Whiteman's JAG is AFGSC's 2012 Legal Office of the Year

  • Published
  • By Heidi Hunt
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  The 509th Bomb Wing's Legal Office was named the 2012 Air Force Global Strike Command's Legal Office of the Year. The award was announced by Col. Ronald Ratton, Air Force Global Strike Command Staff Judge Advocate, Nov. 9.

The award focuses on mission support in three categories - office and division accomplishments, leadership and professional development, and innovation and outreach.

"The award recognizes the legal office that provides the most outstanding support to its wing mission, exhibits the strongest leadership practices and is most effective at using its available resources," said Col. Ronald Ratton, AFGSC Staff Judge Advocate. "The competition was particularly close this year. The 509th stood out for its strong military justice program, effective paralegal/attorney teaming and outstanding leadership."

A five-person panel grades the submissions on a 100-point scale.

The weighted categories include military justice, civil law, legal assistance, leadership, training, fitness, attorney-paralegal teaming and outreach.

The acknowledgement that the legal team at Whiteman performed well across the board, across various categories of effective legal practice, was great news for the 509th BW/JA, according to Lt. Col. Todd Pennington, 509th Bomb Wing Staff Judge Advocate.

"We strive to provide the best possible legal support to Whiteman Air Force Base," Pennington said. "One of the factors that set Team Whiteman apart from its competitors was our record of moving military justice actions to an appropriate outcome, quickly."

The 509th BW Legal Office also led AFGSC in legal assistance with the highest use of the legal assistance web site, client satisfaction and percentage of feedback from surveys.

"We don't settle for the easy 'no' because it's easy to find the 'no' in any problem. We are willing to be creative and research for legal solutions, including going back and seeking new authorities where we don't have it," said Pennington.

"The team here works incredibly hard, and most of it is invisible outside of the legal office because it concerns client matters and trial preparation," he said. "If we do it right, it's off the radar of the rest of the base."

While this is the second time the 509th BW Legal Office earned the AFGSC Base Legal Office of the Year award, Pennington said he never wants to see the team settle for the easy answer.

"Our office is committed to doing the work to get the right answer," Pennington said. "Regardless of whether we are recognized as the best legal office every year, we know we have done everything in our power to provide superior legal service to Whiteman AFB."