Two at Keesler win JAG awards

Keesler AFB, MS -- Two of 2nd Air Force 2009 Judge Advocate General award winners hail from Keesler.

Capt Robert Wilder, 2nd Air Force military justice chief, was named outstanding young judge advocate. The captain's accomplishments included serving a year as justice chief at the second busiest military justice numbered Air Force and committee team lead in Iraq.

He was lead justice counsel to four subordinate wing legal offices, two groups and 92 detachments, which included more than 140 attorneys and paralegals. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his management as team leader of the Joint Investigative Committee for Law and Order, personifying leadership and composure while subject to hostile fire during 225 convoys near Sadr City, Adhmiya and Rusafa.

Capt Wilder accompanied Iraqi judges to Ministry of Interior sites across Iraq and flew more 100 perilous missions with the judges, investigators and Federal Bureau of Investigation officers to assist coalition units in obtaining more than 200 warrants against strategic level Al Qaeda, Jaysh al Madhi and Ke'tah Hizbollah terrorist networks.

The James Wrightson Jr. Award went to Richard Brock, who serves as the chief of the civil law division. Mr. Brock oversaw the legal assistance program involving three paralegals and five attorneys serving 4,000 clients. He managed the reviews of 62 contracting actions valued in excess of $8 million and conducted actions of seven administrative staff members who executed 773 wills and 8,234 notorial acts.