Legal office wins Ninth Air Force award

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Gino Reyes
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. - The 4th Fighter Wing Legal office won the Ninth Air Force legal office of the year award for the fifth time since 2006.

"It's a great honor to win this award," said Maj. Matthew Hill, 4th Fighter Wing legal office judge advocate. "It feels good that higher command recognizes the work effort of our office."

The award has several criteria from which higher headquarters review. Each legal office across the Air Force submits a package highlighting their day-to-day work and how fast they process legal issues. For a office to win the award they must show how they went above and beyond their normal duty requirements such as the timeliness of trial, how legal assistance is provided to the base populace and the flow of communication between the office and higher headquarters.

"We could never have won this award if it wasn't for the teamwork between our paralegals and judge advocates," said Capt. Michael Ahl, 4 FW legal office judge advocate. "Cohesion is the key to our success."

Airmen at the legal office credit civilian volunteers who work in the office for their success in winning the award. They are trained in all aspects of legal assistance.

"We are undermanned here," said Tech. Sgt. Barry Frazier, 4FW legal office NCOIC. "We would be way behind if it wasn't for our civilian volunteers."