U.S. Army Legal Services Agency: A Half-Century of Legal Excellence (1973-2023)
 

 

This year, the U.S. Army Legal Services Agency (USALSA) celebrates a half-century of legal excellence and support to the Army and Soldiers. 

On March 15, 1973, USALSA was established as a command and field operating agency of HQDA and The Judge Advocate General. Its founding mission was to provide administrative support for the Army Trial and Appellate Judiciary, the Army Appellate Divisions, and the Contract Appeals Division. 

The mission and composition has expanded dramatically over the years, along with the needs and requirements of the Army. In 1977, the Regulatory Law Office joined USALSA followed three years later by the Trial Defense Service in 1980. In 1982, the Trial Counsel Assistance Program began operation under USALSA to provide advice and training for trial counsel. The Information Management Office (precursor to the Information Technology Division) was established in 1983, which led to the installation of the first USALSA computer in 1984.   

In 1987, the command grew significantly with the addition of the Litigation Division, followed in short order by the Environmental Law Division, the Procurement Fraud Division, and the Intellectual Property Division in 1988. The U.S. Army Claims Service joined the USALSA family in 1997. Most recently, USALSA added three more organizations—the eDiscovery Division in 2018, the Army Advocacy Center in 2019, and the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel in 2022. 

Throughout its first 50 years, USALSA was headquartered throughout Northern Virginia, to include the Pentagon, the Nassif Building in Falls Church, and the Ballston Metro Center in Arlington. In 2011, the command moved to its permanent home on Fort Belvoir. 

Today, the USALSA mission is as dynamic as it is diverse, with over 500 military and civilian personnel engaging in world-wide missions. USALSA plays a critical role in the military justice system as home to the Army’s intermediate appellate court, the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, as well as the trial judges of the Army Trial Judiciary; defends critical military policies and actions in litigation filed in U.S. federal courts; supports procurements critical to the warfighter in contract appeals and bid protests; protects critical Army training lands through subject matter expertise in environmental law; provides specialized advice in regulatory and intellectual property law; delivers advocacy training to all components of the JAG Corps; and, provides enterprise solutions for information technology across the full spectrum of legal operations.   

The JAG Corps will formally celebrate USALSA’s first half-century of legal excellence on May 25, 2023. MG (Ret) Clyde “Butch” Tate, a former USALSA commander and Deputy Judge Advocate General who is credited for securing the command’s current building, will serve as the keynote speaker. Please join us today in wishing USALSA, and all of its past and present employees, a very happy 50th birthday!    
 

 

//ORIGINAL SIGNED//                           //ORIGINAL SIGNED//

 

STUART W. RISCH                               GEORGE R. SMAWLEY

Lieutenant General, USA                       Brigadier General, USA

The Judge Advocate General                Commanding General, USALSA