In the autumn of my career I found myself with the greatest sense of purpose, knowledge and understanding of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps Legal Administrator and the principle duties and responsibilities inherent in that role.  It was also at this time that I found myself poised to disembark from this journey – commenced over 23 years ago – with a sense that it was not solely attributable to a time in my life that I chose to depart, but from the externalities that caused me and so many other to turn over their uniform for a civilian suit.

After a visit and an enthralling discussion with the Judge Advocate General’s Corps Regimental Warrant Officer, I realized that I, and so many others, still had much to offer our Corps if only there was vessel for which to continue to teach, coach, mentor and lead.  It is my hope that this Association becomes that vessel.

Year after year, Army and Marine Corps warrant officers would congregate at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, if only for the purpose of education yet they took away granules of knowledge that would soon become their journeyed career.  Whether it were the Warrant Officer Basic Course, the Warrant Officer Advance Course, or the Legal Administrator Conference, the JAG School welcomed the Army Legal Administrator and Marine Corps Legal Administrative Officer to partake in an extraordinary educational experience and provided them an opportunity to cultivate friendships and develop a network that would benefit them for years to come in their respective careers.

In establishing this Association, I believe we are continuing a tradition of teaching, coaching, mentoring and leading, not only among ourselves but to the benefit of The Judge Advocate General’s Corps and our profession.  Following the retirement years of 2015 – 2016, the Army has seen the exodus of hundreds of years of experience.  An inverse relationship to this phenomenon is tougher assignments for a younger warrant officer population.

This Association not only offers itself as a transitional benefit to so many warrant officers who have led substantial careers in the Army or the Marine Corps, but lends itself to a captive audience of student and teacher, mentor and mentee, who communicate freely to help navigate the continuing reality of the day-to-day practice of law.  I look for support in this endeavor as we continue to hold the torch that we as legal administrators have garnered for so many years and will continue to hold high for the purpose of future success for generations to come.

Sincerely,

William J. Teeple, CW4 (Ret), US Army, Founder, Association of Military Legal Administrators