacts America’s Strategic Competition in the Gray Zone. Capt McCaffrey’s paper discussed how our internal responses to domestic terrorism have impacted our strategic response in the Gray Zone. Interested in...

In this episode, as part of the Great Powers Competition series, Maj Davis and Maj Hedden sit down with Air War College professor Dr. Liz Woodworth and AFJAGS Law Chair Lt Col Charles Gartland to review The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. The Good Earth is a novel set in early 20th century China and describes the life of Wang Lung, a peasant farmer, and the privations his family overcomes while maintaining their ancestral connections to the land and agriculture

In this episode Maj Hedden sits down with Maj Edwin Kisiel to discuss his recent paper, Law as an Instrument to Solve the Orbital Debris Problem, which was published in the Environmental Law Journal in 2021. Maj Kisiel outlines the current environmental laws and the gaps created by the rapid development of space technology and its resulting debris.