{"id":30330,"date":"2023-10-06T17:40:23","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T17:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=30330"},"modified":"2023-10-07T06:41:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-07T06:41:50","slug":"navy-victims-legal-counsel-program-marks-10th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=30330","title":{"rendered":"Navy Victims\u2019 Legal Counsel Program Marks 10th Anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cThroughout the past decade, VLCP has been at the forefront of victim advocacy, tirelessly championing warfighter and civilian clients\u2019 rights at every step in the military justice process, while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of victim legal representation, both in and outside the courtroom,\u201d said Rear Adm. David G. Wilson, commander of Naval Legal Service Command, which oversees the program. \u201cVLCP has helped the Navy fulfill its promise to protect its most valuable asset \u2013 resilient and combat-ready Sailors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The birthday ceremony included VLCP team members \u2013 judge advocates, civilian legal experts, and yeoman \u2013 as well as other JAG Corps personnel, and it featured remarks and a cake cutting. Wilson, alongside VLCP Chief Capt. Daniel Cimmino, reflected upon VLCP\u2019s accomplishments during the past 10 years and the myriad ways the program has advanced Sailor and Fleet readiness.<\/p>\n

In August 2013, then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel directed the respective chiefs of the military services to, \u201cestablish a victims\u2019 advocacy program best suited for that Service that provides legal advice and representation to the victim throughout the justice process.\u201d The directive focused on addressing the previously unmet legal needs of \u201celigible sexual assault victims.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the following months, the Navy JAG Corps built a strong foundation for VLCP, establishing a clear mission, assembling a cohesive organizational structure, developing sound policies and practices, and acquiring and training personnel with the necessary credentials and capabilities for this critical work.<\/p>\n

Originally comprised of only 30 active duty and Reserve attorneys in 23 locations, VLCP has since expanded into a flourishing enterprise of 48 attorneys, 10 yeoman, and six civilian paralegals stationed at 28 locations around the globe, including offices in the U.S., Japan, Guam, Italy, Spain, and Bahrain. In addition to its extensive growth in personnel, VLCP expanded eligibility for its services in 2020 to include victims of domestic violence.<\/p>\n

To date, VLCP has provided dedicated legal representation to more than 8,000 clients, which includes active and Reserve service members, retirees, and dependents. It has delivered round-the-clock, free-of-charge assistance, helping victims understand the investigation and military justice processes, guarding their legal rights and interests, and connecting them to resources that advance their recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe members of the VLCP team \u2013 today, and in years past \u2013 represent the best of the JAG Corps and the wider Navy. These skilled professionals have been faithful stewards of the law, and helped ensure good order and discipline across the Fleet,\u201d said Cimmino. \u201cI am both proud of how far VLCP has come and excited for the future of this exemplary program.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the past decade, VLCP\u2019s accomplishments have been plentiful. The program has revamped Navy instructions related to expedited transfers, administrative separations, and military protective orders. It<\/p>\n

has closely collaborated with special victims\u2019 counsel from other military branches to reassess and enhance victims\u2019 rights and services across the Department of Defense. VLCP personnel have handled legal issues with national implications, from filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, to proposing legislative and policy changes, to advocating widely for the protection of victims\u2019 private medical information.<\/p>\n

To learn more about VLCP \u2013 including office locations and answer to frequently asked questions \u2013 visit https:\/\/www.jag.navy.mil\/legal-services\/vlc\/.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Navy JAG Corps and Naval Legal Service Command \u2013 and the legal support they deliver to the Fleet, as well as Sailors and their families \u2013 visit https:\/\/www.jag.navy.mil\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThroughout the past decade, VLCP has been at the forefront of victim advocacy, tirelessly championing warfighter and civilian clients\u2019 rights at every step in the military justice process, while simultaneously expanding the boundaries of victim legal representation, both in and outside the courtroom,\u201d said Rear Adm. David G. Wilson, commander of Naval Legal Service Command, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30330"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30332,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30330\/revisions\/30332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}