Photo By Thomas Cieslak | Chief Warrant Officer 1 David Joshua Wilson serves as a Legal Administrator with the...... read more read more
An Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer cites the comradery and expertise of his peers as essential to his career and the success of his unit.
Chief Warrant Officer 1 David Joshua Wilson, a Legal Administrator with the 139th Legal Operations Detachment, U.S. Army Reserve Legal Command, initially sought out a challenging role in the Army Reserve requiring him to think “big picture” while still providing mentorship and subject matter expertise.
“It was important I put myself in a position where I could effectively speak and advise commanders not just as a Legal Administrator, but also from the perspective of an African American and a member of the LGBTIQ community,” said the San Antonio, Texas native.
Wilson has always had a passion for law. As a young man growing up in an underprivileged community, he did not have the best opinion of the criminal justice system nor confidence in law enforcement based on his personal experiences. However, he gained a passion for community involvement and change thanks to wisdom imparted by his mother and uncle.
“Our nation was founded on the principles of the rule of law and being fair, just and impartial. Those are principles I greatly value. For me, there was no better home than the Judge Advocate General Corps. I can appreciate that our judicial system is not perfect and there is and always will be room for improvement, equity, diversity and inclusion,” said Wilson. “That is one of the reasons I decided to become a Legal Administrator; to allow myself to assume a role in which I can effectuate and influence change in these areas in hopes of making a military justice system of equity, fairness and diversity.”
As a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, Wilson provides legal subject matter expertise to his leadership and peers on matters and procedures of military law. The position, he says, requires him to inspire trust and confidence from the commissioned officers and enlisted Soldiers he serves with. Leveraging perspective and experience to bridge gaps and enhance relationships is one of the greatest benefits of serving as a Warrant Officer he continues.
In addition to his primary duties, Wilson also manages the LOD’s budget, troubleshoots IT problems, manages security clearances, coordinates training and leads protocol efforts; a fact of life in a small detachment where every Soldier has multiple obligations. This requires Wilson to lean heavily on a network of peers for technical and professional advice.
“The Warrant Officer cohort is a network of the Army’s best and brightest professionals in his or her respective fields,” Wilson said. “Any Warrant Officer can reach out and immediately obtain guidance, mentorship and technical advice from multiple sources.”
Already a graduate from Purdue University with a master’s degree in Legal Studies, Wilson continues his service in USARLC as a Legal Administrator and plans to attend Law School soon.
“What is your reason, purpose and goal for wanting to become a Legal Administrator or a Warrant Officer in general? This is a challenging career, very rewarding, but very challenging,” says Wilson to those considering following his career path. “As Legal Administrator and Warrant Officer, you are the master of your own ship and for that ship to sail forward you have to know your "why," which is to know why you wish to serve in the capacity of a Legal Administrator.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2023 08:37 |
| Story ID: | 441416 |
| Location: | GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, “A Network of the Army’s Best and Brightest Professionals”, by Thomas Cieslak, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
