REFLECTIONS UPON SERVICE – AN MVACer’s PERSPECTIVE
Military & Veterans Affairs Committee
5=,58A@?;"C%A<9B?;=>CA>9C5=::BB>C $?@B>CC)8@?<8C(49@7@A:C5@?74@<
I entered my first
meeting wondering
how people would
react to me.
They welcomed me
with open arms.
T
wenty years ago, I
graduated from the
U.S. Military Academy
at West Point and
served as a field artillery lieutenant
in Germany. There, I had the
pleasure of leading troops. Times
were interesting because it was after
the Cold War but before September
11. I learned a lot about myself
and about people. It was great
leading young soldiers. Yet, I
felt the desire to do something
different. Joining the Army Judge
Advocate General (JAG) Corps was
one of the best decisions I’ve made.
As a JAG, I greatly enjoyed
serving our nation. It was fulfilling
to handle a wide variety of legal
issues, from regulatory compliance
to literal life and death matters.
My greatest enjoyment was always
helping military commanders
resolve problems so they could
focus on their mission. It was truly
an amazing journey.
But everyone must leave military
service sometime. It was quite
daunting and difficult to leave
all that I have known. I feared a
cutthroat world where people only
care about billable hours. Thankfully,
a mentor introduced me to a senior
jurist and fellow veteran, who said
I needed to join the HCBA. He also
said that the MVAC would be a
good place for me to start.
I entered my first meeting
wondering how people would react
!:
@*=BA @4B<=6%B *;B<(=B
82)< '6$=B<=6%B6 62&B8;B<(=B2=$=;<
/41@B!B2*B1*;*B>8=2B>#;B8;
A62$( B7=<BA @4B%=%=2)
62<8$86<8; B8;B6B =<=26;)B
0<6;& * ;B==;B:395
+BB/41@B7@-.?>