The Role of The Judge Advocates General and of Judge Advocates: a Primer

On August 5, 2025, the ABA's Standing Committee on Law and National Security released The Role of The Judge Advocates General and of Judge Advocates: A Primer. Here is the introduction:

The pending confirmations of the incoming service Judge Advocates General, as well as recent events, highlight the need for discussion and clarity concerning the role of judge advocates in the United States military and the importance of objective, apolitical legal advice to commanders and defense officials. Section one of this paper addresses the role of the Judge Advocates General within the administrative chain of command. Section two addresses the principal roles of judge advocates. Section three addresses the role of judge advocates in providing legal advice to commanders within the operational chain of command. Section four concludes the paper by identifying multiple reasons why adherence to law in and out of combat leads to better national security results and sustained public support for the military and its missions.

The primer has not been approved by the ABA's House of Delegates or Board of Governors and "should not be construed as representing the position of the Association or any of its entities" (presumably including the Standing Committee). The authors are Judge James E. Baker, Major General John D. Altenburg, Jr., USA (Ret.), Colonel David E. Graham, USA (Ret.), and Rear Admiral James E. McPherson, JAGC, USN (Ret.).