Area Defense Counsel: Advancing the mission by promoting justice Published Feb. 16, 2010 By Kadena Area Defense Counsel KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- As members of the Armed Forces, we have taken an oath to defend and protect the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Constitution provides everyone with basic rights. Area Defense Counsels across the Air Force work to protect those rights, ensuring an independent and aggressive representation of Air Force members facing military justice and other adverse actions. Our goal is to advance the Air Force mission by promoting justice for individual members and strengthening confidence in discipline. We do this by vigorously providing the best possible legal defense services for Air Force members. ADC Facts At Kadena, the ADC office consists of a Defense Paralegal (Master Sgt. Charlene Pullum) and two ADCs (Capt. Jody Gilzene and Capt. Timothy Daniels). All ADCs are law school graduates, licensed to practice law in one or more of the fifty states, certified by the Air Force as trial defense attorneys and are designated Judge Advocates. Two of the most important characteristics of an ADC are that they offer confidentiality and independent legal advice. Confidentiality When you visit the ADC office, the information you share with the Defense Paralegal and ADC is confidential. Except for very limited exceptions, unless you authorize disclosure the information remains confidential. The ADC is one of the only sources available that have this privilege. Independent Advice The ADC office is physically separate from the base legal office and operates as a tenant unit on base. Further, the ADCs have a separate rating chain and do not report to the base legal office or to any commander on Kadena. Independence means they can focus on your legal matters without outside pressure to do something not in your best interest. The ADCs' primary responsibility is to represent their clients vigorously within the law, under their professional ethics rules, and with their best judgment. Services The ADC office assists with numerous matters, including courts-martial, Article 15 actions, administrative discharge actions, interrogations, referral EPRs/OPRs, administrative demotions, flying evaluations boards, and even letters of counseling or reprimand. If you find yourself in need of our services or you have any questions at all, you may contact our office to seek professional advice. For more information on ADC services, please call 634-3114.