A Military Defense Lawyer for the JBLM Courtroom

Soldiers and Airmen are tried by court-martial under the UCMJ at JBLM.  Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) is a joint base of the U.S. Army and Air Force (Fort Lewis and Air Force Base McChord).  I Corps and the 62d Airlift Wing are both located at JBLM.  JBLM has two senior General Court-Martial Convening Authorities (GCMCA’s), one Army (Commander, I Corps)and one Air Force (Commander, 62d Airlift Wing), and has more than 45,000 Service Members and civilian workers.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is found in the central western Puget Sound area of Washington State, falling within both Thurston and Pierce County. The base is approximately 14 miles from east of Olympia and 12 miles south of Tacoma. JBLM is also a short drive to Mount Rainer National Park and Snoqualmie National Forest. Fort Lewis began life as Camp Lewis after congressional approval in 1916, bringing the site under UCMJ jurisdiction. Named for the famed explorer Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and subsequent Louisiana Purchase, the base first opened in 1917. The initial occupants were Army recruits that were being trained for the front lines of combat in World War I. Shortly after its initial mission of training Army recruits the base was rechristened as Fort Lewis and in 1930 an air installation was built.
The Army Airfield known as Tacoma Field existed under the control of an Army Commander for 10 years until, in 1940 it was renamed for a former Chief in Headquarters Army Air Corps, Colonel William McChord. McChord Field remained under command of the Army until 1947 when the United States Air Force was established. At that time, the Department of The Army relinquished control of McChord Field to the Air Force and the base was renamed McChord Air Force Base.
Fort Lewis continued to operate autonomously for 63 years under control of the Army while nearby McChord Air Force Base continued as a U.S. Air Force installation. In 2010 the bases were merged.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord serves as both a training and mobilization center for multiple components of the U.S. Armed Forces. The strategic placement of the base on the west coast allows it serve multiple roles for all facets of the armed services, particularly in the Pacific region.
In addition to the main training areas of the base JBLM is home to two additional components. Yakima Training Center, also known at YTC is a full service training facility used by all branches of the armed services. The terrain of the area is very similar to Afghanistan and is used for training with armor, artillery, infantry and aircraft. The second component of the base is an area for the Washington Air National Guard. An area directly adjacent to the main post, Camp Murray, serves as the headquarters for the Washington Air National Guard and is used as a training and muster area.  The current base population is 109,300 personnel which reflects a mixed population of active duty service members, reserve and National Guard personnel, family members, support staff and civilian employees.

In 2009, the former Fort Lewis Regional Correction Facility was remodeled and renamed the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility. The facility houses minimum and medium security prisoners from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, with sentences of up to ten years in prison.

The JBLM courtroom has seen several major military trials, including those of Robert Bales and the Stryker “Kill Team.” At the JBLM courtroom, the deck is stacked against the accused Soldier. If you are tried at JBLM your lawyers and paralegals will be outnumbered 6 to 1 and the commanding general who sends the case against you to trial will personally pick the members of the jury. As if this isn’t enough, they won’t even have to reach an unanimous verdict to convict you (unlike civilian court). The prosecutors will have all the money for experts and investigators they want but your defense lawyer will have to give your case strategy in order to ask the prosecution to fund your own defense experts (and they can and usually do deny your experts anyway). The prosecutors will work hand in glove with CID to convict you, and CID will refuse to look at any evidence that may show your innocence. Sometimes the prosecutors will add on minor charges like being late to work (called a “Failure to Report” or FTR) just so the Army or Air Force can say you were convicted, even if you are somehow acquitted on the serious accusations. The prosecutors at JBLM are personally trained by the more than ten expert civilian and military prosecutors at the Army’s Trial Counsel Assistance Program. Not only do these experts hold multiple training courses for Army prosecutors, but they often travel to JBLM to assist with the prosecution against you, sometimes even taking the lead. Considering all of this, you will not receive a fair trial at JBLM. Your best chance is a very aggressive, experienced military defense lawyer who cares not about his or her career, but only about winning your case.

You Need The Best Court Martial Defense Lawyer When Facing A Court Martial At JBLM

If you are facing UCMJ charges while stationed at JBLM, you need the guidance of an experienced aggressive military defense lawyer.

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 court martial lawyer.

Unlike many other military 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.

Court-Martial Timeline

Why Call Nathan Freeburg, An Aggressive UCMJ Lawyer at JBLM?

This experienced military defense lawyer at Freeburg Litigation has earned a reputation for defending service members at military installations worldwide. If you 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. This military criminal defense lawyer represents 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 JBLM 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 JBLM Court Martial Lawyer

Service members deserve the best military lawyers to represent them at their court martial or administrative separation proceeding. If you or a family member are stationed at JBLM 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 Nathan Freeburg immediately toll-free at 1-833-BEST-JAG.