Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Military Lawyer
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson sits outside Anchorage as one of the most strategically significant installations in the country, home to Army and Air Force personnel who face a distinctive set of legal pressures that civilian attorneys simply are not equipped to handle. Service members stationed at JBER deal with administrative separation proceedings, Medical Evaluation Board referrals, physical fitness failures, criminal investigations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the layered complexity of reserve component obligations, often all at the same time. A Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson military lawyer needs to understand not just the law, but the culture, the command structure, and the way these proceedings actually unfold inside a military installation.
What most service members do not realize until they are already in trouble is how fast military administrative and legal proceedings move. There is rarely a grace period. Commanders issue memoranda, preferral of charges happens quickly, and MEB referrals get processed through channels that do not pause because a service member has not yet retained counsel. The window for meaningful legal intervention closes fast, and waiting for a problem to resolve itself almost never works in a service member’s favor.
Citizen Soldier Law was built around exactly these situations. The firm represents active duty, National Guard, and Reserve component service members in proceedings before military boards and courts, and has done so since 2013. For someone at JBER facing a legal matter tied to their service, the right call is to a team that has actually worn the uniform and understands what is at stake.
What Makes Citizen Soldier Law the Right Fit for JBER Service Members
Citizen Soldier Law was founded in 2013 specifically to serve injured and legally vulnerable service members, and the team has grown to reflect that mission directly. Attorney Thomas Roughneen completed his undergraduate degree at Rutgers University and earned his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law, later adding 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 approaches military administrative and criminal proceedings from the inside, not as an outsider trying to learn the system.
The broader team at Citizen Soldier Law brings over one hundred years of combined military service, including veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. That depth matters when a service member at JBER is sitting across from a board or facing a command-directed investigation. The firm also employs a retired Army National Guard human resources NCO and Dr. Alice Tzeng, M.D., a board-certified physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, who works directly on cases involving Medical and Physical Evaluation Boards. Having a treating physician on the legal team rather than retained as an outside consultant changes how MEB cases get built and argued.
The firm also includes a former Assistant Prosecutor with hands-on trial experience, which matters when a JBER service member is facing a court-martial or a civilian criminal charge that could affect their military career. This is not a general practice firm that occasionally handles military matters. Military and veteran law has been the core of this practice from its founding, and that focus shows in how cases are handled.
Legal Matters Citizen Soldier Law Handles for JBER Personnel
- Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) representation: When a JBER service member is found unfit for continued service due to injury or illness, the MEB process determines how conditions are rated and whether the findings are accurate. An attorney with medical support on the team can challenge inadequate ratings and ensure all conditions are properly documented before the case moves to a Physical Evaluation Board.
- Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) and IDES proceedings: The Integrated Disability Evaluation System processes cases under Title 10 active duty rules regardless of whether the service member is active duty or reserve component. Citizen Soldier Law represents clients in both Informal and Formal PEB hearings across all branches, including Army and Air Force personnel who make up the primary JBER population.
- Enlisted administrative separation actions: Separation boards for enlisted National Guard and Reserve personnel follow different procedural tracks than active duty separations. A service member facing a board at JBER needs counsel who understands both the active duty and reserve component frameworks, since the applicable regulations and command authorities can differ significantly.
- Officer administrative actions: Officer show cause proceedings, letters of reprimand, and administrative elimination boards carry career-ending consequences. For an officer at JBER, the response to a referred Officer Evaluation Report or a formal reprimand requires a precise legal strategy built around the specific regulatory framework and command circumstances.
- Court-martial defense: The Uniform Code of Military Justice governs criminal proceedings for JBER service members, and courts-martial, whether summary, special, or general, require counsel who understands how military prosecutors build and present cases. The firm’s trial experience in both military and civilian criminal settings is directly relevant here.
- Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC): Many JBER veterans and retirees qualify for CRSC but have been denied or received inadequate awards. Building a successful CRSC claim requires careful medical record analysis and a clear connection between the disability and a combat-related event, something the firm’s physician and legal team handle together.
- Discharge upgrades and military records corrections: Service members who separated under adverse circumstances, or whose records do not accurately reflect their service, can pursue corrections through the appropriate boards. These proceedings require persuasive written submissions and a clear understanding of the standards applied by Army and Air Force review boards.
When You Get a Referral or a Notice: What to Do Right Now
The most damaging mistake a service member at JBER can make is assuming there will be time to figure things out later. If you have received a referral to the MEB process, a notification of administrative separation proceedings, or been informed that you are under investigation, the clock is already running. Deadlines for submitting a rebuttal to a referred OER, responding to a proposed separation, or requesting a Formal PEB hearing are set by regulation and are not typically extended without cause.
Start by gathering every document connected to your situation. For MEB and PEB matters, that means your entire medical record, any Line of Duty determinations, your personnel file, and any correspondence from your medical treatment facility or the physical evaluation system. For administrative separation matters, collect the notice of proposed separation, any underlying incident reports, and all prior counseling statements or records of adverse actions. For criminal matters under the UCMJ, write down everything you remember about the events in question before speaking with anyone else, and do not make any statements to investigators without counsel present.
Military legal proceedings involving JBER service members are processed through installation legal offices and, for disability matters, through the Physical Disability Agency. For Army personnel, Physical Evaluation Boards are processed through the Army’s PEB system. Air Force personnel at JBER go through Air Force-specific evaluation channels. Knowing which system governs your case matters because the timelines, forms, and appeal rights differ. Civilian counsel who has worked inside these systems can help you identify exactly where your case sits and what the next procedural step requires.
Do not rely solely on your assigned military defense counsel if you have one. Military defense counsel are often skilled, but they are handling large caseloads and may not be available for the level of individual attention a contested MEB or administrative separation board requires. Retaining independent civilian counsel alongside a military-appointed attorney is permitted and often results in a meaningfully better outcome.
How Reserve Component Service Members at JBER Face Different Legal Exposure
A significant portion of the personnel at and around JBER operate in a reserve or National Guard status, either on orders or moving between active duty periods and their civilian lives. This dual status creates legal vulnerabilities that full-time active duty service members do not face in the same way.
Reserve component service members who are injured during a period of active duty orders enter the disability evaluation system under Title 10 rules, the same framework that governs active duty cases. But when orders end and the service member is back in a traditional reserve status, navigating the continuation of medical care, Line of Duty status, and MEB processing becomes considerably more complicated. Commands sometimes attempt to separate reserve component members rather than process them through the disability system, which can deprive them of disability ratings and associated benefits they have legitimately earned.
Administrative separation proceedings for Guard and Reserve enlisted members and officers also follow a distinct track. The authority for separation and the composition of boards can differ from active duty processes, and the applicable regulations are not always well understood even by installation legal offices. An attorney serving as a JBER military lawyer who has worked inside the reserve component system brings direct knowledge of these distinctions. Citizen Soldier Law was founded by National Guard veterans who have personally navigated these systems, and that is not an incidental credential here. It is directly relevant to the kind of cases this firm handles.
Answers to Questions JBER Service Members Actually Ask
Can I hire a civilian military lawyer even if the Army or Air Force has assigned me a defense counsel?
Yes. You are entitled to retain independent civilian counsel at your own expense, and doing so does not waive your right to military-appointed counsel. Many service members work with both. Civilian counsel often have more availability and can dedicate more focused attention to building your defense or your board response, while military-appointed counsel can help navigate installation-specific procedures.
What is the difference between an Informal PEB and a Formal PEB, and should I request a Formal hearing?
An Informal PEB issues a written decision without a hearing. If you disagree with the findings, you can request a Formal PEB, which gives you the right to appear in person, present evidence, and have counsel argue on your behalf. Whether a Formal hearing is strategically worth requesting depends on the specific ratings, the strength of your medical evidence, and what outcome you are trying to achieve. This is a decision worth making with counsel who has reviewed your full record.
I am an Alaska Air National Guard member on Title 10 orders at JBER. Which disability evaluation system applies to my case?
If you were injured or became ill during a period of federal active duty orders under Title 10, your case is processed through the active duty disability evaluation system, which for Air Force personnel means the Air Force-specific PEB channels. The reserve component status matters less than the type of orders you were on at the time of injury. A Line of Duty determination will be central to your case, and getting that documentation right early is important.
My command wants to separate me for misconduct, but I believe my behavior was connected to a service-related TBI or PTSD. Does that matter?
It can matter significantly. There are regulatory and policy frameworks that require commands to consider whether a service member’s misconduct may be related to a combat-related or service-connected mental health condition before proceeding with separation. Raising this connection properly, with medical documentation and the right legal arguments, can result in a different disposition. This is not automatic, and it requires a deliberate strategy, but it is a legitimate and important line of defense in the right case.
How long do I have to respond to a proposed administrative separation at JBER?
Response deadlines vary depending on the type of separation action and whether you have a right to a board hearing. Timelines are set by regulation and can be as short as a few days for some notification procedures. You should treat any written notice of proposed separation as time-sensitive and contact counsel immediately rather than waiting to see if the situation resolves.
Can a court-martial conviction affect my civilian professional licenses or employment in Alaska?
Yes. A court-martial conviction resulting in a punitive discharge, or a conviction for certain categories of offenses, can affect background check results, professional licensing, and federal employment eligibility. The consequences extend well beyond military service, which is one reason why the trial representation stage, not just the administrative aftermath, matters so much.
I was denied CRSC. What are my options?
A denial from the CRSC branch can be appealed. The appeal process requires a detailed written submission explaining why the disability meets the combat-related standard, supported by service records, medical evidence, and if possible, buddy statements or other documentation connecting the condition to a qualifying event. Many initial CRSC denials result from insufficient documentation rather than a genuine ineligibility, and a well-built appeal can result in an approval.
My medical conditions were not all listed in my MEB narrative summary. What can I do?
Conditions that are not referred through the MEB are not rated by the PEB, which can significantly reduce a service member’s disability percentage and associated benefits. You can submit a rebuttal to the MEB narrative summary identifying conditions that should have been referred. This requires prompt action within the regulatory deadlines, and it is one of the most important interventions available in the MEB process. Having a physician who understands both the medical and legal dimensions of this issue is a substantial advantage.
Does Citizen Soldier Law represent service members outside of New Jersey?
Yes. Military and disability matters, including MEB, PEB, IDES, CRSC, discharge upgrades, and administrative separation proceedings, are handled nationally. The firm represents service members at installations across the country, including JBER. New Jersey-based criminal defense work is geographically limited, but military law representation is not.
What is the firm’s approach when a service member cannot afford to pay upfront?
The firm encourages service members to reach out and discuss their situation directly. Fee arrangements vary based on the type of case and the service member’s circumstances. The first call is the starting point for understanding what representation looks like and what it costs, without pressure or commitment required from the initial conversation.
Serving Military Personnel From JBER Across Alaska and Beyond
Citizen Soldier Law’s military law representation is national in scope, and that explicitly includes service members stationed at or connected to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The firm works with active duty Army and Air Force personnel assigned to JBER, Alaska Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard members on federal orders, reserve component service members processing disability claims through Title 10 channels, and veterans who separated from JBER and are now pursuing discharge upgrades, records corrections, or CRSC claims from communities across Alaska.
That geographic reach extends to service members and veterans in Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, and the broader Mat-Su Valley. Clients come from Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Kodiak, Kenai, and Soldotna, as well as smaller communities including Homer, Seward, Valdez, and Cordova. The firm also assists personnel connected to Fort Wainwright, Eielson Air Force Base, Fort Greely, and Coast Guard facilities throughout Alaska, as well as Guard and Reserve members drilling with units in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and across the state’s geographically dispersed armory system. Distance is not a barrier. Military proceedings are built around written submissions, hearings, and board appearances that do not require in-person presence at a local office.
Talk to a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Military Attorney
Service members at JBER face some of the most consequential legal proceedings in existence, proceedings that can end careers, reduce lifetime disability compensation, and result in criminal convictions that follow a person for decades. A Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson military attorney from Citizen Soldier Law brings a team of veterans, JAG-trained lawyers, and a board-certified physician to bear on these cases. The firm has been doing this work since 2013, and the team has the military background to back up the legal credentials. Call Citizen Soldier Law and speak directly with someone who understands both the law and what it actually means to serve.
