Judge Advocate General exchanges gavel for a pistol

Courtesy Photo | Lt. Col. Jeffrey M. Wallace, Judge Advocate General for 304th Sustainment Brigade has been in the Army Reserves for over 30 years. In the civilian sector, Lt. Col. Wallace serves as Circuit Court Judge for the State of Oregon.  

BALAD, IRAQ

03.23.2009

Courtesy Story

3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – Lt. Col. Jeff Wallace is a reserve Soldier who has made an interesting transition in order to serve at Joint Base Balad. He exchanged a judge's gavel for a 9 mm. pistol.

Wallace, who is the command judge advocate for the 304th Sustainment Brigade serves as a circuit court judge for the State of Oregon in civilian life. As a judge, he sits on all types of cases ranging from traffic violations to murder trials. As a judge advocate general officer, he is the primary legal advisor to brigade commander Lt. Col. Norman B. Green.

"My role as a judge is to listen to all the evidence and then make a decision, based upon the law," said Wallace, who at age 59 is due to retire at the end of his current deployment. "My role as the brigade judge advocate is to provide the brigade commander and subordinate commanders with timely and accurate legal advice, so that they can make an informed decision.

It's a different role for me than when I am an Oregon judge. Here, I have a client, the
commander, and the government."

Wallace has served over 30 years in the Oregon Army National Guard and Army Reserve, but this is his first opportunity to be deployed. He has served as a state court trial judge in Oregon since 1993, when he was first elected to the position.

"My judicial district is located in rural northeastern Oregon, near the Columbia River," Wallace said. "We actually have two other judges in my judicial district who are also JAGs with the Oregon Army National Guard. One of them was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, and another, who just retired as a judge, is currently serving on active duty with the Oregon Army National Guard. We have quite a tradition of service."

In addition to his duties as brigade judge advocate, Wallace is the deputy staff judge advocate at the Consolidated Legal Center here. He assists the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) staff judge advocate in supervising the other JAGs and paralegals at the legal center.

"We handle all types of legal matters at the legal center, says Lt. Col. Wallace. "Everything from military justice, administrative law and claims to legal assistance and trial defense. You might consider it a one-stop legal center."

When he was first told of his deployment last April, Wallace looked at it as an opportunity to "pay back" his country for all of the benefits and training he had received over the course of his 30-year career. all worked together for years."

"I had never been deployed before," Wallace said, "and thought that this would be an opportunity to end my military career on a high note. I can always go back to being a judge, but I would never again have the chance to serve in a combat theater. It was an opportunity that would only come once for me."

• Date Taken: 03.23.2009
• Date Posted: 03.23.2009 10:42
• Story ID: 31492
• Location: BALAD, IQ