Fort Polk Jag Office - 1/3 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Desmond Metcalfe, (left) Sgt. Maj. Howard Metcalf's son, working with Jasmine Roberts, (right) Desmond's fiancé, their son, Khalil, 3 months, and Sgt. Maj. Osvaldo Martinez, (behind Jasmine) commanding sergeant major of the 13th Regiment of the US JAG Corps, while unveiling a plaque dedicating the Fort Polk courthouse in Metcalf's name. (Photo Credit: Angie Thorne) SEE ORIGINAL

2/3 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Standing behind the plaque dedicating the Fort Polk Courthouse to the memory of Sgt. Maj. Howard Metcalf is Command Sgt. Maj. Osvaldo Martinez, (left) Command Sergeant Major of the US 13th JAG Regiment, Lt. Col. Jess Roberts, deputy staff attorney, Col. Ryan K. Rosebery, Fort Polk garrison commander, Desmond Metcalf, Sgt. Major Metcalf's son Jasmine Roberts, Desmond's fiancee and their son, Khalil, 3 months. (Photo Credit: Angie Thorne) SEE ORIGINAL

Fort Polk Jag Office

Fort Polk Jag Office

3/3 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Sgt. Major Howard Metcalfe (Photo Credit: United States) SEE ORIGINAL

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FORT POLK, La. - On the morning of April 21, the Fort Polk office of the Judge Advocate General named and dedicated a Fort Polk courtroom to Sgt. Major Howard Metcalf.

Metcalf served as a sergeant with the 8th Regiment in the US Judge Advocate General's Corps from February 17, 1998 until his retirement in 2002. He died in November 2019 at the age of 72. A ceremony was held to close the Fort Polk courtroom to name and to dedicate. in conjunction with Fort Polk's 80th anniversary and in the spirit of recognizing excellence in the ranks of the US.

A native of New Orleans, Metcalf enlisted in the US in 1969. He completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training (Infantry) at Fort Polk, Louisiana, when Fort Polk was the first training installation.

He served as an infantryman in Vietnam from January 1970 to February 1971 with the 90th Replacement Battalion and the 321st Transportation Company. After returning from Vietnam, he entered the civilian population.

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In 1977, Metcalf reported to the USA again, this time as a legal specialist. His first assignment after graduating from the 71D AIT at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, was as the battalion legal noncommissioned officer in the 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery, Korea.

Metcalf went on to serve as assistant attorney, NCOIC of the Administrative Division and Pretrial Division, 21st Sustainment Command, Germany; instructor programmer with Company C, 1st Battalion, Troop Brigade, Fort Benjamin Harrison, senior legal noncommissioned officer, combined field, Korea; 71 D Branch Manager, Falls Church, Virginia; First Sergeant, Company A, 369th AG Battalion.

Before coming to the Pentagon, Metcalf served as chief legal noncommissioner, US 8th, Korea. Metcalf graduated from all professional military education courses, along with the Combat Personnel course and the Master's Fitness Course. During his career, Metcalfe served three tours in Korea, one in Vietnam and one in Germany.

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Metcalfe's awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal , and the German Rifleman Well.

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In November 1997, he was elected Major of the 8th Regiment of the US JAG Corps. On February 17, 1998, he assumed that role, serving as primary counsel for the U.S. Judge Advocate General on all matters involving U.S. legal specialists and NCOs.

Metcalf advocated the creation of an independent NCO academy for paralegals. He believed that NCOs should train alongside judge advocates, legal administrators and court reporters, just as they would in a deployed environment.

Metcalf was a proponent of the "ride while you fight" mentality. Today, the NCO Corps of the USA JAG Corps is a direct reflection of Metcalf's leadership and vision.

After retiring from school in 2002, Metcalf earned both a bachelor's and master's degree.

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He continued his life in public service by joining the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs as acting director and later director of that office, responsible for more than 400,000 veterans and family members in the state.

He continued to work closely with minority veterans' service organizations and helped African-American youth at his church, where he served as an elder for the rest of his life.

Metcalf's son, Desmond Metcalf, his fiancee, Jasmine Roberts, and their son, Khalil Metcalf, 3 months, attended the event.

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"He was a man who really deserved recognition and he got it today." "He told me that you don't have to be the leader of something to be committed to it, but that attitude made him a great leader," he said. "He was so humble, no matter how much he accomplished. Although it is difficult to follow in his footsteps, I try to do just that - in my own way - by living my life based on the lessons he taught me learned."

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Rosebery spoke about Metcalf's transformational leadership and how he positively impacted thousands of paralegals and attorneys during his 20-year career in the US JAG Corps.

He also touched on how Metcalf's life story embodied the Joint Readiness Training Center's mantra of coaching, training and mentoring Soldiers.

The command sergeant was also present. Maj. Osvaldo Martinez, command sergeant major of the 13th US JAG Corps Regiment. Martinez talked about how Metcalf had a positive influence on him as a junior paralegal and how Metcalf planted the seeds in then-Pvt. Osvaldo Martinez thinks he might also one day serve as a regimental sergeant. Major of the American JAG Corps. An idea that eventually became a reality for Martinez.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Godwin, Fort Polk chaplain, held a brief memorial service and spoke about how Metcalf followed in the footsteps of Jesus and was the epitome of servant leadership.

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Lt. Col. Jess Roberts, staff attorney for the judge, along with Maj. Norbert Daluz, chief of military justice, served as masters of ceremonies on behalf of Fort Polk staff attorney Col. Tiffany Chapman.

OSJA soldiers and civilians attended, as well as friends and family from Fort Polk and the US.

More than 150 people also watched the ceremony on Facebook Live. The dedication was a touching tribute to a soldier, father and husband who spent most of his life in the service of the nation. Metcalf was buried at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in South Carolina, and is survived by his wife, Joyce, and their two sons, Demetrius and Desmond.

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Metcalf's lifetime of service to the nation best describes what Fort Polk and the soldiers and families who live here represent. FORT POLK, La. - March is Women's History Month - a celebration of the efforts made, challenges overcome and achievements made by women throughout history and today. Those accomplishments can be found in career fields, sports, politics, law, and even the perception of what women can do instead of what they can't.

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An excellent example of this progress can be found in the Fort Polk Staff Attorney's Office where the current Staff Attorney Col. Tiffany Chapman is only the second woman to serve at Fort Polk - the first being Brig. gen. (Ret.) Melinda Dunn and Fort Polk's two female observer/trainer Maj. Kathy Dennehy, senior operational law observer, trainer/trainer, and Sgt. 1st Class Kelli Slaughterbeck, Chief Petty Officer OC/T Paralegal, First Female JAG OC/T Leadership Team.

"In addition to being legal experts, we must also serve as trusted staff members, advisors and leaders and guide our legal teams to do so." That's why I think it's important that we promote diversity at all levels. Not only can we connect with a more diverse customer base, but it helps us incorporate different perspectives and viewpoints as we build knowledge and expertise,” she said.

Chapman said her role in that diversity means leading the installation's legal team while helping the commanding general continue his initiatives and priorities.

"It's a multifaceted practice, but my focus is to lead an efficient team in providing legal advice and solving problems," she said.

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Chapman said Dennehy and Slaughterbeck add to JAG's diversity. Dennehy is the first woman to lead Fort Polk's OC/T team.

"They interact with every unit training at JRTC and Fort Polk to maintain readiness in executing the Army's mission," Chapman said.

As OC/Ts, Dennehy and Slaughterbeck said they work with legal teams that come for brigade training at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.

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Six months before the legal team ever arrived at Fort Polk, Dennehy said they were in contact to begin preparing for their rotation.

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Topics that legal teams may be able to advise their command on during a rotation include scenarios such as whether a bridge can be blown up or legal obligations for prisoners of war.

Training rotation brigade attorneys can be challenging, said Sloterbeck. That's one of the reasons she said it's rarely seen

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