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21 May 2012 (I carefully considered a title for my first post in 6 months. So carefully, in fact, that I decided on the same title as the miserable Brendan Fraser movie from '99. Hello $1.99 DVD bin.) Some of you reading this may have read my JAG OBC/DCC blog from February – June 2011. Others of you may have clicked on this particular blog for the first time as you saw it pop up on the Army Strong Stories...read more
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On 13 April 1961 -- 51 years ago -- Private John Bennett was hung by the neck until dead. PVT Bennett was the last service member to be executed for a death sentence imposed by court-martial. There are currently 6 people on the military's 'death row.' The military -- like civilian courts -- has a long history with capital (death penalty) litigation, and it seems that recent history is giving us ample opportunity to continue this piece of our criminal practice....read more
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If you're like me, you probably don't realize you're getting older. Despite all the signs -- regrettably thinning hair, a few more pounds on my used-to-be lithe frame, two kids at home -- I just don't picture myself much older than the young, stupid kid who can do anything and is always right (even though I know and can acknowledge I'm sometimes -- sometimes -- wrong). But a couple weeks ago, a conversation at the office hit home and made me realize how old...read more
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The first order of business is my disclaimer: The views expressed in my “Army Strong Story” are mine alone, and do not reflect the official policy, position, or opinion of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. With that out of the way, let’s begin. I know nothing about any of you who my read my story, but here is a little about me. I was born a little over four decades ago, and raised in Brooklyn, New...read more
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Austin was great! This was my first trip and let me put all the Texas-phobes (like me) at ease, it was nothing like the Texas I feared it might be. Austinites are an eclectic bunch, and the addition of thousands tech conference goers just added to the mixed bag of folks we got to rub elbows with. The town's motto is "Keep Austin Weird," and weird it was, in the best way. Great food, great people (of all stripes) and some welcome sunshine for my rain-weary...read more
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It feels like I've been working at full speed for weeks. Part of that is self-imposed stress -- like most Soldiers, I try to hold myself to high standards -- and part of it is that the business of justice rarely takes a holiday. But this week I have a pretty rare opportunity to step back and spend some time doing something completely different. If you follow me on Twitter (@MAJGrimes) you know that I'm in Austin this week for SXSW. I can't tell you how...read more
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This is a little late in coming, but an article I read earlier this month in Harvard Business Review caught my attention and got me thinking again about how leadership is evolving in the civilian world and what - if anything - that means to us in the Army. "Is Command and Collaborate the New Leadership Model" offers some interesting thoughts on how the democratization of business and information is changing subordinate expectations and leadership methods....read more
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Last week the Fort Lewis (JBLM) Trial Defense Service office took another trip to the indoor marksmanship range. Though the light wasn't the best for shooting pictures with my phone, it was sufficient for all of us to qualify on both the 9mm pistol and the M-4 assault rifle. I managed to shoot 30 for 30 with the pistol and 38 for 40 on the rifle -- not bad for a lawyer! Here are a few pics of the team in action. These are the folks you want defending you - in court...read more
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This week saw a pair of headlines -- one on Sunday and one this morning -- that had me thinking about more than just what the news is, but also how it's reported. Our local paper, the Tacoma News Tribune, led with these front page headlines headlines: "With more soldiers comes more crime" (29 Jan 12) and "'Kill team' saga ends as charges dropped" (4 Feb 12) -- attention-grabbing to say the least. The first story was about how the rate of crime has...read more
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One of the many things I have learned as an Intermediate Level Education (ILE) student here at Fort Gordon are the principles of Force Management. Specifically, how a new weapon or system or vehicle needs to be assessed using DOTMLPF (Doctrine, Organization, Training, Material, Leadership, Personnel, and Facilities) and how the Army needs to equip to meet ARFORGEN requirements. In this context, my blog contribution is focused on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Before...read more
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