# Judge Advocate General of the United States Army

The Judge Advocate General of the United States Army (TJAG) is the senior officer of the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army. Under Title 10 of the United States Code, the TJAG is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate. Suitable candidates are recommended by the Secretary of the Army. By statute, TJAG serves a four-year term as the legal adviser of the Secretary of the Army and of all officers and agencies of the Department of the Army; directs the members of the Judge Advocate General's Corps in the performance of their duties; and receives, revises, and has recorded the proceedings of courts of inquiry and military commissions 10 U.S.C. § 7037.

## Creation

The position of Judge Advocate General was the brainchild and creation of General George Washington. In a letter to the Continental Congress he wrote, "I would humbly propose that some provision should be made for a judge advocate, and provost-marshal. The necessity of the first appointment was so great that I was obliged to nominate a Mr. Tudor, who was well recommended to me, and now executes the office under an expectation of receiving captain's pay—an allowance (in my opinion) scarcely adequate to the service, in new raised troops, where there are court-martials [sic] every day." Congress agreed with Washington and Tudor was formally commissioned as a lieutenant colonel.

## U.S. Army Judge Advocates General

| No. | Name | Term began | Term ended |
| 1. | LTC William Tudor | July 29, 1775 | April 9, 1777 |
| 2. | COL John Laurance | April 10, 1777 | June 3, 1782 |
| 3. | COL Thomas Edwards | October 2, 1782 | November 3, 1783 |
| Position abolished on November 3, 1783 |||||
| 4. | CPT Campbell Smith | July 16, 1794 | June 1, 1802 |
| Position abolished on June 1, 1802 |||||
| 5. | Bvt. MAJ John F. Lee | March 2, 1849 | September 3, 1862 |
| 6. | Bvt. BG Joseph Holt | September 3, 1862 | December 1, 1875 |
| 7. | BG William M. Dunn | December 1, 1875 | January 22, 1881 |
| 8. | BG David G. Swaim | February 18, 1881 | December 22, 1894 |
| 9. | BG Guido Norman Lieber | January 3, 1895 | May 21, 1901 |
| 10. | BG Thomas F. Barr | May 21, 1901 | May 22, 1901 |
| 11. | BG John W. Clous | May 22, 1901 | May 24, 1901 |
| 12. | MG George B. Davis | May 24, 1901 | February 14, 1911 |
| 13. | MG Enoch H. Crowder | February 15, 1911 | February 14, 1923 |
| 14. | MG Walter A. Bethel | February 15, 1923 | November 15, 1924 |
| 15. | MG John A. Hull | November 16, 1924 | November 15, 1928 |
| 16. | MG Albert A. Kreger | November 16, 1928 | February 28, 1931 |
| 17. | MG Blanton C. Winship | March 1, 1931 | November 30, 1933 |
| 18. | MG Arthur W. Brown | December 1, 1933 | November 30, 1937 |
| 19. | MG Allen W. Gullion | December 1, 1937 | November 30, 1941 |
| 20. | MG Myron C. Cramer | December 1, 1941 | November 30, 1945 |
| 21. | MG Thomas H. Green | December 1, 1945 | November 30, 1949 |
| 22. | MG Ernest M. Brannon | January 27, 1950 | January 27, 1954 |
| 23. | MG Eugene M. Caffey | February 5, 1954 | December 31, 1956 |
| 24. | MG George W. Hickman, Jr. | January 1, 1957 | December 31, 1960 |
| 25. | MG Charles L. Decker | January 1, 1961 | December 31, 1963 |
| 26. | MG Robert H. McCaw | January 1, 1964 | June 30, 1967 |
| 27. | MG Kenneth J. Hodson | July 1, 1967 | June 30, 1971 |
| 28. | MG George S. Prugh | July 1, 1971 | June 30, 1975 |
| 29. | MG Wilton B. Persons, Jr. | July 1, 1975 | June 30, 1979 |
| 30. | MG Alton H. Harvey | July 1, 1979 | July 31, 1981 |
| 31. | MG Hugh J. Clausen | August 1, 1981 | July 31, 1985 |
| 32. | MG Hugh R. Overholt | August 1, 1985 | July 31, 1989 |
| (Acting) | MG William K. Suter | August 1, 1989 | February 1, 1991 |
| 33. | MG John L. Fugh | July 26, 1991 | September 30, 1993 |
| 34. | MG Michael J. Nardotti, Jr. | October 1, 1993 | August 4, 1997 |
| 35. | MG Walter B. Huffman | August 5, 1997 | September 30, 2001 |
| 36. | MG Thomas J. Romig | October 1, 2001 | September 30, 2005 |
| 37. | LTG Scott C. Black | October 1, 2005 | October 1, 2009 |
| 38. | LTG Dana K. Chipman | October 1, 2009 | September 3, 2013 |
| 39. | LTG Flora D. Darpino | September 4, 2013 | July 14, 2017 |
| 40. | LTG Charles N. Pede | July 14, 2017 | July 9, 2021 |
| 41. | LTG Stuart W. Risch | July 12, 2021 | July 15, 2024 |
| 42. | LTG Joseph B. Berger III | July 15, 2024 | February 21, 2025 |
| (Acting) | MG Robert A. Borcherding | February 21, 2025 | Incumbent |