AFRICOM COURT-MARTIAL DEFENSE LAWYER

What’s at stake in a court-martial in AFRICOM?

A court-martial conviction threatens your career, your freedom, and your future. Depending on the charges, you could face confinement, a punitive discharge, reduction in rank, and forfeiture of pay. For enlisted members, that means a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge; for officers, a dismissal. A conviction can also trigger sex-offender registration and the loss of retirement, health care, and other veterans’ benefits. Because you are stationed or deployed in the AFRICOM region, a conviction or adverse action can jeopardize your SOFA status and cut short your deployment or overseas assignment. Beyond the military consequences, a federal conviction follows you into civilian life — affecting employment, housing, and professional licensing for years to come.

How are courts-martial handled at Camp Lemonnier?

Courts-martial in the AFRICOM region fall under your branch and command’s convening authority. For cases at Camp Lemonnier, the convening authority typically falls under your component command through Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), which oversees U.S. military operations across East Africa. Because AFRICOM’s service component commands are based in Europe — including U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) in Vicenza, U.S. Air Forces Africa (AFAF) at Ramstein, and U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) at Naples — the convening authority for your case may be located outside Africa. The convening authority decides whether to prefer charges, refer your case to court-martial, and approve any sentence. Drawing on years of experience across overseas commands, I understand how the military investigates, charges, and prosecutes cases in the AFRICOM region — and how to build an effective defense within that system.

When should I hire a defense lawyer?

The moment you suspect you are under investigation — whether by CID, NCIS, AFOSI, or your command. Waiting until charges are filed is often too late — the most critical defense work happens before that, while the command is still gathering evidence and deciding how far to take your case. This is especially important at remote installations like Camp Lemonnier, where on-base legal resources are limited and the pace of operations can make it harder to get timely legal advice. Getting a defense lawyer involved early helps you avoid mistakes that could make your case harder to defend. Often, early intervention can help resolve matters before they escalate to formal charges.

Won’t the military assign me a lawyer for free?

Yes — the military will assign you defense counsel at no cost, and many are capable. However, at a remote installation like Camp Lemonnier, there is likely no dedicated trial defense office on-site. That means your appointed counsel could be located in Europe or even stateside, which can create delays and make face-to-face meetings difficult. In addition, the rotational nature of deployed forces means your attorney could rotate out before your case is resolved. Furthermore, the remote location can limit access to independent experts, witnesses, and investigative resources that could strengthen your defense. By contrast, a civilian defense lawyer gives you dedicated, experienced representation from start to finish — chosen by you, not assigned to you.

Do I need a military defense lawyer if I am under investigation in AFRICOM?

If you are under investigation in the AFRICOM region, take it seriously from the start. Getting legal advice before you answer questions, make statements, consent to searches, or try to resolve things informally can significantly affect how your case develops.

Do you handle court-martial cases throughout AFRICOM?

Yes. I represent service members across the AFRICOM region who are facing court-martial and other serious UCMJ matters — including cases that can affect your liberty, rank, pay, promotion potential, retirement, and long-term military benefits.

Can you help if I am in an AFRICOM country or installation?

Yes. I provide military defense representation for service members assigned throughout the AFRICOM area of responsibility, including locations in East Africa, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa. You do not have to be at a specific base listed on this page to contact me.

Do you represent all branches stationed in AFRICOM?

Yes. I represent Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines assigned to AFRICOM who are facing serious justice or adverse administrative matters — including courts-martial, Article 15 / NJP, investigations, and separation proceedings.

Why do service members in AFRICOM hire civilian military defense counsel?

Service members in AFRICOM hire civilian military defense counsel because they want the strongest defense they can get and independent counsel whose only job is to protect them. Many reach out before they ever speak with investigators, because statements made early in an investigation can be difficult to undo. Others contact me after their case is already moving and want a defense team that can push back aggressively on their behalf.

What kinds of AFRICOM military cases do you handle?

I handle court-martial defense, Article 15 / NJP defense, administrative separation matters, military investigations, adverse paperwork, sexual assault allegations, drug allegations, false official statement allegations, orders violations, disobedience allegations, officer misconduct matters, and other serious UCMJ-related cases involving service members assigned to AFRICOM.

Can you help before charges are filed or before Article 15 or NJP is imposed?

Yes. Some of the most important defense work happens before charges are preferred or before Article 15 / NJP is imposed — while the command is still gathering information and deciding how far to take the case. Early legal advice can help you avoid preventable mistakes and protect your position before key decisions are made.

Do I need a lawyer physically located at my base in AFRICOM?

No. Military justice does not always require your defense lawyer to be physically located at your base. What matters is having experienced counsel who understands overseas military justice, can communicate clearly with you across distance and time zones, and is prepared to defend service members in AFRICOM’s command environment and courts-martial process.

If you are in AFRICOM and need a military defense lawyer, contact me for a confidential consultation. If you are being investigated, accused of a UCMJ offense, facing court-martial, or worried that command action is coming, now is the time to protect yourself.