Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Spence | The Bavarian Secretary of Justice, Georg Eisenreich, presented the Justizmedaille...... read more read more
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GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – The Bavarian Secretary of Justice, Georg Eisenreich, presented the Justizmedaille (Justice medal) to two distinguished members of the 7th Army Training Command’s (7ATC) office of the Staff Judge Advocate (OSJA): Mechthild Benkert, Chief of Host Nation Law, and Bradley Huestis, Senior Civilian Attorney and Chief of Client Services during a ceremony in Munich, Germany, June 17, 2024.
The ceremony recognized 14 recipients from across Bavaria for their exceptional contributions in advancing outstanding projects and promoting the rule of law. “All of you have, in very different areas, dedicated yourselves above and beyond the call of duty to our justice system, the rule of law, and our society,” said Eisenreich.
Benkert, a German national has been with the U.S. Army since 1996. As the Senior Legal Advisor, she provides expertise on German law to all sections within the 7ATC footprint and overseas outreach programs aimed at familiarizing German lawyers with the U.S. legal system. Reflecting on her career, Benkert said, “Had you told me while I was in law school that I would work for the Americans, I would have said, ‘Yeah, right,’ but this really fell into place.
Benkert’s career with the U.S. Army began as a legal assistance attorney with the 1st Infantry Division (1ID) in Wuerzburg, Germany. Following 1ID's departure from Germany, she joined the 7ATC (then called 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command) in Grafenwoehr in 2008. “Americans are much more diverse than Germans, so I work with a lot of people with really different backgrounds, and that's totally fascinating to me,” she remarked.
Benkert has been instrumental in training young lawyers in Bavaria for decades. She is the contact person for the Bavaria-wide event, "Introduction to U.S. American Law," which allows trainee lawyers to observe U.S. military court hearings. "We go out every year in November to five locations in Bavaria and we do one day of teaching to those between first and second state examinations," she explained. This program provides aspiring German lawyers with their first exposure to the American legal system, fostering connections between legal traditions.
Since 2017, Benkert has also coordinated the participation of U.S. Army lawyers in the Long Night of Science. This event, held in the historic Hall 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, features criminal trials under both German and American law. Its motto, “Two systems, one aim: Justice,” highlights the comparative insights it offers to the public.
Huestis has played a pivotal role in the Long Night of Science, working alongside the Nuremberg Higher Regional Court, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the Memorium Nuremberg Trials. “Huestis explained what people were looking at on the American side of the court process,” said Benkert. “He was our subject-matter expert for the court-martial process.”
The 7ATC's OSJA mission is to deliver precise, principled, and prompt legal support to the 7ATC and associated units, including Soldiers, civilians, family members, and retirees. Their services encompass legal assistance, claims for damaged automobiles, and immigration/naturalization information.
Reflecting on the work that she has done, Benkert shared, "What I find interesting [about my job] is that I learn something new every day.
“And that's the fun of my job," Benkert concluded.
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2024 04:04 |
| Story ID: | 476698 |
| Location: | GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE |
| Hometown: | MUNCHEN, BAYERN, DE |
| Hometown: | MUNICH, DE |
| Hometown: | VILSECK, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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