Carlos Ramirez - Army Strong Stories

Training Trial Counsel

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:07:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Well, I can't believe it's been a year since I've posted. A lot has happened since the thick of the 2010 tax season. I finished up at the Tax Center in May of last year and transitioned over to Criminal Law. I'm currently serving as the trial counsel (prosecutor) for the Army Logistics University, US Army Garrison Fort Lee, Kenner Army Health Clinic, Bull Dental Clinic and HHC, CASCOM. This is a challenging job where I advise 4 Special Court Martial Convening...read more

Tax Issues for Soldiers: Special Edition: Domicile

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:17:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
I had planned on writing my second issue of the tax guide on filing status and credits, but since yesterday's post, I've gotten many questions at the tax center about the concept of Domicile and how it affects taxes. I'm sure there are others out there in the same boat, so here goes... 1. What is Domicile? Domicile is your place of legal residence. It is established by actual presence and an intent to remain. What that means is that you must actually be present in the...read more

Tax Issues for Soldiers, Vol 1.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:16:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
In the couple of months since I last wrote I've been working to learn the ins and outs of tax law, especially those issues that affect soldiers the most. Since we opened the Tax Center here at Fort Lee, I keep getting the same questions from soldiers and their families, so I've decided to compile a guide and post it here, hoping someone can get some use out of it. 1. When do I need to file my taxes by? Tax day this year is Monday, April 18. This is because Emancipation...read more

Inprocessing and the New Job

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:11:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
After reporting to Fort Lee last Thursday and a weekend off, I came in to my office for the first time Monday morning to start the scavenger hunt known as inprocessing. I spent the morning meeting the staff at the SJAs office and getting to know my way around. At 1300 I reported to the soldier support center for my first of many inprocessing briefings. Inprocessing to a new station requires soldiers to check in with their unit, as well as several agencies around post (ACS, Behavioral...read more

The end of training and remembering those who inspired me to serve.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:22:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Short of LT Sandys using it again for his reflection, this may be the last time the 182d JAOBC tag is used for a while, so I will strive to make this post a meaningful one. Yesterday, the various members of the 182d who moved on to Fort Benning for DCC, as well as our classmates from other JAOBCs and other branches completed our training and graduated. For the 182d in particular, the symbolism of having begun our training on Independence Day and ending it on Veterans Day does not...read more

Apology, Reflections from C'ville, and next steps

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 06:29:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Hello all. I wish I had a good reason why I was absent from here for the 10 weeks I spent in Charlottesville, but I don't. 1LT Sandys was doing an outstanding job covering the happenings of the 182d JAOBC and I didn't feel like adding anything else in for fear of duplicity. But I'm back! Charlottesville came and went fairly fast. As you may have read in Lt. Sandy's blog, time is pretty well spent between class, sleeping, PT and relaxing with your classmates....read more

Winding Down at Fort Lee

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:24:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
As the title implies, we are winding down our stay here at Fort Lee and getting ready to head over to our Regimental Home at The Judge Advocate General's Law Center and School in Charlottesville tomorrow. Yesterday was fairly straight forward for most of us, as we collected our CAC (Military ID) and finished up at Dental. I was fortunate enough to be done VERY early and headed out around the Fort Lee area to check out my future surroundings and see some apartments. Nothing...read more

If your uniform isn't dirty, you're not doing it right.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:41:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Today was by far the most fun I've had since I reported. Our Warrior Tasks training came to an end with a day in the training areas in Fort Lee, where we had familiarization with some basic soldier tasks. Expanding on my colleague, 1LT Sandys' post (since he was instructing, he didn't get into the nitty gritty of all 7 stations like I did), I'll go over them one by one. To start, our 8 squads were broken up into seven teams (each one a full squad, plus members of 2nd...read more

Lessons from week 1

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:53:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
The first week of JAOBC has come and gone, and readers have been treated to great play-by-play courtesy of 1LT Sandys. To those who do not read his posts for whatever reason (and you should, they're great) let me recap our week. On the first day (July 4) we reported for a basic briefing and some inprocessing paperwork. We were wearing PT gear for the whole first week, which was great, since the average temperature has been more akin to that of the surface of the sun than to a...read more

At Fort Lee and (almost) ready to start up.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 03:06:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
I have arrived safely at Fort Leem after my 5ish hour drive. I have to admit, up front, that saying goodbye to my girlfriend this morning may have been the hardest thing I've had to do (so far). I arrived here at about 1730 and made my way to my room. By happenstance I've run into a few of my future classmates, and some of us are planning to head out in a few minutes in search of a) food and b) some place showing UFC 116. That last part is particularly important,...read more

(Yet) Another Way to Keep Up With Me.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:47:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
In an effort to keep my friends and family up to date with what I'm doing, I've started a JAG specific twitter account. Find it here....read more

My stuff is gone...here we go!

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:06:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
The movers came today, and as I write I'm on the bare floor of my apartment with nothing but a laptop, my suitcase, and the several items I have chosen to accompany me over the next 140ish days. "Nervous Excitement" continues to be the best description for my emotions at this time. My orders are in hand (with the requisite 40 copies made), and my childhood medical records are on the way (that way I avoid at least 6 of the 180 immunizations that make push ups harder), and...read more

Two weeks out, and the important things.

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 02:44:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Two weeks from now, I'll be (God willing) settled into my room at the hotel outside the Fort Lee gate ready for the Fort Lee phase of JAOBC. I'm currently ignorant of the emotions I'll be feeling that day, but for one I'm sure I'll be missing my friends, as our tradition for Saturdays like July 3rd, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship is holding an event is to meet at Fox and Hound in Philadelphia to watch the bouts of the night. Entering the JAG Corps is something...read more

Introduction

Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

By: Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez
Hello all! By way of introduction, my name is Carlos Ramirez-Vazquez. I am orginally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, currently living in Philadelphia, PA. I am an incoming student for the 182nd Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course, eventually reporting to Fort Lee, VA. I've been living in Philadelphia for the past four years, where I attended the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University. This was a particularly special experience for me because I was able to be a...read more