Asia Military Defense Overview

Short answer: Service members stationed in Asia and the Pacific, including in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia, can hire a civilian military defense lawyer in addition to free military defense counsel (Article 38(b), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 838). If NCIS, Air Force OSI or Army CID asks to interview you, you have the right to remain silent and must be told what you are suspected of before questioning (Article 31(b), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. § 831). In Japan and South Korea, status-of-forces agreements (Article XVII of the U.S.-Japan SOFA and Article XXII of the U.S.-Republic of Korea SOFA) let the host nation and the United States share jurisdiction, and the host nation generally has the primary right to prosecute off-duty offenses. Elsewhere, jurisdiction depends on the arrangements with the host nation. Gonzalez & Waddington travels to Asia and the Pacific for interviews, hearings and trials. Call 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-799-4019.

For service members connected to duty across Asia, Gonzalez & Waddington, LLC serves as civilian military defense counsel worldwide. Michael Waddington and Alexandra González-Waddington represent service members facing UCMJ investigations, court-martial proceedings, and administrative matters such as rebuttals and separation-related representation. Because this page concerns a broad overseas region rather than one local base, the focus is on military-defense issues affecting personnel associated with Asia-based assignments, commands, and operations.

Asia is a regional military-defense setting, not one installation

The first point for any Asia military defense page is scope. “Asia” is not a single U.S. installation, and official military sources do not treat it as one post or one neatly bounded legal jurisdiction. Instead, the closest current official defense framework in the supplied research is the U.S. Pacific Command, a unified geographic combatant command whose area of responsibility stretches from waters off the U.S. West Coast to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole. Official command history also describes it as the oldest and largest U.S. geographic combatant command, covering roughly half the earth’s surface.

That matters for military justice readers because service members searching for Asia court-martial defense or Asia UCMJ counsel are often not dealing with one courthouse, one commander, or one local command environment. They may instead be associated with a wide regional structure involving multiple countries, long distances, joint forces, and commands operating across the Pacific and parts of Asia. A careful defense approach starts by recognizing that this is a broad military theater, not a single neighborhood installation guide.

Why the official command structure matters

Official sources identify U.S. Pacific Command as a unified geographic combatant command, not a single-service base. Its listed component commands include U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific, and U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific. For service members, that means military-defense concerns in Asia can arise in joint settings and across different branches, each with its own operational culture while remaining part of a larger regional command picture.

The command’s stated mission is also broad: to integrate and employ credible all-domain combat power to deter aggression, respond to crisis, and, if necessary, conduct joint and combined operations, while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthening alliances and partnerships. In practical terms, that kind of mission framework often places personnel in high-tempo, multinational, and geographically dispersed environments. Even without making unsupported claims about any specific case type or frequency, it is fair to say that military legal problems in a region this large can become more complicated when assignments, witnesses, units, and records are spread across multiple locations.

Headquarters context for the region

Although this page is regional in scope, the supplied sources do identify a headquarters point: the command is headquartered at the Nimitz-MacArthur Building on Camp H.M. Smith, just outside Honolulu, Hawaii. Camp H.M. Smith is described by the command as a U.S. Marine Corps installation near Aiea on Oahu. That does not turn Asia into a Hawaii page, but it does anchor the regional command in a real administrative center and helps explain why Asia-related military matters may connect to authorities and structures far beyond any one overseas base.

Military defense help for service members tied to Asia assignments

When a service member is under scrutiny in connection with Asia-based duty, the immediate legal issue is usually not the size of the theater but the need for clear, early defense guidance. Civilian military defense counsel can assist service members facing allegations that may lead to UCMJ investigations, court-martial charges, or administrative action. That representation may be especially important where a matter is linked to regional command structures, joint-service assignments, or records and witnesses located far from the member’s current duty position.

For readers looking for Asia military defense lawyers, the key takeaway is that the location label on this page is broader than a normal base page. The official military context is regional, multi-service, and command-driven. That is why careful counsel should start with the actual command relationship, assignment footprint, and procedural posture of the case, rather than assuming one local installation process tells the whole story.

Start with a focused consultation

If you are a service member associated with Asia duty and need civilian counsel for a military investigation, potential court-martial, or administrative representation, Gonzalez & Waddington, LLC can assess the command context and the issues raised by this broad regional setting. Michael Waddington and Alexandra González-Waddington represent service members worldwide. To discuss your situation, contact the firm at 1-800-921-8607.

Asia Military Defense Lawyers | UCMJ Court-Martial Defense

Asia | Military Legal Guide

Asia is one of the most important overseas regions for U.S. military justice, forward-deployed commands, joint operations, airpower, naval operations, Marine expeditionary forces, Army deterrence missions, rotational deployments, and Indo-Pacific security cooperation. Service members in Asia may be stationed in Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Guam, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Diego Garcia, or other Indo-Pacific locations.

Asia-based UCMJ cases may arise from:

Japan-based Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Space Force missions
Okinawa Marine Corps camps and air stations
South Korea Army, Air Force, and joint command assignments
Guam naval, submarine, airpower, logistics, and missile-defense missions
Rotational forces in the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Australia
Liberty incidents in Tokyo, Yokosuka, Sasebo, Okinawa, Seoul, Pyeongtaek, Busan, Guam, Singapore, Manila, Angeles City, Bangkok, Pattaya, Darwin, and Sydney
SOFA-related issues, host-nation police investigations, passport restrictions, command curfews, and off-base conduct rules
Hotel allegations, dating-app encounters, alcohol incidents, domestic calls, assault claims, digital evidence, travel records, command records, and local police reports

Civilian Court-Martial Attorneys for U.S. Service Members in Asia

Gonzalez & Waddington defends U.S. service members stationed across Asia and the Indo-Pacific in serious UCMJ matters. We handle courts-martial, Article 15 actions, NJP, GOMOR rebuttals, letters of reprimand, administrative separation boards, and Boards of Inquiry.

Asia cases are not ordinary stateside cases. They may involve foreign police, local witnesses, foreign-language records, base restrictions, liberty policies, curfews, command-sponsored travel, passports, SOFA procedures, host-nation prosecutors, consular issues, international flights, hotel evidence, gate logs, CCTV footage, rideshare records, phone extractions, and witnesses who may leave the country before trial.

If you are accused of Article 120 sexual assault or another UCMJ offense in Asia, do not wait for the command’s theory to harden. Overseas cases can move fast. Commands may impose restrictions before charges are preferred. Local police may also investigate the same allegation.

Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-799-4019 to request a confidential consultation.

Civilian Military Defense for Service Members Across Asia

U.S. military cases in Asia often involve high operational tempo, overseas command pressure, foreign police contact, local witnesses, language barriers, liberty restrictions, and digital evidence spread across multiple countries or platforms.

A UCMJ case in Asia may begin with CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS, military police, Security Forces, shore patrol, host-nation police, command investigators, SAPR personnel, a commander’s inquiry, or a report from another service member, civilian employee, contractor, spouse, dating partner, hotel employee, taxi driver, bar staff, or local national witness.

An Asia military defense lawyer must account for the military case and the overseas setting. This includes SOFA rules, command restrictions, foreign-language statements, host-nation evidence, time-zone problems, local CCTV retention periods, phone location data, travel records, passport issues, witness departure dates, and separate administrative action.

Video: What to Look For When Hiring a Court-Martial Lawyer (7:29) — watch on YouTube

Japan, Okinawa & U.S. Forces Japan Cases

Japan is one of the largest overseas U.S. military hubs. Cases may involve Yokota Air Base, Yokosuka Naval Base, Camp Zama, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Misawa Air Base, Sasebo, MCAS Iwakuni, Kadena Air Base, Camp Foster, Camp Hansen, Camp Schwab, Camp Courtney, Camp Kinser, Camp Gonsalves, and other Okinawa locations.

Japan-based cases may involve:

Article 120 sexual assault and abusive sexual contact allegations
Liberty incidents in Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka, Roppongi, Shinjuku, Sasebo, Hiroshima, Iwakuni, Naha, Chatan, and Okinawa nightlife areas
Host-nation police reports and Japanese-language records
SOFA custody issues and command restrictions
Curfew, alcohol, off-base conduct, and liberty policy violations
Hotel records, CCTV, taxi records, train records, gate logs, and phone location data
Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Army, and joint command investigations

South Korea, Camp Humphreys, Osan, Kunsan & USFK Cases

South Korea cases often involve U.S. Forces Korea, Eighth Army, Camp Humphreys, Osan Air Base, Kunsan Air Base, Daegu, Yongsan-area assignments, rotational units, combined exercises, and high-visibility deterrence missions.

Korea-based cases may involve:

Incidents in Pyeongtaek, Songtan, Seoul, Itaewon, Hongdae, Gangnam, Daegu, Busan, and Gunsan
Korean National Police records and Korean-language witness statements
Taxi, subway, hotel, CCTV, bar, club, and phone-location evidence
Curfew, alcohol, off-limits area, and command policy allegations
Domestic violence, assault, disorderly conduct, DUI, and sexual assault allegations
Rotational unit witness problems
PCS, DEROS, passport, restriction, and command-control issues

Guam, Naval Base Guam, Andersen AFB & Pacific Forward-Base Cases

Guam is a major forward operating location for Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, submarine, logistics, airpower, and Pacific deterrence missions. Cases may involve Naval Base Guam, Andersen Air Force Base, Camp Blaz, submarine units, bomber task forces, security forces, port operations, aircraft maintenance, missile-defense activity, and rotational forces.

Guam cases may involve:

Liberty incidents in Tumon, Tamuning, Hagåtña, Dededo, and beach or hotel areas
Hotel, resort, bar, taxi, rideshare, and CCTV evidence
NCIS, OSI, Security Forces, command, and local Guam police investigations
Submarine, aviation, logistics, security, and classified-duty records
Travel-card, TDY, lodging, rental-car, and reimbursement issues
Domestic violence, sexual assault, assault, DUI, drug, and digital-evidence cases

Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Australia & Rotational Force Cases

Many Asia cases involve rotational forces, exercises, port visits, temporary duty, training missions, embassy support, or partner-nation operations. These cases may arise in Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Diego Garcia, or other Indo-Pacific locations.

Rotational and temporary-duty cases may involve:

Port visits and liberty incidents
Hotel allegations and dating-app encounters
Foreign police reports and local witness statements
Exercise-related misconduct allegations
Alcohol-related incidents in entertainment districts
Travel-card, lodging, per diem, passport, and orders issues
Host-nation CCTV, immigration records, airline records, and phone data
Witnesses who leave the country quickly after the event

Common Asia UCMJ Case Types

Article 120 Sexual Assault & Abusive Sexual Contact

These cases may involve hotels, barracks, apartments, short-term rentals, port visits, liberty nights, dating apps, alcohol, delayed reports, foreign-language witnesses, CCTV footage, messages, social media, rideshare records, taxi records, and phone extractions.

Domestic Violence & Assault

Overseas domestic violence and assault allegations may involve military police, local police, medical records, photographs, protective orders, no-contact orders, Family Advocacy, housing records, and command-directed restrictions.

Drug & Alcohol Cases

Asia-based drug and alcohol cases may involve urinalysis, prescription issues, DUI, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, local police contact, bar fights, off-limits areas, curfew violations, and alcohol-related liberty incidents.

Fraud, Travel-Card, Orders & False Statement Cases

These cases may involve TDY orders, lodging records, per diem claims, rental cars, airfare, government travel cards, purchase cards, reimbursement claims, false official statements, and overseas entitlements.

Digital Evidence, Phones & Messaging Apps

Asia cases often turn on texts, iMessage, WhatsApp, LINE, KakaoTalk, Signal, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Telegram, Facebook, deleted messages, screenshots, location data, metadata, and partial phone extractions.

How Local Asia Incidents Become Military Legal Problems

The following examples are hypothetical. They are not claims about any actual case, command, business, unit, person, or country. They show how overseas facts can matter when a U.S. service member in Asia is accused of misconduct.

Tokyo or Seoul hotel allegation: A service member meets someone through a dating app during liberty. The allegation later becomes an Article 120 investigation. The case may involve hotel key-card records, local CCTV, subway records, taxi data, messages, alcohol evidence, and competing timelines.
Okinawa liberty incident: A Marine or Sailor is accused of assault after a night in Chatan, Naha, or near an off-base bar. Host-nation police, NCIS, command witnesses, CCTV, taxi receipts, and unit liberty rules may all matter.
Korea curfew or alcohol issue: A Soldier or Airman faces command action after a Songtan, Itaewon, or Pyeongtaek incident. The case may involve local police, gate logs, taxi records, command policy, and witness statements from rotational personnel.
Guam domestic call: A family argument in base housing or off-base housing leads to military police, local police, Family Advocacy, a no-contact order, and possible Article 128b domestic violence action.
Port visit misconduct: A Sailor is accused during a port visit in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, or Australia. The ship may depart quickly. Witnesses and evidence can disappear unless preserved early.
Travel-card or TDY issue: A service member is accused of false lodging claims, improper per diem, unauthorized rental car use, or false statements during an overseas TDY.
Classified or operational-security issue: A member is accused of mishandling information, taking unauthorized photos, misusing a government system, or discussing sensitive operations online.
Foreign-language statement issue: A host-nation witness gives a statement in Japanese, Korean, Thai, Tagalog, or another language. A translated summary may miss uncertainty, tone, slang, sequence, or context.

Quick Answer: Asia Military Defense Lawyers

U.S. service members in Asia can face UCMJ consequences from on-base allegations, off-base liberty incidents, host-nation police reports, hotel allegations, dating-app encounters, domestic calls, travel-card issues, operational-security concerns, and command investigations.

A civilian military defense lawyer can work alongside detailed military counsel in:

Courts-martial and Article 32 hearings
Article 120 sexual assault cases
Article 15, NJP, GOMOR, and reprimand matters
Administrative separation boards and Boards of Inquiry
SOFA, travel-card, digital-evidence, overseas witness, host-nation police, and command investigations

Because Asia cases often involve Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Guam, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, host-nation records, foreign-language witnesses, local police, SOFA procedures, hotel records, CCTV, travel documents, digital evidence, and command restrictions, defense strategy must address both the UCMJ case and the overseas evidence problem.

Video transcript

Transcript of the video “How to Choose a Court-Martial Lawyer | What Trial Experience Actually Matters?,” with Michael Waddington of Gonzalez & Waddington.

Read the full transcript of this video

What trial experience actually matters in a court-martial lawyer? The experience that counts is personally trying contested cases to a verdict. Standing up, cross-examining government witnesses, arguing motions, making objections, and giving the closing. Recent contested trials in military courts matter most. Years in practice, the number of cases handled and plea deals don’t tell you whether a lawyer can win a trial.

And here’s the part people miss. Trial experience matters even if your case never goes to trial. I’m Michael Waddington, civilian military defense lawyer and co-founder of Gonzalez & Waddington. And I’ve tried cases in military and civilian courts around the world for 26 years. I teach trial skills to other defense lawyers and I wrote kick-ass closings and the art of trial warfare.

In this video, I’ll explain which kinds of experience matter, how plea practice differs from trial work, and how to check what a lawyer has really done. First, why trial experience matters even if you plead. Most cases don’t end in a full trial. Many end in a plea agreement, a dismissal, or an administrative resolution. So, why does trial experience matter?

Leverage. Prosecutors, special trial counsel, and convening authorities know which defense lawyers try cases and which ones always plead. When the government believes your lawyer will take the case to verdict and do it well, the offers get better, weak charges get dropped, and some cases go away. A lawyer who never tries cases negotiates from weakness, whether they say so or not. If a plea agreement is the right choice for you, you want it negotiated by someone the government doesn’t want to face at trial.

We have a separate video on how plea agreements work. Second, the kinds of experience and what each one is worth. Lawyers describe their experience in ways that sound alike but aren’t. Contested trials to verdict. The lawyer led the defense through a full trial and the panel or the judge decided.

This is the experience that matters most. Motions litigation. Suppressing statements or searches, unlawful command influence, speedy trial, and illegal pre-trial punishment. Strong motions practice can win a case before trial. Article 32 hearings useful and a chance to lock in witness testimony, but a preliminary hearing isn’t a trial.

Second chair, valuable training, but the person in the second chair didn’t make the decisions. Plea negotiation, a real skill, but a different one. Prosecution experience. A former trial counsel knows how the government builds a case. That helps, but prosecuting and defending take different instincts.

And civilian criminal trials. Many trial skills carry over, but a court-martial has different rules, a different jury, and a different culture. Third, why military trial experience is its own thing. A good civilian trial lawyer can still be lost in a courtroom on base. Here’s what’s different.

The panel. Court-martial members are officers, and if you ask, enlisted members selected by the convening authority. They’re educated, used to following orders, and trained to respect the chain of command. You don’t argue to them the way you argue to a civilian jury. The rules, the military rules of evidence and the rules for courts-martial are close to the federal rules, but not the same.

The differences decide motions. Sentencing for offenses after December 27th, 2023. The military judge decides most sentences under new sentencing parameters. That changes how you present mitigation and when you choose a panel. And rank and culture.

How a witness’s rank, a unit’s reputation, or a commander’s opinion plays with members. That’s learned in the courtroom, not from a book. Fourth, what trial skill actually looks like. When you’re judging a lawyer, these are the skills behind the word experienced. Witness control on cross.

Short leading questions. The witness answers the lawyer’s questions, not the ones they wish they’d been asked. Impeachment. When a witness changes their story, the lawyer commits them to the new version, builds up the earlier statement, and then confronts them with it cleanly so the panel sees it. Objections knowing when to object, when not to, and how to preserve the issue for appeal.

Experts challenging whether an expert should testify at all and cross-examining them if they do. A theory that runs from start to finish. The same story in voadier, opening, cross, and closing. Adapting testimony goes sideways in every trial. Experienced lawyers adjust without losing the thread and the closing pulling the evidence together into reasonable doubt the members can explain to each other in deliberations.

Fifth, recency. Military justice has changed more in the last 10 years than in the 40 years before. The Military Justice Act of 2016, the Office of Special trial counsel, and new sentencing rules have changed how cases are charged, tried, and sentenced. Ask about contested trials in the last few years, not just a career total. Sixth, things that sound impressive, but don’t prove trial skill.

Years licensed. 20 years of paperwork is not 20 years of trials. Never lost a case. That often means the lawyer doesn’t try cases. Every trial lawyer who tries hard cases has lost some.

Television appearances. I’ve done a lot of media work. It doesn’t prove anything about trial skill. Mine or anyone else’s and the number of cases handled. Most of those may be please Article 15s and administrative actions.

Seventh, how to check. Ask directly. How many contested trials to verdict in the last 3 years? What were the charges? Who conducted the cross and the closing?

Ask about a loss. What happened? And what did you learn? A real trial lawyer answers that without flinching. Look at appellet opinions.

Opinions from the court of appeals for the armed forces and from the service courts of criminal appeals often name defense counsel. They’re public. Look at what they teach and write. If other lawyers ask someone to teach trial skills, that’s a signal you can check and watch them. Many lawyers have videos of themselves teaching or explaining cases.

Watch how they think. At Gonzalez & Waddington, Alexandra and I personally try contested courts. Marshall, I’ve defended cases in Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Bahrain, Iraq, England, and across the United States. I’ve taught cross-examination and trial strategy for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers Summit, and Gideon’s Promise. And I teach as an adjunct professor at Florida International University College of Law.

I’m Michael Waddington with Gonzalez & Waddington. So, what trial experience actually matters? Recent contested trials to verdict in military courts where the lawyer you’re hiring did the cross and the closing. That experience wins trials and it gets better results in the cases that never go to trial. I’m Michael Waddington with Gonzalez & Waddington.

We defend service members worldwide. Call us at 1800-921-8607 or visit ucmjdefense.com. When the command knows you’ve got real defense, the game changes.

Under Investigation at Asia? Know These Rules First

Before you answer military investigators's questions. Under Article 31(b) of the UCMJ, agents of military investigators (CID, OSI, NCIS or CGIS) must advise you of the suspected offense and of your right to remain silent before questioning you as a suspect. You can decline the interview and ask for counsel, and your silence cannot be used as evidence of guilt. Statements made to "explain your side" are one of the most common reasons service members at Asia end up charged.

Titling can follow you. military investigators can title you as the subject of an investigation, which indexes your name in the Defense Central Index of Investigations, on a low "credible information" standard. Titling is not a finding of guilt, but the record can surface in later background and security clearance checks even if no charges are ever brought.

Who decides whether you are charged. For covered offenses, including sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, kidnapping, murder, child pornography and, since 2025, sexual harassment, the decision to prefer and refer charges belongs to an independent special trial counsel rather than your commander at Asia. For other offenses the command still decides. Which track a case is on shapes the defense from the first day.

Family and relationship allegations. Domestic violence is charged under Article 128b, and strangulation or suffocation can be charged as aggravated assault whether or not there is a mark. The hidden cost is the Lautenberg Amendment: a qualifying conviction bars possession of firearms and ammunition, which few military careers survive.

Drug and off-duty allegations overseas. Article 112a of the UCMJ applies to service members in every host nation whatever local law allows, and host-nation authorities may also have jurisdiction under the Status of Forces Agreement. A positive urinalysis can still be challenged on chain of custody, testing and innocent ingestion.

BAH and allowance cases. An overpayment is a debt, not a crime. To convict under Article 121 (larceny) or Article 124 (frauds against the United States), the government must prove intent, and that is where many BAH cases fall apart once the paperwork history is reconstructed.

If you are under investigation at Asia, talk to a military defense lawyer before you make any statement. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607.

I was wrongly accused under articles 120, 128b, and 130, and the legal battle was an incredibly draining experience. Throughout the two-and-a-half-year ordeal, Michael and Alexandra displayed unmatched professionalism, deep legal expertise, and genuine care for my case.

— Chad E. ★★★★★ Google review · More client reviews

Prior results and client testimonials do not guarantee a similar outcome, and you may not obtain the same or similar results. Every case is different. No client was paid for a review.

Asia Military Defense FAQ

Can a local police report in Japan, Korea, Guam, Singapore, or another Asian location become a military case?

Yes. A host-nation or local police report can trigger a command investigation, Article 15, NJP, administrative separation, Board of Inquiry, or court-martial. The military may act even while local authorities are still investigating.

Can a hotel, bar, liberty, port visit, or dating-app allegation become an Article 120 case?

Yes. Overseas sexual assault allegations often involve hotels, barracks, apartments, port visits, dating apps, alcohol, local witnesses, CCTV, taxi records, rideshare records, phone data, and messages. Early evidence preservation is critical.

Do service members in Asia need civilian military defense counsel if they already have military counsel?

They may. Detailed military counsel can be important. Civilian counsel can add independent investigation, family communication, digital evidence review, witness preparation, cross-examination strategy, and continuity outside the command structure.

Can commanders restrict a service member before charges are preferred?

Yes. Commands overseas may impose no-contact orders, liberty restrictions, passport holds, base restrictions, weapons restrictions, clearance actions, suspension from duties, adverse paperwork, or administrative action before trial.

Why do translation and foreign-language records matter?

Foreign-language statements can lose meaning when summarized. Tone, sequence, qualifiers, slang, uncertainty, and cultural context can matter. The defense should compare original records, recordings, and translations before accepting the government’s version.

Can a service member face UCMJ action even if host-nation authorities decline prosecution?

Yes. The military can still pursue Article 15, NJP, administrative separation, Board of Inquiry, clearance action, or court-martial even if local authorities decline, reduce, or dismiss a case.

Military investigators want to interview me at Asia. Do I have to talk to them?

No. Article 31(b) of the UCMJ requires investigators to tell you what you are suspected of and that you have the right to remain silent, and you can ask for a lawyer before answering anything. An interview is evidence collection, and military investigators can title you as a subject on a low "credible information" standard that can follow you into background and clearance checks even if the case is dropped. Politely decline, ask for counsel, and call a military defense lawyer before you say anything.

Why Choose Gonzalez & Waddington for Asia Military Defense

Gonzalez & Waddington, LLC is a civilian military defense firm representing service members worldwide. The firm is led by Michael Waddington and Alexandra González-Waddington. The firm focuses on military criminal defense, court-martial litigation, UCMJ investigations, separation boards, Boards of Inquiry, GOMOR and letter of reprimand rebuttals, Article 15 matters, sexual assault defense, violent offense defense, and digital-evidence cases.

Michael Waddington

Michael Waddington is a former Army officer and former Army JAG. He served as an Army Trial Defense Counsel, Senior Defense Counsel, Army prosecutor, Special Assistant United States Attorney, and Chief of Military Justice. He has more than 25 years of military defense experience. He is licensed in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Carolina. He is admitted to all U.S. military trial courts worldwide.

Alexandra González-Waddington

Alexandra González-Waddington is a founding partner, former public defender, and experienced military defense lawyer licensed in Florida and Georgia. She is admitted to all U.S. military trial courts worldwide. She has defended service members in sexual assault, violent crime, war crimes, murder, classified-information, domestic violence, and white-collar cases. She co-tries the firm’s cases with Michael Waddington and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

The firm’s attorneys have defended service members in Japan, South Korea, Guam, the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, and other overseas locations. For service members in Asia facing allegations involving CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS, host-nation police, local witnesses, foreign-language records, digital evidence, hotel records, travel records, command restrictions, clearance concerns, or serious UCMJ charges, that overseas court-martial experience matters.

Talk to a Civilian Military Defense Lawyer Serving U.S. Forces in Asia

If you are stationed in Asia and are under investigation or facing command action, get legal guidance before making statements or submitting paperwork that may be used against you later.

Facing CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS, military police, Security Forces, local police, or command questioning
Accused of Article 120 sexual assault
Dealing with a host-nation police report or liberty incident
Receiving an Article 15, NJP, GOMOR, or letter of reprimand
Preparing for an administrative separation board or Board of Inquiry
Worried about SOFA issues, passport restrictions, clearance risk, foreign witnesses, digital evidence, travel records, or command restrictions

Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-799-4019 to request a confidential consultation. No attorney can guarantee a result. The goal is to intervene early, protect your rights, and challenge the government’s theory before it hardens.

Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyers

This video explains what your rights are and how experienced criminal defense lawyers can make a difference.

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.

Asia Military Defense Lawyers | UCMJ Court-Martial Defense