043015_A5_Special Victims’ Counsel Program

Capt. Joseph Ahlers, a judge advocate from the Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, provides an Air Force Special Victims’ Counsel Program briefing to 43rd Airlift Group Airmen during a commander’s call April 21, at the Pope Training Annex. Special victims’ counsels are active-duty, judge advocates whose sole role is to represent victims in a confidential, attorney-client relationship, throughout the investigation and prosecution processes, and serve as a victim’s personal attorney at Air Force expense. Each special victims’ counsel’s chain of command runs through the Air Force Legal Operations Agency in Washington, D.C. This independence means that no one in a victim’s chain of command or the chain of command of the perpetrator will influence a special victims’ counsel’s representation of their clients. Sexual assault victims can contact the special victims’ counsel to ask questions about the program and request a special victims’ counsel directly or through their local sexual assault response coordinator or Family advocacy program representatives.

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