Photo By Cpl. Mary Jenni | U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Katie Burney, a Victims’ Legal Counsel officer, Marine Corps...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, California – Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, common fact. Water can be placed in a sleeping bag overnight while in sub-freezing temperatures to use body heat as a method of preventing freezing and providing drinkable water, uncommon fact. Experiences teach knowledge in a manner facts cannot, and an uncommon experience is using body heat to preserve water in a drinkable state in real life. Most lawyers may never know or experience this survival technique; however, it is an average Saturday field exercise for Marines.
“I’ve wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was a kid” said Marine Corps Captain Katie Berney, Victims’ Legal Counsel, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and native of Las Vegas, Nevada. “Lawyers hold a lot of power in terms of helping people, when you’re in trouble you call a lawyer, and I wanted to help people both in and out of the courtroom.”
Marine Corps lawyers like Berney embrace an exceptionally demanding lifestyle, earning the pride of being both a Marine and legal professional. However, the legal journey to practice law in the Marine Corps is much more rigorous than in any other branch. Prospective Marine lawyers must attend the same Officer Candidate School and Basic School as all other Marine officers, receiving no special treatment or shortened training cycle. Marine lawyers also become unrestricted line officers upon completion of their training, an honor not bestowed by any other branch of service.
“I chose to become a Marine Lawyer because of their reputation.” Said Berney, “In law school I was told by another girl who was a Lawyer in the Army to not go to the Marines because they were crazy, that just sounded like a challenge to me.”
Berney also chose to serve in the Marines because Marine lawyers are given the opportunity to grow experience rapidly. The Marine Corps is the smallest branch of service and lawyers that serve within its ranks often get to litigate and experience court at the federal level much faster than their interservice and civilian counterparts.
Berney works as a Victim Legal Counsel (VLC) officer at Camp Pendleton. VLC officers act as liaisons for victims when communicating with any entity such as NCIS, a prosecutor, or a commanding officer. The VLC holds significant importance in victims legal dialogue, advocating for them and orchestrating solutions to problems that may arise during the legal process. VLCs also prepare victims for court by working with them on what to expect, going through questions they may be asked, and doing dry runs of the court process.
Court experiences can prove exceedingly nerve-racking and traumatic for a victim. Berney works to advocate for victims both before and during trial. Uncomfortable situations may sometimes arise during the court process, such as a prosecutor or defender referencing a victim’s sexual history. It is Berney’s job to protect victims from non-relevant evidence being brought into trial.
“Half of my time is spent proactively going on the offensive to protect my victims.” Said Berney, “The other half is spent in receive mode, providing information to my clients and ensuring that they fully understand everything. Regardless of which I’m doing, I’m helping people.”
Berney finds great fulfillment in helping others as a VLC and accepted career designation, earning a selection to Expeditionary Warfare School. She strives to be more than just a lawyer in uniform, seeking multiple expeditionary law opportunities to further her career and continue helping those in need. Berney’s biggest piece of advice for law practitioners both inside and outside of military service is to set the example, do more with less, and enjoy it.
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2023 18:00 |
| Story ID: | 460390 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 446 |
| Downloads: | 5 |
This work, The Power to do Good: A Marine Corps Legal Journey, by 1LT Jorin Hollenbeak, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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