News

Wing legal office offers services, but could use help

  • Published
  • By Sandra Pishner
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --  If you're interested in a legal career, the 446th Airlift Wing Legal Office sure could use the help.

Located in Bldg. 1207, Room 128, the wing's legal office is manned currently with two lawyers and one paralegal. Lt. Col. Bradley Holmgren and Lt. Col. Bradley Volk are the judge advocate generals (lawyers) for the wing.

"Our paralegal, Tech. Sgt. Roxanne Jensen, is currently with the OSI on the East Coast working in a special duty," said Lt. Col. Bradley Holmgren. "Right now we have Master Sgt. Kent Kagarise from the 442nd Fighter Wing (Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri), here helping us."

The office is authorized three lawyers and three paralegals.

"So we are definitely interested in people who might be interested in cross-training into the paralegal career field, or even a paralegal coming off active-duty we could grab. On the JAG (judge advocate general) side, we would like to get a least another JAG, or maybe two," said Holmgren.

The legal office offers a variety of services to Air Force Reservists.

"Our legal assistance in the Reserve is not only limited to deployment, and deployment-related issues," said Holmgren. "We often look at things like wills and powers of attorney because those are part of deployment readiness. We can never represent individuals as clients, but there are area defense counsels available on the active-duty side and at Reserve headquarters that actually have confidentiality, privileged communication. We're basically the commander's attorneys."

While the legal office staff cannot represent you in a civilian matter, they can offer assistance in areas of consumer law, family law, the Service members Civil Relief Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and other legal issues.

Most services can be initiated by Reservists at the Air Force Legal Services Web site:https://aflegalassistance.law.af.mil/lass/lass.html

"If a person goes to that Web site, they can go in and find a list of services. For instance, they can fill out a will worksheet on that site. They would indicate that it's for the 446th and it will send us a notice that someone has done a worksheet. That enables us to go in and bring up the worksheet and get a head start on preparing a rough draft," explainsHolmgren.

Legal assistance is typically done on a walk-in basis during drill weekends.

"We tend to tell people though, to give us a call before just showing up because with only three people, we all might be out doing something," said Holmgren.

Anytime you visit the legal office for assistance, remember to bring your ID card. If you need a Will, an appointment is required. Please call during the primary UTA weekend.


To get in touch with the 446th AW/JA, call 253-982-6587.