Foreshadowing, Chuck Bass, Courage Wolf

I realize it has been four months since my last substantive post. If you scroll down a little, you will find the following: "When I review my old posts, March 2010 Agent Johnny Utah is going to think that January 2010 Agent Johnny Utah  is an asshole for not knowing how good he had it." If I were writing from the third-person omniscient perspective, we could call this foreshadowing. As I am not, let's just say April 2010 Johnny Utah thinks January 2010 Johnny Utah made a wise decision.

I just foreshadowed to an image about foreshadowing. Consider your minds blown.

Back in March, I was fortunate to be selected for the Operations Law Course at the Army's JAG School in Charlottesville, Virgina. The course was, in a word, awesome. To say nothing of spending two weeks on the grounds of the University of Virgina, the subject matter covered at the course was simply outstanding. (A note to readers non-affiliated with UVa: do not make the mistake of using the word "campus" within the limits of Charlottesville. Everyone within earshot will tell you how the school's founder, President Thomas Jefferson,  intended the world to be a campus and so the university has "grounds." I agree that this is something so ridiculously pretentious that I'm even rolling my eyes as I type this. That said, learn from my mistake and save yourself from being corrected by some dbag 21 year old Sigma Chi wearing a down vest from Vineyard Vines.)

Even colossal douche bag Chuck Bass thinks calling UVA's campus "the Grounds" is stupid.

As I was saying prior to that paragraph long parenthetical diatribe, the Ops Law course was amazing. For my upcoming and current JAG readership, do not miss out on this opportunity if you get the chance (on that note: JAGs - if you are not scanning the Course Nomination System on FLITE for TDYs on a regular basis, you are missing out). The students at the course come from all five service branches, which was an unexpected plus. Even at a base like Nellis with its strong Navy, Marine, and Army presence, this is still the most interaction I have had in a Joint environment. Especially when learning Operations Law (the infinitely complex and myriad laws surrounding how our Armed Forces kills people and blows things up), seeing the perspective of JAGs from the different services incredibly valuable. I cannot say enough good things about our guys in Green; the hospitality shown to us throughout the course was without equal. 

 Rocking out Monticello. For those wondering: The Life of Thomas Jefferson > The Life of Thomas Jefferson's Slaves.

Once I put away my popped collar Polos, Sperry Topsiders, and Nantucket Reds (Uniform of the Day at UVa), I switched from my office's General Law division, where I was previously Czar of Claims and Administrative Law, to our Military Justice division, where I now head up our Article 15 program. I absolutely love the new position. Not only is the subject matter far more interesting (no offense to my Report of Survey fans out there) but I now interact with our Squadron Commanders and Shirts on a near daily basis. 

Nellis also continues to be absolutely slammed with courts-martial. The plus side to this is that I'm gaining all the trial experience that I joined the JAG Corps to obtain. The bad side is that the whole "work-life balance" concept has gone the way of the Dodo.

Oh hey, it's my social life.

Regardless, it has to be way worse for our Area Defense Counsels right now. If I were in that position, my advice would probably take on this tone:

"He knocked over another ATM. This time at knife point. He needs your legal advice." 

"Stop breaking the law, asshole!!" 

Beyond that, there is not too much to report. I've been pretty much too busy to be interesting. I'm still scheduled for a deployment in August, though it is looking like it will not be to somewhere than ends in "stan" or "q" so that is a plus.

Hope this finds everyone well.