Military legal minds gather for multi-national conference Published Nov. 20, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern Public Affairs DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFPN) -- Military legal advisors from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States participated in the Military Legal Committee of the Americas (Comite Juridico Miltar De Las Americas) conference here Nov. 12 to 16. The Air Forces Southern-hosted conference, comprising 21 legal advisors from 14 countries, allows for face-to-face multi-national discussion of military legal issues pertinent to their respective regions, as well as the development of practical tools for commanders and their legal advisors. "We directly support the commander by looking at the operational need and by providing the commander with the interpretation of the law," said Enrique Arroyo, the attorney advisor for U.S. Southern Command. "The law provides the foundation and the parameter by which to conduct military operations, and we advise the commander along the way so he stays on the legal path." The joint cross flow of legal concepts and information started in 1995 when several countries gathered to study the military justice codes of Latin American countries and to develop a modern model military justice system. This joint effort allowed the legal advisors to develop the COJUMA Model Code of Military Justice, published in 1998, and the Study of the Agreements of Visiting Armed Forces, published in 2001. The manuals were published in Spanish, English, and Portuguese and are used by some Central American countries to negotiate status of forces agreements for their participation as coalition partners in Iraq, or other multi-national operations. The conference allows U.S. military attorneys, well versed in the Spanish language, to learn about the cultures of each of the participating countries. The attorneys take advantage of the opportunity to learn the numerous cultures in Latin America because they know language is independent of culture and learning a person's culture opens the doors of communication. The conference also serves as an opportunity for U.S. Southern Command to build relationships with partner nations within their area of responsibility. "We want to develop relationships with lawyers from other countries so when we operate with them in combined operations, or in their countries, they can tell us about their laws, and we can tell them about U.S. laws," Mr. Arroyo said. "It facilitates combined operation, and we are engaging more and more in coalition operations around the world." The COJUMA conference creates a win-win situation for the Unites States and its coalition partners. "This is a very important conference and we have had many successes," said Lt. Col. Carlos Agostinelli, the Legal Advisor for Argentine Air Forces. The biggest success is the friendship and camaraderie that has been developed amongst the United States, Central, South America and Caribbean nations. [Our] commander requires a military lawyer well trained and well prepared in military law. The COJUMA conference is a great tool to prepare and train the military lawyers to provide proper legal advice to the commander." Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page