Course Announcement: 21st Special Victims’ Counsel Certification Course (10-14 February 2025)

The 21st Special Victims’ Counsel Certification Course (SVCCC) will be from 10-14 February 2025 at TJAGLCS in Charlottesville, Virginia. Successful completion of the SVCCC is required to serve as an SVC. Core instruction provides a program and policy overview before focusing on the roles, relationships, and professional responsibilities of SVCs for adult victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. This is not a SVC certification course to represent child victims. Special emphasis is placed upon substantive military law directly related to special victim crimes as well as instruction on behavior, services, and medical issues specific to special victim crimes. Guest lecturers and current/former SVCs offer practical insight into the SVC Program and working with victims. Instruction will also address roles of other process stakeholders such as trial and defense counsel, SHARP professionals, Victim Advocates, Family Advocacy Program, and medical health professionals. Participation in practical scenario-driven exercises is a substantial portion of the course. Attendees for this course should be assigned or pending assignment as an SVC or SVC paralegal within the next 12 months.
 
Under 10 U.S.C. § 1044e, serving as an SVC requires TJAG certification. To be certified, all attendees, including Army Reserve and National Guard personnel, must be nominated by their Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) and are required to complete the course application available at https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/GTGZcBbiQN. The application portal is now open and will close on 6 January 2025. ATRRS course enrollment will also close after 6 January 2025. Please note that the holidays immediately precede the application deadline so plan accordingly. All required documents must be included when completing the application. Templates for the required documents are provided below.

The Civilian SVC Pilot Program remains ongoing. Civilian Legal Assistance Attorneys are welcome to request attendance at the 21st SVC Certification Course and to serve as a Civilian SVC as part of the Pilot Program. For any questions, please reach out directly to COL Evah McGinley at evah.k.mcginley.mil@army.mil  and Ms. Melissa Halsey at melissa.j.halsey.civ@army.mil.   
  
All attendees, including Army Reserve and National Guard personnel, must complete the application using the provided templates and submit through the hyperlink provided above. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please reach out to CPT Kristen Dorfman at kristen.l.dorfman.mil@army.mil , CW2 Timothy Ludwig at timothy.w.ludwig.mil@army.mil, and Mr. Richard Barnett at richard.r.barnett2.civ@army.mil. If you have any questions regarding the course, please reach out to the course manager, MAJ Cathy Hartsfield at cathy.h.hartsfield.mil@army.mil. 

Attorney (JAs) nominations must include:
1.  SJA Nomination;
2.  Self-certification;
3.  CATCH Training Certificate; and
4.  STP / ORB. 
 
Paralegal nominations must include: 
1.  Self-certification;
2.  STP / ERB; and
3.  CATCH Training Certificate.

Civilian Legal Assistance Attorneys interested in participating in the Civilian SVC Pilot Program must include: 
1.  SJA Civilian SVC Endorsement;
2.  Self-certification;
3.  CATCH Training Certificate; and
4.  Resume.