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Generals praise Dover Legal Office, Airmen here

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Two Air Force generals visited Dover Air Force Base March 23 for an Article 6 Inspection of the Legal Office.

Visiting were Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap, Headquarters U.S. Air Force deputy judge advocate general, and Brig. Gen. Steven Lepper, Air Mobility Command staff judge advocate.

In an interview after the inspection, the generals stated how well Team Dover's Legal Office meshed with the rest of the base's mission.

"One key attribute of a good legal office is its effective participation in the success of the organization," said General Lepper. "I know after having seen the Dover Legal Office, and talking to the wing and squadron commanders, it is clear that the Legal Office is definitely a valued part of the wing, a valued contributor to the mission of (Team Dover)."

This legal office's efforts are designed to enhance the ability to perform the wing's mission, he continued. The wing and its leadership understand the Legal Office is here to help them.

"As far as I am concerned, that is the ultimate measure of merit," he said. "The measure was met and exceeded here."

General Dunlap was equally impressed by the members of the legal staff.

"We found a lot of enthusiasm from the people working at every level within the Legal Office," said General Dunlap.

Legal Office tasks that were once strictly accomplished by NCOs are now done by Airmen. Though the new paralegal career field was once a retraining field only, that is no longer the case.

"In the JAG Corps, we are constantly bringing in new people," he explained. "Because of the way we restructured the career field in the enlisted ranks, Dover now has an airman basic."

Airman Basic Nicole Haan, civil law paralegal, is the first airman basic ever assigned to Dover's Legal Office.

"(Airman Haan) has jumped right in," Gen. Dunlap continued. "I think that one of the things that struck me so much about Dover, is the quality of Airmen here. I asked the airman basic what the mission of the wing was, and without hesitation or rehearsal, she correctly recited the mission of the wing to me."

The generals extended their views of high-quality Airmen to the entire base. They said that every Airman they encountered here was professional and motivated.

"We visited the ISO (isochronal inspection) dock and had a senior airman and an airman 1st class conduct the briefing there," said General Dunlap. "They conducted it as professional and sharp as you will find anywhere in the world, not just in the Air Force; these are the best."

The Airmen he spoke of were 436th Maintenance Squadron ISO-dock technicians Senior Airman Michael Wolbert and Airman 1st Class Travis Norris.

"A quality Airman is one that knows the mission and goes above and beyond what the standard is," said Airman Norris. "It's someone you can depend on to do what is asked and will strive to excel in everything."

Airman Norris is an apprentice, but understands that professionalism is always doing what is proper.

"They acknowledged the young Airmen," he said, referring to Generals Dunlap and Lepper. "They tried to encourage us to strive for greatness. It's important that quality Airmen hold up the standard regardless of their rank."