First Modernized Coast Guard Command Fully Stands Up

Guest Post from CAPT Beth Pepper, Commanding Officer, CG Legal Service Command

The Legal Service Command, comprised of 70 attorneys, paralegals, interns and support staff located in 3 offices across the country, reached full operating capability on Sunday, 21 June. After discussions with the American Federation of Government Employees union, the LSC became the first of the Coast Guard modernized commands to achieve that goal. The LSC is a combination of both MLC legal offices, minus the attorneys and staff who became the dedicated legal staffs of D5, D11 and both Areas. In addition to the LSC offices in Norfolk and Alameda, the LSC also has two attorneys assigned in Arlington, imbedded with the Personnel Service Center.

The LSC is the first command devoted solely to the delivery of legal services in the Coast Guard and reports directly to the Judge Advocate General and Deputy. Its primary clients are the new DCMS Logistics & Service Centers. The LSC allows greater flexibility in responding to contingency operations, provides a single command for specialized legal expertise for the field and provides one-stop shopping for the DCMS field commands. The LSC is also one of the primary on-the-job training commands for new lawyers in the Coast Guard (both funded and direct commission), with 25 first-tour Judge Advocates among its ranks.

The commissioning ceremony for the LSC was held on 23 April at ISC Portsmouth. At that time, only the LSC?s command cadre and military justice branches were in place. After completion of discussions with AFGE, who provided input and advice concerning their represented employees, earlier this month, the LSC got the green light to completely stand up. As a result of a lot of hard work, the LSC is proudly providing full legal support for the entire Coast Guard!

For more information about legal support, see ALCOAST 376/09
/ALCOAST.Legal%20Service%20Command.pdf.