Legal team earns host-nation relations award

  • Published
  • 31st Fighter Wing Legal Office
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  The 31st Fighter Wing Legal Office recently received the Dr. Richard S. Schubert Award for 2011 for their accomplishments in the field of host-nation relations.

The Schubert award, presented annually to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe wing-level legal office, is awarded for the most significant contributions to improving relationships with their host nation. The award is named in honor of Schubert who worked 40 years as a civilian attorney in the area of international law for USAFE headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"The relationship between the U.S. and Italy can present numerous cultural and political challenges, yet these challenges did not hamper our ability to work together to resolve extremely complicated international issues between U.S. Air Force representatives and our Italian hosts," said Lt. Col. Bryan Watson, 31st FW staff judge advocate.

Some of the U.S. and Italian attorney's many accomplishments include resolving issues with the Italian government, its working relationship with Italian judicial agencies, state offices and governmental branches, its active participation in civil and criminal litigation, and its involvement in relationship-enhancing coalition activities.

"The Aviano legal office has worked hard to build relationships with host nation legal and governmental authorities," said Watson. "These relationships were invaluable during ongoing combat operations in support of Operations ODYSSEY DAWN and UNIFIED PROTECTOR."

As the servicing legal office for Air Force personnel assigned to Papa Air Base, Hungary, members of the base legal office said they also worked to resolve multiple value-added tax issues and saved Airmen assigned there significant amounts of money.

"International law touches nearly every area of the Aviano legal office's practice, said 1st Lt. Jamie Gardner, chief of legal assistance. "This includes foreign criminal jurisdiction under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, the application of complex Italian tax laws to American personnel and governmental entities, Italian divorce and child custody rules, landlord-tenant disputes, foreign jurisdiction labor law, and international environmental law."

Additionally, legal office personnel provided legal counseling for couples wishing to marry under Italian law. To improve that process, Italian authorities have granted Aviano legal personnel the authority to allow couples to marry without visiting the American Consulate more than three hours away.

"[The Aviano legal office] has demonstrated a remarkable ability to handle the most serious criminal and civil international legal matters with poise and proficiency," said Watson. "I am exceptionally proud of the attitude, initiative, and work ethic displayed by this office's efforts in executing its international law mission. All of our successes pay tribute to Dr. Schubert's legacy."