Former Army JAG and Senior Defense Counsel 25+ years defending service members Courts-martial defense worldwide
Reviewed by Michael Waddington, Founding Partner Updated October 8, 2026
NCIS investigates service members at NSF Diego Garcia, and Gonzalez & Waddington defends them in courts-martial and UCMJ proceedings. The firm represents personnel from all branches stationed or deployed to this remote U.S. Navy-operated atoll in the British Indian Ocean Territory, handling felony-level military charges.
Attorneys Michael Waddington and Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington are trial lawyers who fight courts-martial and UCMJ actions for service members at NSF Diego Garcia and travel worldwide to represent them. NCIS leads criminal investigations at this joint installation — home to MPSRON-2, Fleet Logistics Center Diego Garcia, and Military Sealift Command — pursuing charges that include Article 120 sexual assault, violent misconduct, and related offenses.
NSF Diego Garcia’s compact, command-driven structure — a joint U.S.-UK facility on an isolated atoll with no civilian courts or outside jurisdiction — means allegations move rapidly from initial report through preferral and referral to a designated convening authority. Cases involving personnel across multiple tenant commands, including Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Detachment and NCTS Far East Detachment, can draw scrutiny from several chains of command simultaneously.
Contact Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 for a free, confidential consultation.
NSF Diego Garcia court-martial lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington are civilian court-martial defense attorneys representing service members stationed in NSF Diego Garcia in felony-level military cases. The firm focuses exclusively on defending court-martial charges, providing representation in serious UCMJ trials worldwide. Their attorneys handle cases across all service branches and appear before military courts in diverse operational and remote environments.
The court-martial environment in NSF Diego Garcia involves a compact, command-driven structure where serious allegations receive rapid command attention and can progress quickly toward preferral and referral. Service members face prosecution for offenses such as Article 120 sexual assault allegations, violent misconduct, property crimes, and other charges routinely handled at the general and special court-martial levels. Courts-martial are felony proceedings governed by command authority, and adverse outcomes can affect a service member’s liberty, rank, benefits, and future military opportunities.
Effective defense in this environment requires early legal intervention before interviews, official statements, or the initiation of the preferral process. Defense counsel must engage proactively with the investigative stage, including interactions with military investigators such as CID, NCIS, OSI, or CGIS. Trial-focused representation includes preparation for Article 32 hearings, litigation of motions, strategic panel selection, and full trial advocacy. The firm emphasizes readiness to contest charges and litigate cases to verdict when necessary.
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Facing a military investigation, UCMJ allegation, or serious criminal charge? Gonzalez & Waddington provides trial-focused defense for high-stakes cases. Call 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-799-4019 for a confidential, no-cost consultation.
