Judge Advocate General of the Department of the Navy
JAG
Judge Advocate General - Department of the Navy.png
Seal of the Office of the Judge Advocate General
Vice Adm. Darse E. Crandall, Jr.jpg
Incumbent
Vice Admiral Darse E. Crandall Jr., JAGC, USN

since 18 August 2021[1]
Department of the Navy
Office of the Secretary
Reports toSecretary of the Navy
Chief of Naval Operations
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthFour years
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 8088
Formation1880
First holderColonel William Butler Remey, USMC
DeputyDeputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy
WebsiteOfficial Website

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG) is the highest-ranking uniformed lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on legal matters pertaining to the Navy.[2] The Judge Advocate General also performs other duties prescribed to them under 10 U.S.C. § 5148 and those prescribed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Duties

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy, according to the United States Navy Regulations, has three principal roles: Staff Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, commanding the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), and is Chief of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

The Judge Advocate General maintains a close working relationship with the General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, the senior civilian lawyer in the Department of the Navy.

The Judge Advocate General:[3]

The principal deputy to the JAG is the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy.

Nomination and appointment

The Judge Advocate General is nominated for appointment by the President with the advice and/or suggestion of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. The Judge Advocate General is appointed to a four-year term of office but they historically serve for three. The Judge Advocate General has also historically been a naval officer, however, statute states that a Marine officer can be appointed to the position as long as they meet the requirements stated in the section.[2]

Previously, the Judge Advocate General was appointed as a two-star rear admiral. In 2008, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 advanced the position of the Judge Advocate General to a statutory three-star vice admiral or lieutenant general.[4][5] The statutory three-star rank was amended and struck from U.S. law in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017,[6][7] however the Navy currently still appoints the JAG to that rank.

Other than age and years of military service, there is no other statute of limitations on how many times the JAG can be renominated for appointment to that position if the President so chooses, however the JAG normally serves one term.

List of Judge Advocates General of the Navy

No. Name Photo Branch Term began Term ended
1 Col William Butler Remey
William Butler Remey.jpg
USMC 1880 1892
2 CAPT Samuel Conrad Lemly
NH 95101 (29144632931).jpg
USN 1892 1904
3 CAPT Samuel Willauer Black Diehl
Willauer Black Diehl (cropped).jpg
USN 1904 1907
4 CAPT Edward Hale Campbell
Rear Adm
USN 1907 1909
5 CAPT Robert Lee Russell
Capt Robert L Russell.jpg
USN 1909 1913
6 CAPT Ridley McLean
RidleyMclean.jpg
USN 1913 1916
7 CAPT William Carleton Watts
Capt W C Watts - NARA - 55174808 (cropped).jpg
USN 1917 1918
8 RADM George Ramsey Clark
George Ramsey Clark Rear Admiral USN (NH 51646 ).jpg
USN 1918 1921
9 RADM Julian Lane Latimer
NH 48222 (29187285076).jpg
USN 1921 1925
10 RADM Edward Hale Campbell
Rear Adm
USN 1925 1929
11 RADM David F. Sellers
AdmSellers1934 (cropped).jpg
USN 1929 1931
12 RADM Orin Gould Murfin
Orin Gould Murfin.jpg
USN 1931 1934
13 RADM Claude C. Bloch
NH 79466 Admiral Claude Charles Bloch, USN.jpg
USN 1934 1936
14 RADM Gilbert Jonathan Rowcliff
NH 89560-KN Rear Admiral Gilbert Jonathan Rowcliff, USN.jpg
USN 1936 1938
15 RADM Walter Browne Woodson
Walter Browne Woodson.jpg
USN 1938 1943
16 RADM Thomas Leigh Gatch
Thomas Leigh Gatch (cropped).jpg
USN 1943 1945
17 RADM Oswald Symister Colclough
Oswald Symister Colclough (cropped).jpg
USN 1945 1948
18 RADM George Lucius Russell
George Lucius Russell (cropped).jpg
USN 1948 1952
19 RADM Ira Hudson Nunn
Ira Hudson Nunn.jpg
USN 1952 1956
20 RADM Chester Charles Ward
Chester Charles Ward.jpg
USN 1956 1960
21 RADM William Chamberlain Mott
William Chamberlain Mott.jpg
USN 1960 1964
22 RADM Wilfred Asquith Hearn
Wilfred Asquith Hearn.jpg
USN 1964 1968
23 RADM Joseph Bryan McDevitt
Joseph Bryan McDevitt.jpg
USN 1968 1972
24 RADM Merlin Howard Staring
Merlin Howard Staring (cropped).jpg
USN 1972 1975
25 RADM Horace Bascomb Robertson, Jr.
Horace Bascomb Robertson.jpg
USN 1975 1976
26 RADM William Owen Miller
RADM William Owen Miller (cropped).jpg
USN 1976 1978
27 RADM Charles Eager McDowell
Charles E McDowell.jpg
USN 1978 1980
28 RADM John Smith Jenkins USN 1980 1982
29 RADM James Joseph McHugh
James Joseph McHugh.jpg
USN 1982 1984
30 RADM Thomas Edward Flynn
Thomas Edward Flynn.jpg
USN 1984 1986
31 RADM Hugh Don Campbell
Hugh Don Campbell.jpg
USN 1986 1988
32 RADM Everett Don Stumbaugh
Admiral Stumbaugh.jpg
USN 1988 1990
33 RADM John Edward Gordon
Rear Adm. John E. Gordon, USN (2).jpg
USN 1990 1992
34 RADM William Leon Schachte, Jr.
William Schachte.JPEG
USN 1992 1993
35 RADM Harold Eric Grant
Harold E. Grant.jpg
USN 1993 1997
36 RADM John Dudley Hutson
John D. Hutson.jpg
USN 1997 2000
37 RADM Donald J. Guter
Donald Guter.JPEG
USN 2000 2002
38 RADM Michael F. Lohr
RADM Michael F Lohr, Judge Advocate General of the Navy.JPEG
USN 2002 2004
39 RADM James E. McPherson
James E McPherson.jpg
USN 2004 2006
40 VADM Bruce E. MacDonald
VADM Bruce E. MacDonald.jpg
USN 2006 2009
41 VADM James W. Houck
VADM James W. Houck.jpg
USN August 14, 2009 July 20, 2012
42 VADM Nanette M. DeRenzi
VADM Nanette M. DeRenzi.jpg
USN July 20, 2012 June 26, 2015
43 VADM James W. Crawford, III
VICE ADMIRAL JAMES W. CRAWFORD, III.jpg
USN June 26, 2015 September 12, 2018
44 VADM John G. Hannink
Vice Adm. John G. Hannink (2).jpg
USN September 12, 2018 August 18, 2021
45 VADM Darse E. Crandall Jr.
Vice Adm. Darse E. Crandall, Jr.jpg
USN August 18, 2021 Incumbent

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "August 2021 Roster (Public)" (PDF). MyNavyHR. Retrieved 2021-08-06.
  2. ^ a b [1] Archived 2009-04-30 at the Wayback Machine 10 USC 5148. Judge Advocate General’s Corps: Office of the Judge Advocate General; Judge Advocate General; appointment, term, emoluments, duties.
  3. ^ United States Naval Regulations, Sections 0330 & 0331, Accessed on 2011-03-24.
  4. ^ [2] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
  5. ^ [3] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 full text
  6. ^ [4] Pub.L. 114-328: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
  7. ^ [5] Pub.L. 114-328: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 full text