You Need An Experienced Court Martial Defense Lawyer When Facing A Court Martial In Puerto Rico
If you are facing UCMJ charges while stationed or working in Puerto Rico, you need the guidance of an experienced aggressive military defense lawyer. Commanders have a great deal of media and higher command pressure on them to prosecute UCMJ cases (especially sex assaults) and the rights of the accused service member are often only an afterthought. Only the best aggressive military defense lawyer can even the playing field.
The Risks of a Military Court Martial in Puerto Rico
Criminal convictions during your military service can ruin all the awards you have received in your military record so far and end your military career with a punitive or negative discharge. Such a discharge can make it impossible to find employment that is in line with your qualifications even after your military career is over. Even worse, a court-martial conviction without the best possible military defense usually results in significant prison time for you and the loss of financial support for any family you may have. Not only do you lose your freedom but they lose your pay, your BAH and TriCare. To ensure that you mount the best defense when facing a military investigation and court-martial, you need an aggressive, experienced military defense lawyer in Puerto Rico.
Unlike many other defense lawyers, pleading guilty is an option of last resort with Freeburg Litigation. When we take a case, we force the military prosecutors to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. We take nearly every case to trial and fight the allegations in front of a military panel or judge (depending on which is the best tactic for your individual case). Our court martial outcomes speak for themselves. You and your future is our main concern. Our court martial lawyers will work on your case from day one, always fighting aggressively in court martial and administrative separation cases in the U.S. and worldwide. Call today to consult with an experienced military defense lawyer.
Why Call Freeburg Litigation, Aggressive UCMJ Lawyers for Puerto Rico?
The experienced military defense lawyers at Freeburg Litigation have earned a reputation for defending service members at military installations worldwide. If you are stationed in Puerto Rico and are suspected of a military crime, then having the most hard-hitting criminal defense lawyer can be the difference between getting convicted or winning your case. Our military criminal defense lawyers represent Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen in both UCMJ and administrative matters to include defending service members accused of sexual assault, murder, rape, child rape, fraud, theft and other offenses under the UCMJ, often receiving full acquittals or an acquittal on all of the serious charges with a very light sentence on the remaining charges.
After trying complex commercial cases in federal court in New York City, Nathan Freeburg entered active duty with the U.S. Army where he deployed to Iraq and practiced as a prosecutor, as a Division Chief of Military Justice, as a military defense attorney and then was handpicked to train and advise Army defense lawyers worldwide for the U.S. Army Defense Counsel Assistance Program. During his time on active duty, Nathan tried or consulted on the most well-known cases in military, some with worldwide recognition and developed an expertise in cross-examining alleged sexual assault victims, law enforcement agents and senior military commanders. Having defended service members for allegations in and out of the U.S., this aggressive Puerto Rico military defense lawyer has extensive experience handling different kinds of charges including sexual assault, murder, theft, rape, child pornography, Article 31, NJP, separation and discharge proceedings. If you are facing any kind of military legal problem, talk to Nathan Freeburg for experienced advice and the best aggressive military defense.
Contacting the Best Puerto Rico Court Martial Lawyer
Service members stationed in Puerto Rico deserve the best military lawyers to represent them at their court martial or administrative separation proceeding.
If you or a family member are stationed in Puerto Rico and are suspected of a military offense such as sex assault or if you are facing an administrative separation, Article 15, show cause board, letter of reprimand or GOMOR, then call our military defense lawyers immediately.
Trials Under the UCMJ at the Fort Buchanan Courtroom
Fort Buchanan was created in 1899, one year after Spain agreed to give Puerto Rico to the United States. The initial fort was named after the first leader of the occupying regiment, James A. Buchanan. Fort Buchanan grew in size during both World War I and World War II and military justice actions and trials by court martial grew as well.
Trials Under the UCMJ at Camp Santiago
Camp Santiago or Campamento Santiago is a Puerto Rico National Guard training facility located in Salinas, Puerto. Named after Hector Santiago-Colon, one of four Puerto Ricans to be awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. Camp Santiago served as a mobilization point for Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield and Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. When Puerto Rico National Guard Soldiers are mobilized into Title 10 status, they are placed under the UCMJ and subject to trial by court-martial, thus needing an aggressive military defense lawyer.
In 1940, the US government leased what was known as Camp Salinas from the Insular Government of Puerto Rico. It was the home of the 65th Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion training throughout 1941. The troops were then sent to Panama to protect the Panama Canal through the second World War. After World War II, the camp went back to the government of Puerto Rico, but it was again licensed to the Puerto Rico National Guard in 1967. What originally used to be a tent camp with very little permanent buildings has grown to a huge installation spanning 715,680 square feet with more than 300 buildings.
In 1975, the installation was named after Hector Santiago-Colon. In the early 1990s, National Guard units like the 92nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade were stationed in Camp Santiago for their initial training before deploying to Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait. The camp also continued to be the training grounds for the National Guard and Reserve soldiers in Puerto Rico especially for Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Camp Santiago Joint Maneuver Training Center (CSJMTC) is located 51 miles south of San Juan. There are multiple training facilities at Camp Santiago including Virtual Convoy Operations Trainer, Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site, Call for Fire Trainer, Engage Simulation Training, EID Path Zoo, rappelling tower, FOB Compound Area, 2HMMWB Engress Assistance Trainer, Pre-mob Training area and an urban assault obstacle course.
Camp Santiago is still the primary training installation for the Puerto Rico Army National Guard. Army Reserve units also visit the camp to undergo annual training. US Marine Corps Reserve units also use the facilities for field training and weapons qualifications. Semester training exercises for the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC are also located at Camp Santiago.
Many of these training exercises open up the Soldiers or Marines to active duty prosecution under the UCMJ.
Trials Under the UCMJ at Fort Allen
Fort Allen was established in the years just prior to US involvement in World War II and trials by court martial were conducted here. Today, they are no active duty units stationed at the base, but it serves an active role in the training and education of United States Army Reserve and Puerto Rico Army National Guard soldiers on the island. A majority of Fort Allen’s facilities are dedicated solely to the training of soldiers with a few being used for administrative, temporary lodging, support, storage and maintenance. In 2007, Fort Allen saw several units, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Present day Fort Allen continues to be a stronghold of communications and operational support for the Fort Allen Armed Forces Reserve, Puerto Rico National Guard, United States Navy and the United States Army Reserves. There are also several detachments at Fort Allen that operate to support the National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Many of these training exercises or mobilizations open up the Soldiers or Marines to active duty prosecution under the UCMJ.
Trials Under the UCMJ at San Juan Army National Guard Aviation Support Station
The San Juan Army National Guard Aviation Support Station is located in San Juan near the Convention Center District of Isla Grande. The facility is directly adjacent to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of San Juan Harbor in addition to multiple bays and inlets. Since the early days of World War II the San Juan Naval Air Station was established directly next to San Juan Harbor and served as a maintenance stationing point for both United States Navy ships and planes. At its height, the San Juan Naval Air Station was home to 5 patrol squadrons of sea planes, massive dry dock maintenance and repair facilities for naval ships, a fuel supply and refinement center, a defense housing project, storehouses and support facilities. Investigations and trials by court martial under the UCMJ began then.
The primary mission of the San Juan Army National Guard Aviation Support Station is to provide aviation maintenance support, repair and maintenance for United States and allied aviation components in the region. The main aviation components supported are those of Puerto Rico Army National Guard and U.S. Army South aviation units serving in the Caribbean. Units supported directly on the Island Of Puerto Rico include the 156th Airlift Wing out of Muñiz Air National Guard Base and rotating US air squadrons coming into Fort Buchanan, a US Army National Guard base on the Island. Aircraft supported include both fixed wing and rotary craft with the majority being C-130 Hercules transport air craft, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and UH72 Lakota light utility helicopters. Active duty Soldiers regularly travel in and out of the Station and are at risk of being tried by court-martial under the UCMJ. Trials would not take place at the Station but instead at either Fort Buchanan or in Georgia.