Jose Rosa

Serves as the Vicenza Field Office Special Trial Counsel Officer responsible for supporting a field office team consisting of 1 Special Trial Counsel (STC), 2 STC-NCOs, and 1 civilian GS-11 Special Victim Liaison, in developing and litigating cases involving covered offenses such as sexual assault, murder, child abuse, and domestic violence arising within 5 General Court Martial Convening Authorities and 17 Special Court Martial Convening Authorities, with a combined troop population of approximately 50,000 Soldiers; assists in training of unit and litigation paralegals in the handling and disposition of special victim cases; legal support in covered offense courts-martial and Article 32 Preliminary Hearings; conducts legal research, drafts legal documents, provides discovery, and manages case files.

Prepared and reviewed administrative separation packets, ensuring accuracy and compliance with military regulations. Conducted legal research on policies, precedents, and Uniform Code of Military Justice regulations to support administrative separation cases. Assisted commanders and service members by explaining the separation process and its implications. Provided support for administrative hearings by preparing materials, managing exhibits, and coordinating witness testimony. Maintained detailed and confidential records of administrative actions in adherence to regulatory standards. Applied attention to detail and a comprehensive understanding of military legal frameworks to uphold the integrity of the justice process.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Act Manager for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, Cuba; Tracked and processed incoming FOIA requests, protected exempt information while ensuring appropriate levels of disclosure in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552, train and task 22 subordinate directorate FOIA clerks, draft legal reviews, operate computer application Redact Xpress, conduct document searches, conduct initial and secondary reviews of responsive documents, and prepare Vaughn indices. Efforts reduced an 8 year back by 60% within 7 months, resulting in the release of 180,000 document pages.

Served as Fort Totten Team Leader for the 4th Legal Operations Detachment administratively responsible for five judge advocates and three junior paralegals. Responsible for facilitating the team's legal assistance program, leading physical fitness training and ensuring all junior paralegals grow in expertise. Maintained records of all training certificates, medical and dental readiness documents, and provided regular counselings. All three junior paralegals were promoted to Sergeant, two graduating leadership school with honors. All eight team members qualified with rifles, two achieving expert scoring.

Provided legal and administrative support to unit commanders and staff, coordinating legal actions with the supervising legal office. Prepared and processed legal documents related to courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, and other military justice matters. Assisted in line of duty determinations, separation board proceedings, and various administrative law matters. Delivered legal assistance services, processed claims, and supported investigations. Deployed to Gardez, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom accomplishing all aforementioned tasks including administering briefings on Law of War / Escalation of Force and facilitating claims submitted by Afghani nationals. Graduated Basic Leaders Course with Honors (Top 20%).