QUANTICO MARINE CORPS BASE, Va. -- The Marine Corps Legal Services Support Section-National Capital Region held a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday for their newly constructed building adjacent to the chapel and across the street from Lejeune Hall aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico.
“For us, today marks a culmination of ideas, coming [to Quantico], making the mission happen and now moving into this facility,” said Col. Kurt Brubaker, officer in charge at LSSS-NCR.
The Corpswide reorganization of legal services in 2012, prompted the creation of LSSS-NCR, a section that serves as one of four regional support sections intended to make the Corps’ legal team more like its fighting forces — mobile, flexible and able to respond to specific circumstances on the ground. LSSS-NCR stood up August 2012 and reached full operating ability by October of that year but it lacked adequate space to function under one facility.
“We had the manpower, funding and a lot of resources but we didn’t have a home,” said Brubaker.
Over the last two years, their operations have been scattered at different locations throughout the base, including Lejeune Hall, the Training and Education Command building, an old bakery near the railroad tracks and several other areas.
Now all of LSSS-NCR will be under one roof, with the exception of the trial services office, that will remain in Lejuene Hall.
Maj. Gen. Vaugh Ary, staff judge advocate for the commandant of the Marine Corps, was the ceremony’s guest speaker. He commended LSSS-NCR Marines for their perseverance and ability to adapt.
“I want to thank all of you for how you’ve risen to the occasion,” Ary said.
“We know we can rely on you to try cases anywhere, whether it’s in a tent or a make-shift cafeteria, [which demonstrates that] it’s not about the facility; it’s about the Marines, the unit and its leadership.”
LSSS-NCR provides legal support to Quantico’s base and individual Marines, sailors, family members, retirees and other installations within the National Capital Region Legal Services Support Area. Other support sections include LSSS-East, LSSS-West and LSSS-Pacific.
— Writer: afelton@quanticosentryonline.com