A City of Southern Efficency and Northern Charm

This past week has been a great one. My JASOC class touched down in Washington D.C. on Tuesday and we had a week jam-packed with being sworn into appellate courts, cherry blossoms, and meeting the top brass of the Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps.

We knocked out some obligatory tourist things the day we arrived.

I have a secret fear that one day something will animate this statute and 19 feet of white Georgia marble will run roughshod all over the National Capital Region.

It was Cherry Blossom Fest. People were really excited about this so I felt obligated to take a picture.

We were put up in a great hotel, right on the Potomac River. My room actually overlooked the historic Potomac Boat Club Boathouse which was way cool.

I had the pleasure racing PBC when I rowed for Lincoln Park Boat Club. I think the Potomac River is an even more picturesque rowing forum than the Charles. For the record, I did not paint this watercolor of the PBC Boathouse.

Continuing the secondary rowing theme of the week, I was also able to meet up with a number of my former UD Crew boatmates who are now kicking ass/taking names in the NCR. It is nice to see Dayton Crew alums doing so well out there. Go Flyers.

After bookcases filled with important looking leather-bound books that we never actually use, nothing is more lawyerly looking than tons of important looking framed pieces of paper decorating one's office wall. While my J.D. and law license were a good step, I needed more. The Air Force saw this void of professional wall accoutrements and stepped in. On top of my officer's commission, I now have the privilege of adding my admissions to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals (AFCCA) and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF).

AFCCA is an independent Article I appellate court located at Bolling AFB. The court is composed of 7 senior Judge Advocates, all Colonels, and is the first step of review for the majority of criminal cases.

CAAF is also an Article I appellate court but is not just limited to the Air Force. CAAF has jurisdiction over all members subject to the UCMJ. Another distinction is that CAAF has no military judges but rather is staffed by five civilian judges for fifteen year terms appointed by the President. This can be the next step of appellate review for an Airman, with the U.S. Supreme Court being the final possible destination.

Speaking of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), we also spent some time there. Unfortunately we were not sworn into the Highest Court of the Land (copyright pending) but in light of the $200 application fee, they can keep their piece of paper.

The highly impressive front doors that unimpressively do not open.

Taking it all the way to the Supreme Court.

We capped off our trip with a day at the Pentagon, meeting with the movers and shakers of AF JAG. We had the privilege of attending a Dining Out that evening at the stunning Cannon House Office Building. In addition to our JASOC class, we attended the dining out with the top brass JAGs of Headquarters Air Force and other senior JAG leadership.