The Department of Defense (DoD) response to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a domestic response on a scale never before seen. United States Army North (USARNORTH)—the Army Service Component Command responsible for domestic response operations, headquartered in Joint Base San Antonio- Fort Sam Houston, Texas—led the Army’s response effort to this catastrophic event.

The complicated history of determining lesser included offenses (LIOs) under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) gained a new chapter with the Military Justice Act of 2016 (MJA 2016). While MJA 2016 simplified and clarified certain areas of military justice, it has only muddied the waters regarding LIO identification.

There is a relationship between a military that abides by the rule of law and governance consistent with democratic values. New democracies most plainly illustrate this relationship. Africa best illustrates this dynamic and offers an incredible opportunity for growth toward stronger governance consistent with democratic values.

A cloud of tension hovers over the Combatant Command operations center. Two adjacent States are quickly destabilizing after a recent natural disaster. One State is an ally of the United States, while the other State is a competitor. The operations center team waits for an international armed conflict to erupt. 

In the summer of 2018, the U.S. Attorney General’s office requested the Armed Services provide twenty-one active duty and reserve judge advocates (JAs) to assist in handling criminal illegal immigration cases. The overburdened system was exacerbated by the Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) staffing shortage along the United States’ southern border.

The theme for this issue of the Army Lawyer is Readiness. The undercurrent of the issue focuses on memory—memory of the atrocities committed by the Nazis, but also memory of those who have fought for what is right. This issue of the Army Lawyer reminds us of the sacrifice of those who have gone before us and that we must be ready to give the same.