Tenth anniversary -- and some important news from HR

Ten years ago today, Global Military Justice Reform was launched. The first post read:

Developments in the field of military justice have been coming at an extraordinary pace for the last several years, both in the United States and around the world. Some of these developments have been wise, some have not. In some respects, there has been remarkable resistance to change. The purpose of this blog will be to identify and comment on developments in the reform of military justice from a national and global perspective. The content reflects only my views. The blog will be a work in progress, and the only thing that is certain is that it will change over time. For the moment, the comment feature has been disabled. If you have any suggestions or know of significant relevant developments, please email me. Above all, I hope you find this blog useful.

That decade-old mission statement remains accurate (except that the comments function has long since become fully operational). In the intervening years, Global Military Justice Reform has been front and center on many of the issues that have arisen around the world in this increasingly critical field. We still have no foreign policy. One change of note: we are now affiliated with the National Institute of Military Justice, although our editorial independence remains intact.

The law of military justice has changed in country after country, typically for the better. Some big issues remain unresolved, perhaps most notably the persistence of some countries in employing the military justice system to prosecute civilians, including retirees. While some forums for reform, such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, have not been as active in reform efforts as one might prefer in the last few years, others, such as the Commonwealth and the U.S. Congress, have taken a welcome, active interest in the subject. Military justice issues have been addressed by a number of constitutional and supreme courts. Major cases are pending right now.

In addition to the evolving list of topics, the numbers are worth noting. As of today, Global Military Justice Reform has had 1,592,951 hits from readers in 195 jurisdictions. The blog has had 7270 posts and 1067 comments. We've held 25 town halls. At present, there are 27 contributors, to whom we owe an incalculable debt.

Global Military Justice Reform has sought to achieve a high, professional level of content (along with an occasional lighter touch here in the glass-enclosed newsroom high above Global Military Justice Reform Plaza). A key editorial judgment has been to exclude anonymous posts and comments, and we will continue that policy, mindful that we may at times pay a penalty as a result. On balance, we believe it is best that authors identify themselves. Comments are moderated.

Finally, some big news from the HR Department. Longtime contributor Rory Fowler has agreed to take on the duties of Associate Editor, adding further international depth to the blog. Working from his secure satellite bunker in an undisclosed location in the vicinity of Kingston, Ontario, Rory will assist as we move into the second decade of reporting on, and discussing, military justice reform. Rory retired from the Canadian Forces seven years ago after nearly 28 years of service as an infantry officer and, more recently, a legal officer. He has continued in private practice and has pursued scholarship focusing on military justice and the Crown-soldier relationship. Welcome to the executive suite, Rory!