Podcast: Battlefield Next - The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center & School
The Battlefield Next network of podcasts is created and hosted by the US Army JAG Corps’ Future Concepts Directorate (FCD). Our flagship podcast, ‘Battlefield Next,’ examines the application of the law to future of armed conflict. ‘Fred Talks,’ presents a more informal look at the history of the JAG Corps in an effort to guide future military legal practitioners.
The Future Concepts Directorate is the JAG Corps’ think tank, and one of four directorates that make up the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center. Located on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, FCD is the subject-matter expert on the application of the law to future conflict. FCD also reviews Army doctrine on behalf of the JAG Corps, and provides the intellectual foundation and disciplined approach to design, develop, and field a JAG Corps that is ready to support the future warfighter. For more information you can find us on Twitter @jagfcd or on LinkedIn. Podcasts are available below or on apple and google podcasts. Subscribe today!
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 24: MPEPs and Multinational Legal Interoperability Recorded earlier this summer, Lt Col Andy Farquhar, British Army Legal Service and LTC Chris Franca, U.S. Army JAG Corps discuss their experiences and achievements while participating in the Military Personnel Exchange Program (MPEP). Lt Col Farquhar served in CLAMO and as Deputy Director of the Legal Center, TJAGLCS, and LTC Franca worked for the Head of Operational Law, British Army. Lt Col Farquhar and LTC Franca discuss their efforts to institutionalize multinational legal interoperability and the importance it will play in future conflicts. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 23: Multinational Legal Interoperability at JMRC Dr. Jan Ganschow, German armed forces legal service exchange officer at the Center for Law and Military Operations (CLAMO), and MAJ Jason Young, U.S. Army JAG Corps at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), Hohenfels, Germany discuss multinational legal interoperability. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 22: Cadet Fisher This week we focus on the human component as we hear from ROTC Cadet Isabella Fisher and learn about the ROTC experience and how an aspiring lawyer and JAG Corps officer can navigate the delayed entry program. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 21: Chinese Peacekeepers in Africa Episode 21 takes us to the AFRICOM AOR where we join MAJ Thomas Dyrenforth, a Foreign Area Officer (FAO) focused on Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, and South Sudan. MAJ Dyrenforth sits down with us to discuss China’s growing influence in Africa, including their increased UN peacekeeping presence. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 20: BG Michelle Donahue, the 56th Quartermaster General Battlefield Next has the honor of hosting the 56th Quartermaster General of the United States Army, BG Michelle Donahue. A graduate of Duke University, BG Donahue also holds advanced degrees from Georgetown and the National Defense University. On today’s episode, BG Donahue talks to us about her varied roles in the Sustainment community, the future of sustainment, and her view of the role of the Judge Advocate in Large Scale Combat operations, especially as they pertain to sustainment. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 19: Operation Allies Welcome In July of 2021, the United States began evacuating Afghans with Special Immigrant Visa Status (or SIV). After the Taliban occupation of Kabul, however, the proverbial flood gates opened and throughout August, the US evacuated approximately 70,000 people on military air. Joining us today is a panel of three judge advocates who were intimately involved in both the tactical and operational execution of what came to be known as Operation Allies Welcome. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 18: An Interview with CSM Josh Quinton CSM Quinton is the Command Sergeant Major of The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School and the Commandant of the NCO Academy in Charlottesville, VA. Join us as he explores his past, the reasons for his Service, and his expectations for the future force (some discussion on his 6’8” stature may also make an appearance or two). Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 17: Trail Blazing at USMA, an Interview with COL (Ret) Donna Wright COL(Ret) Donna Wright was a member of the US Military Academy at West Point’s first coeducational class. Join us as she discusses trailblazing in the military, from her Academy beginnings to her career as a military judge. Download |
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Battlefield Next Podcast Episode 16: An American Lieutenant Colonel in Andover Continuing our focus on interoperability, today we journey across the pond to interview Lieutenant Colonel Chritofer Franca, a U.S. Army Judge Advocate embedded with British Army Forces. LTC Franca discusses his background, his current position, and his take on interoperability and its application to future conflict. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 15: An Interview of Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Farquhar of the British Army Legal Service On today’s episode, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Farquhar and Major Jason Coffey discuss the Army Legal Service, his background, his role at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center, and his focus on interoperability. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 14: Judge Advocates in the Great War On today’s episode, Mr. Fred L. Borch* and Major Jason C. Coffey discuss Judge Advocates in the Great War, covering the pre-World War I Judge Advocate General’s Corps, its expansion after the United States entered the war, Judge Advocate training, and the duties Judge Advocates performed during the war. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 13: A preview of Mr. Fred Borch’s* remarks at the Nuremberg Trial symposium on 19 November 2020 On today’s episode, Major Keoni Medici** interviews Mr. Fred Borch on his remarks for the symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg on 19 November 2020 at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 12: MAJ Joshua Wolff - "Interrupted Broadcasts? The Law of Neutrality and Communications Satellites" On today’s podcast we have Major Joshua Wolff, the Army Element Staff Judge Advocate for U.S. Space Command. Major Wolff recently completed a Masters of Law in Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications at the University of Nebraska, College of Law. On today’s episode, Major Wolff and Major Coffey discuss MAJ Wolff’s thesis, “Interrupted Broadcasts? The Law Of Neutrality And Communications Satellites”**, covering the law of neutrality, space law and neutrality, gaps in the current laws, and proposed solutions to close those gaps. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 11: BG(Ret.) Rich Gross - The Evolution of National Security Law On today’s podcast we have Brigadier General (Retired) Rich Gross, former Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brigadier General Gross has also served as the Staff Judge Advocate of U.S. Central Command, US Forces-Afghanistan, and Joint Special Operations Command. MAJ Wellemeyer and MAJ Wellemeyer interviewed Brigadier General Gross the evolution of national security law, the importance of judge advocate integration into the units they are advising, and advising commanders in an operational setting. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 10 Part III: BG R. Patrick Huston - COVID-19 On today’s episode we have Brigadier General R. Patrick Huston, the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Law and Operations. BG Huston oversees international legal engagements, criminal prosecutions and government appeals for the Army. He also supervises the legal teams that provide advice on national security law, contract actions, administrative law and criminal law. He is focused on the legal and ethical development and use of artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies. He also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of talent management for the JAG Corps, one of the world's largest legal organizations. Part three discusses the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the JAG Corps and Army moves forward with those lessons. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 10 Part II: BG R. Patrick Huston - Deep Fake On today’s episode we have Brigadier General R. Patrick Huston, the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Law and Operations. BG Huston oversees international legal engagements, criminal prosecutions and government appeals for the Army. He also supervises the legal teams that provide advice on national security law, contract actions, administrative law and criminal law. He is focused on the legal and ethical development and use of artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies. He also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of talent management for the JAG Corps, one of the world's largest legal organizations. Part two discusses Deep Fake technology, providing an overview, the risks involved, and protecting against deep fakes. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 10 Part I: BG R. Patrick Huston - Artificial Intelligence On today’s episode we have Brigadier General R. Patrick Huston, the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Military Law and Operations. BG Huston oversees international legal engagements, criminal prosecutions and government appeals for the Army. He also supervises the legal teams that provide advice on national security law, contract actions, administrative law and criminal law. He is focused on the legal and ethical development and use of artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies. He also supports diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of talent management for the JAG Corps, one of the world's largest legal organizations. Part one covers Artificial Intelligence; its uses, common misconceptions, the importance of public/private partnerships, legal and ethical challenges, and advising commanders on the uses of AI. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 9: BG Joseph Berger III - Modernizing Our Thinking On today’s podcast we have BG Joseph B. Berger, the Commanding General of The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, the premier training, education, and analysis institution for military law. As the Commander, BG Berger is responsible for developing and executing our Army’s (and in many cases, the Joint Force’s) institutional level legal training of uniform and civilian attorneys, paralegals, and legal administrators. The Legal Center and School’s mandate is not just limited to members of the JAG Corps; it is also responsible for legal training across the Army, from what our Soldiers learn about the law of war during basic combat training to what our most senior commanders learn during their Senior and General Officer Legal Orientations, mandatory courses before they can assume command of our Nation’s sons and daughters. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 8: Interview with CDR Jonathan Shumate and MAJ Vo-Laria Brooks about CLAMO, DSCA, and COVID-19 Response On today’s podcast we have an interview with CDR Jonathan Shumate and MAJ Vo-Laria Brooks from the US Army JAG Corps’ Center for Law and Military Operations (also known as “CLAMO”), a Directorate of the The Judge Advocate General’s Leal Center in Charlottesville, VA. CDR Shumate serves as the Coast Guard Advanced Operational Law Studies Fellow. MAJ Brooks serves as the Director of Domestic Operations and National Guard Bureau (NGB) Liaison where she is responsible for teaching Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) at TJAGLCS, as well as providing support for the DSCA mission for the 54 States and Territories of the National Guard. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 7: Interview with Mr. Fred Borch on the Ansell-Crowder Controversy of 1917-1920 On today’s podcast we have an interview with Mr. Fred Borch, Professor of Legal History and Leadership at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and the Regimental Historian and Archivist for the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. On today’s episode, Mr. Borch and MAJ Wellemeyer discuss the Ansell-Crowder controversy of 1917-1920, and its relation to the modern military justice system. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 6: Interview with John Norton Moore, Thirteenth Waldemar A. Solf and Marc L. Warren Chair Lecturer in National Security Law. On today’s episode, we have an interview of Mr. John Norton Moore, Walter L. Brown Professor of Law Emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Law, by Major Travis J.Covey, Vice Chair and Professor of Law in the National Security Law Department at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. The episode is an addendum to the Thirteenth Waldemar A. Solf and Marc L. Warren Chair lecture in National Security Law given to by Mr. Moore at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 5: Interview with Mr. Donald Polden On today’s podcast we have an is an interview of Mr. Donald Polden, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law at Santa Clara University, by Brigadier General Joseph B. Berger, the commanding general of the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and Colonel Jerrett W. Dunlap, Dean of The Judge Advocate General’s School. The podcast is an addendum to a lecture on “Legal Leadership” given by Mr. Polden to the students of the 68th graduate course. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 4 Part II: The JARO Episode. Interview with First Lieutenant Briana Kolota; First Lieutenant Asia Buss; and First Lieutenant Mandi Ford. On today’s podcast, we have an interview with three recent graduates of the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course: First Lieutenant Briana Kolota; First Lieutenant Asia Buss; and First Lieutenant Mandi Ford. MAJ Wellemeyer and MAJ Coffey had the opportunity to sit down with them to discuss what made them choose the JAG Corps, their commissioning sources, and their experiences in the application process, the Direct Commission Officer Course, and at the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course. Part two covers their experiences at the Direct Commission Officer Course, the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course, the advice they would give future applicants, and what they think the JAG Corps can do to improve the application and accession process. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 4 Part I: The JARO Episode. Interview with First Lieutenant Briana Kolota; First Lieutenant Asia Buss; and First Lieutenant Mandi Ford. On today’s podcast, we have an interview with three recent graduates of the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course: First Lieutenant Briana Kolota; First Lieutenant Asia Buss; and First Lieutenant Mandi Ford. MAJ Wellemeyer and MAJ Coffey had the opportunity to sit down with them to discuss what made them choose the JAG Corps, their commissioning sources, and their experiences in the application process, the Direct Commission Officer Course, and at the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course. In part one, MAJ Wellemeyer and I discuss with them such topics as: why they chose the Army JAG Corps, their commissioning sources, JAG Corps internships, their experiences with the application, accession, and assignment process, and preparing for and reporting to the Direct Commission Officer Course. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 3: Interview with Mr. Fred Borch On today’s podcast we have an interview with Mr. Fred Borch about the historical events that shaped the practice of operational law by judge advocates into the robust practice area we know it as today: national security law. Mr. Borch is a Professor of Legal History and Leadership at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School where he also holds the title of Regimental Historian and Archivist. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 2: Interview with Professor Claire Finkelstein On today's podcast, we have an interview with Professor Claire Finkelstein from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Professor Finkelstein is the founder and director of the Center for Ethics and Rule of Law at University of Pennsylvania Law School. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 1: Interview with General (Ret.) Joseph Votel Today's podcast is an interview with General (Ret.) Joseph Votel. Our interview covers a number of topics including integration of judge advocates during the planning/operations process, gaining a commander's trust, leadership, and professional development. Download |
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Battlefield Next Episode 0: Battlefield Next Podcast Coming Soon Listen to the trailer for the Battlefield Next Podcast. Music by Joseph McDade. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 10: COL Zane E. Finkelstein The only judge advocate to be decorated for heroism in Vietnam, COL Finkelstein served for over 30 years in the Army JAG Corps. This week Fred tells the story of how a foreign claims mission to a Vietnamese village led then-LTC Finkelstein to join with his infantry escort to repel a Viet Cong attack. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 9: SGM John Nolan “Recorded in the SGM Nolan reading room and library at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, Mr. Borch guides us through the life and decades of exemplary service of the first JAG Corps Sergeant Major—a position now known as the Regimental Command Sergeant Major.” Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 8: Military Commission for the Lincoln Assassination Conspirators Many listeners will be familiar with the military commissions in relation to the war on terror. However, long before those President Andrew Johnson ordered a military tribunal for the Lincoln assassination conspirators. Find out why on this episode of FredTalks. For more information, see the report of the trial on the Library of Congress website. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 7: The History of Fred Today, something new, something old, something different, something very much the same, BUT something everyone has been waiting with baited breath to hear. Join us as we talk about the history of this podcast’s namesake, the history of FRED. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 6: The History of the JAG School, Part 2 When we last left off, the US Army JAG Corps was without a home after leaving the University of Michigan in the 1940’s. Part 2 of our series examines the winding path that led us to our current home on the Grounds of the University of Virginia. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 5: The History of the JAG School, Part 1 Episode 5! Judge Advocates have served in the Army since the 18th century, but the idea of a “JAG School” is relatively new. Mr. Borch details the history of the JAG Corp’s first brick and mortar institution, including a stop at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor during WWII. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 4: The Dark Ages before the UCMJ Mr. Borch reading from a 123-year-old manual? Sounds like the latest episode of Fred Talks. Join us as Mr. Borch shines a light on the proverbial dark ages before the UCMJ. What was it like to try a case 150 years ago? Why and when did the nation move towards a standard uniform code? All this and more on episode 4! Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 3: A Revolution in Military Justice, the MJA of 1968 Ever wonder why military judges wear black robes? OK, maybe that question doesn’t live rent free in your brain . . . BUT the answers are here, thanks to Mr. Borch our regimental historian. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) was a revolution in the way the military tries cases, but a second lesser known revolution took place in 1968 – the Military Justice Act. More attorneys, military judges, and yes . . . even black robes. All found on this week’s Fred Talks. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 2: The Evolution of the Paralegal & Advanced Individual Training (AIT) Mr. Borch takes us through the evolution of the paralegal specialist, both their role and their training. From legal clerk to para-professional, the Paralegal has seen a vast change in their responsibilities and duty titles over the last fifty years. Today, the paralegal is a vital part of any legal team, and often the tip of the proverbial legal spear. Join us our regimental historian colorfully (as always) describes that evolution. Download |
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Fred Talks on Battlefield Next – Episode 1: The Metamorphosis of the JAG Corps I’d like to welcome you to something a little bit different on the Battlefield Next network of podcasts. You all have I’m sure heard of the world-famous, hard-hitting, cutting edge discussions on society and technology, known as Ted Talks. Well . . . . we don’t own any fancy skinny microphones, we can’t trade in our OCPs for black turtlenecks, BUT we can and will bring to you a segment fondly known as Fred Talks. Join us weekly as the Army JAG Corps’ Regimental Historian provides short glimpses of our institutional past. You can only succeed on the battlefields of tomorrow, IF you learn about the battlefields of yesterday, SO TODAY, it’s time to settle in for our very first “Fred Talk” on the evolution of the JAG Corps. Download |