Joint Base Andrews Military Lawyer
Joint Base Andrews sits at the intersection of federal authority and military command in a way few installations in the country replicate. It is home to Air Force One, Air Mobility Command assets, the 316th Wing, and a population of active duty personnel, reservists, and Department of Defense civilians whose legal situations often do not fit neatly into civilian frameworks. When service members stationed at or connected to Andrews face administrative actions, medical evaluation proceedings, or criminal charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the legal stakes involve rank, career continuity, retirement eligibility, and disability benefits all at once. A Joint Base Andrews military lawyer who actually understands how these systems interact is not the same as a general practitioner who handles the occasional military matter.
The Maryland Washington DC metro region hosts one of the highest concentrations of active duty and reserve component personnel in the country. Andrews feeds directly into that ecosystem, with service members who live across Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County, Charles County, and into the Virginia suburbs. Those personnel cycle through deployments, training obligations, physical fitness failures, medical conditions acquired in service, and the full range of administrative pressures that military life generates. When something goes wrong legally, whether it is a chapter action, a Medical Evaluation Board referral, a court-martial, or a separation board, the response needs to come from someone who has been inside that system, not merely read about it.
Citizen Soldier Law was founded specifically to fill this gap. Attorney Thomas Roughneen and the firm’s team bring over a hundred years of combined military service, including experience as active duty and reserve JAG attorneys, to every case they handle. That background shapes how they read a charge sheet, how they approach a Medical Evaluation Board, and how they advise a service member who is being pressured to accept an administrative separation they do not fully understand.
What Andrews-Connected Service Members Are Actually Facing
- Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) Referrals: When a service member at Andrews is determined to be unable to meet medical retention standards, the MEB process begins, and the outcome determines whether that person is returned to duty, separated, or referred to a Physical Evaluation Board for disability rating. Getting the diagnosis narrative right from the start matters enormously.
- Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) Proceedings: Both informal and formal PEBs are processed under Title 10 active duty settings regardless of component. A reservist activated from the Andrews area goes through the same IDES pipeline as active duty Air Force personnel, and the rating that comes out affects both DoD disability separation and VA compensation.
- Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Representation: The IDES process runs military disability and VA compensation evaluations simultaneously, but the two tracks can diverge in ways that hurt a service member if they do not have representation who understands how each agency weighs conditions and how to coordinate the record.
- National Guard and Reserve Officer Administrative Actions: Officers connected to reserve units in the Andrews area face administrative proceedings that are structurally different from active duty boards. Show cause proceedings, promotion non-selections, and adverse efficiency reports require distinct legal strategy.
- National Guard and Reserve Enlisted Administrative Actions: Enlisted members who face separation boards, involuntary discharge characterization, or adverse administrative actions need representation who understands how reserve component regulations differ from active duty ones and what procedural rights still apply.
- Court-Martial Defense: Andrews personnel subject to UCMJ jurisdiction face charges ranging from Article 92 violations to more serious offenses. The firm brings both JAG experience and civilian criminal defense trial background to these proceedings.
- Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) Appeals: Many veterans in the Andrews area who were separated with disability ratings find that their approved CRSC amounts do not accurately reflect the combat-connected nature of their conditions. These appeals require both medical and legal coordination.
- Discharge Characterization and Military Records Correction: Veterans who left service with a discharge characterization they want upgraded, or with records that contain errors affecting their benefits, can pursue correction through boards whose processes demand careful documentation and legal argument.
Why Citizen Soldier Law Handles Military Cases Differently
Most law firms that describe themselves as handling military law have one or two attorneys who attended a CLE on UCMJ procedure. Citizen Soldier Law was built from the ground up around military representation, and that distinction is not subtle. The firm was founded in 2013 specifically because injured and still-serving National Guard and reserve component members were not getting competent legal representation during IDES proceedings. That founding purpose is still the core of what the firm does.
Attorney Thomas Roughneen completed his law degree at Seton Hall University School of Law and holds a master’s degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. He has served as both an active duty and reserve JAG attorney, which means he knows how the government’s legal machinery works because he operated it. The firm also includes a board-certified physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Dr. Alice Tzeng, M.D., who works alongside the legal team on MEB and PEB cases. Having a doctor on staff who can evaluate the medical record and speak to functional limitations in clinical terms is not something most military law firms offer. In IDES cases especially, where the narrative supporting or undermining a disability rating often comes down to how a condition is described medically, that resource changes outcomes.
The team includes a retired Army National Guard human resources NCO and a former Assistant Prosecutor with hands-on trial experience. That combination means that whether a client needs help navigating administrative channels, negotiating a records correction, or going to a formal hearing, the firm brings people who have done each of those things from the inside. For service members at Andrews dealing with proceedings that will define their post-military financial security, that depth of experience is not incidental. It is the reason to make the call.
How Military Legal Proceedings at Andrews Actually Unfold
Service members connected to Joint Base Andrews who enter administrative or disability proceedings often underestimate how quickly the record that will define their case gets built, and how hard that record is to correct once it is established. In an MEB, for example, the Narrative Summary prepared by the Military Treatment Facility physician becomes the foundational document. If that summary understates the functional impact of a service member’s condition, or fails to connect the condition to service, the downstream effects can include an inadequate DoD disability rating, a reduced CRSC award, and a VA claim that starts from a weaker position.
Andrews personnel in the IDES process should request legal representation as early as the MEB stage, not after the informal PEB issues a proposed rating they disagree with. By the time a service member is looking at a proposed rating and thinking it is too low, they may have already missed opportunities to strengthen the record at earlier stages. The formal PEB hearing is available but is not a guaranteed reset. The attorneys at Citizen Soldier Law can step in at any stage, but earlier involvement typically produces better results.
For administrative separation proceedings, the timeline is equally unforgiving. When a commander initiates separation action against an enlisted service member or an officer is notified of a show cause proceeding, response deadlines are often measured in days, not months. Understanding whether a board is required, what evidence can be submitted, whether witnesses can be called, and how discharge characterization is determined requires someone who has been on both sides of those proceedings. The firm’s JAG background means its attorneys know how separation authorities think and what arguments actually move the needle in those forums.
Court-martial cases involving Andrews personnel are tried before military judges under UCMJ rules of evidence and procedure that differ meaningfully from civilian federal court. Pretrial agreements, Article 32 preliminary hearings, and post-trial clemency petitions each represent distinct legal opportunities. The firm’s experience in both military and civilian criminal defense settings allows for advocacy that draws on both frameworks.
Questions Andrews Service Members Ask Before Hiring a Military Attorney
Can a civilian attorney represent me at a Physical Evaluation Board?
Yes. Civilian attorneys are permitted to represent service members at both informal and formal Physical Evaluation Boards. The service member is entitled to a military attorney at no cost, but that attorney may have a heavy caseload and limited time to invest in building a comprehensive record. A retained civilian attorney from Citizen Soldier Law can dedicate focused attention to the medical and legal arguments that determine the disability rating.
What is the difference between a DoD disability rating and a VA rating?
The DoD rating determines the amount of military disability separation pay or retirement a service member receives. The VA rating is separate and determines ongoing compensation after service. Under IDES, both evaluations happen simultaneously and should produce consistent ratings, but they sometimes diverge. An attorney can help ensure that the record presented supports the most accurate and complete rating in both systems.
My MEB listed only two of my conditions. How do I get the others included?
A service member has the right to submit a rebuttal to the MEB findings and argue that additional conditions should be referred. This is one of the most consequential moments in the entire IDES process. Having an attorney and a physician who can document the additional conditions and articulate why they fail retention standards gives that rebuttal its best chance of success.
I am a reservist who was injured during a Title 10 activation. Does the IDES process apply to me?
Yes. Reserve component members who are injured or become ill while serving on qualifying active duty orders and who cannot meet medical retention standards are processed through IDES under Title 10 authority, the same system that applies to active duty personnel. The source of the orders and the specific activation status matter to how the case is framed, and an attorney familiar with reserve component regulations can ensure those facts are correctly established in the record.
What is CRSC and who at Andrews might qualify?
Combat-Related Special Compensation allows certain military retirees to receive both their full retirement pay and VA disability compensation without offset, but only for conditions that are determined to be combat-related. Veterans who served in combat theaters or whose conditions resulted from hazardous duty or simulated combat training may qualify. The application requires documentation connecting the condition to combat-related causes, and many initial applications are denied for insufficient evidence. An appeal with stronger documentation and legal argument can change that result.
If I accept an administrative separation, can I later challenge the discharge characterization?
Yes. Veterans who accepted administrative separations and received discharge characterizations they believe were unfair can petition the Army Discharge Review Board or the Army Board for Correction of Military Records, depending on the timing and circumstances. These boards consider upgraded characterizations on equitable grounds, including arguments based on mental health conditions, the circumstances of the separation, and evidence that was not fully considered at the time. These are not guaranteed wins, but they are real legal avenues.
I was charged under the UCMJ while stationed at Andrews. Will this affect my VA benefits?
Potentially. Certain discharge characterizations that result from court-martial convictions can affect VA benefit eligibility. A punitive discharge, such as a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge issued by a general court-martial, can result in a bar to many VA benefits. This makes the defense of a court-martial case consequential not just for the immediate penalty but for long-term financial security after service.
Can Citizen Soldier Law represent service members from other bases in the region?
Yes. The firm’s military and disability practice is national in scope. Service members connected to Fort Meade, the Pentagon, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Fort Belvoir, or any other installation in the DC Maryland Virginia region, and across the country, can seek representation. The firm also provides referrals to trusted attorneys in jurisdictions where local representation is more appropriate.
How does the weapons possession advocacy practice apply to Andrews military police or law enforcement personnel?
Citizen Soldier Law’s weapons possession advocacy practice supports law enforcement officers in their right to carry firearms off-duty. This includes military police and DoD law enforcement personnel who face challenges related to off-duty carry rights. The firm brings specific legal focus to defending and asserting those rights.
What should I do if I received an Article 15 that I believe was unjust?
An Article 15 non-judicial punishment can be appealed through the chain of command. A service member also has the right to demand trial by court-martial instead of accepting NJP, though that decision carries its own risks and requires careful analysis. An attorney can assess the specific situation, evaluate the strength of the underlying facts, and advise whether appeal or another response is the better path. Acting quickly is important because response windows are short.
Military Legal Representation Across the Andrews Region and Beyond
Citizen Soldier Law serves service members and veterans connected to Joint Base Andrews from communities throughout the greater Maryland and Washington area. This includes clients from Camp Springs, Suitland, Forestville, Oxon Hill, Clinton, Temple Hills, and Morningside in Prince George’s County, as well as from Waldorf, La Plata, and the broader Charles County communities where many Andrews families live. The firm also represents clients from Anne Arundel County, including Bowie, Crofton, Davidsonville, and the Annapolis corridor. Clients come from Brandywine, Accokeek, and Upper Marlboro as well.
Beyond the immediate Andrews footprint, the firm handles military disability and administrative cases for service members stationed at or connected to Fort Meade, the National Capital Region installations, and reserve component units throughout Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. The IDES and military disability practice extends nationally, serving active duty and reserve component service members from every branch regardless of where they are stationed. Because all IDES decisions are processed under Title 10 active duty frameworks, the firm’s expertise applies equally to National Guard and Reserve members from any state who need knowledgeable representation in these proceedings.
Speak With a Joint Base Andrews Military Attorney
The decisions made during an MEB, a separation board, or a court-martial have consequences that follow a service member for decades. Retirement pay, disability compensation, discharge characterization, and the right to carry a firearm can all be affected by how a single proceeding unfolds. A Joint Base Andrews military attorney at Citizen Soldier Law brings the combination of JAG experience, civilian litigation background, and in-house medical expertise that these cases require. The firm has been doing this work since 2013, and the team’s accumulated military service spans over a hundred years combined. If you are facing a military legal situation connected to Andrews or any installation in the region, contact Citizen Soldier Law to speak with someone who has been in uniform, understands the system from the inside, and can give you honest, substantive advice about where you stand.
