News & Notes
Non-Tactical Vehicle Guidance
By the Office of The Judge Advocate General Administrative Law Division
The Headquarters Company, 129th Support Battalion conducts a non-tactical vehicle (NTV) drivers’ training event at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. (Credit: CPT Christian Turley)
On 27 September 2019, the Secretary of the Army (SA) signed a memorandum, subject Non-Tactical Vehicle (NTV) Policy Guidance, which clarified Army policy regarding the use of NTVs to transportation terminals, including those located in the National Capital Region.It affirmed the capacity of approving officials (AOs) to assess whether such use is appropriate and necessary on a case-by-case basis.
This memo stated that Army Regulation (AR) 58-1, Management, Acquisition, and Use of Motor Vehicles, paragraph 2-3i(1) will be modified to add a new subparagraph (f), which will expressly authorize discretion to determine that NTV use to transportation terminals is “[n]ecessary because other methods of transportation cannot reliably or adequately meet mission requirements, based on a case-by-case factual assessment.”
The SA’s guidance, which was effective immediately, clarifies that AOs may make a case-by-case determination that NTV use is necessary under certain circumstances. Under this clarifying language, NTV use may be authorized when it is necessary because other methods of transportation cannot reliably or adequately meet mission requirements. This is a significant expansion of the previous interpretation of the authority that limited NTV use to: when “[n]ecessary because of emergency situations or to meet security requirements” (subparagraph 2-3i(1)(c)), or when “[t]erminals are located in areas where commercial methods of transportation cannot meet mission requirements in a responsive manner” (subparagraph 2-3i(1)(d)).
Office of The Judge Advocate General has previously issued information papers (IPs) on the subject of NTV use for travel to and from the airport, most recently on 26 June 2018. Those IPs are superseded by the SA’s 27 September 2019 memo and should no longer be relied upon. TAL
Photo 1: On 26 November 2019, Ms. Karen Carlisle and Mr. William Koon were inducted into the U.S. Army Senior Executive Service. Mr. Koon is our new Director, Civilian Personnel, Labor and Employment Law, Office of The Judge Advocate General (OTJAG). Additionally, in his new role, Mr. Koon will serve as our Corps’s Senior Civilian. Ms. Carlisle is our new Director, Soldier and Family Legal Services, OTJAG.
Photo 2: The OSJAs from U.S. Army Japan and U.S. Forces Japan pose with the staff of the Kodaira School, Japan Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF) for the International Humanitarian Law Education Symposium. Major Travis Covey, USMC (1st row, 3d from left), provided a lecture on “Prisoner of War Management”—the primary focus was on transporting and transferring POWs. Pictured in the first row are MG Nanashima, JGSDF TJAG (1st row, 4th from right), MG Danjo, Kodaira School Commandant (1st row, 5th from left), LTC Stephen McGaha, USARJ SJA (1st row, 4th from left).
Photo 3: Members of 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) attended SPC Kelvin A. Washington’s graduation from the Army’s Basic Leadership Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Featured in the photo are (from left to right) SFC Troy B. Gibson (Senior Paralegal NCO), SPC Kelvin A. Washington, CPT Mohamed T. Al-Darsani (Group Judge Advocate).
Photo 4: Mr. G. Zachary Terwilliger, the U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of Virginia, invited The Judge Advocate General, LTG Charles N. Pede, to speak at their Veterans Day celebration.
Lieutenant General Pede was honored to share the stage with the Quantico Marine Corps Band and U.S. Air Force veteran Jaafar Hassan, a service-dog trainer instructor with Warrior Canine Connection. The Judge Advocate General spoke about the origins of Veterans Day, originally Armistice Day, which celebrated the formal ending of World War I on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 as recognition and celebration of veterans from all branches of military service.
The ceremony was followed with an appearance of some very special guests—new service puppies in training! Service dogs provide a tremendous benefit to those with disabilities and various health conditions, and Warrior Canine Connection enlists recovering veterans to train these service animals for their fellow veterans.
Photo 5: Department of Defense General Counsel, the Honorable Paul Ney, accompanied by CENTCOM and DoD delegates, met with U.S. Forces Afghanistan judge advocates on Camp Resolute Support. The OSJA hosted a round table with the Honorable Paul Ney and delegation team to discuss legal and operational actions throughout Afghanistan.
Pictured: Back row, left to right, Capt Christian Gordon, SFC Margaret Murphy, CPT Jules Szanton, MAJ Aaron McCartney, MAJ James Kim, Capt Colin Hotard, COL Jeff Palomino, Mr. Matt Hoover. Front Row, left to right, CPT Timothy Ross, Capt Jacquelyn Fiorello, Maj Tomas Kucera, LTC Walter Parker, COL Joseph Fairfield, Hon. Paul Ney, Col Matt Grant, Maj Sivram Prasad, LTC Cara Hamaguchi, SGT Kody Yongue.
Photo 6: 1ID FWD legal team poses with their British allies at the conclusion of 7ATC and JMRC’s Dragoon Ready 20. The Division and 2CR legal teams demonstrated their interoperability capabilities by working closely with the pictured allies in non-lethal targeting efforts.
Pictured (front row): MAJ Trent Powell, Command Judge Advocate; MAJ Scott Eberlein, 1ID FWD G9; MAJ Victor Carreras, 1ID FWD DIV IO Planner; CPT Robert Besier, Chief, NSL 7ATC.
Not Pictured: MAJ J.P. Policastro, 2CR RJA; CPT Jonni Stormo, 2CR Operational Law Attorney; SGT Rashadric Jones, Reg. Paralegal; SPC Christopher Collins, Reg. Paralegal.
Photo 7: General Gustave F. Perna, Commander, U.S. Army Materiel Command, recently recognized CW4 Craig Russell for his outstanding performance in organizing, assembling, and processing first and second quarter family housing property management incentive fee approval packets on all IMCOM-managed installations. His efforts were critical for the continued maintenance of on-post housing, and the ongoing provision of housing services to Soldiers and their Families.