Ruth's Truth #24: "The Ruthless Review" of the JAG Corps — Civilian SVCs: What Happened?

This week, Secretary Hegseth posted a video calling for a "ruthless review" of military legal offices, saying JAGs should advise commanders in combat, not spend time on what he called "civilian side work." I don't agree with Secretary Hegseth on much, but on this point I want to share some perspective from inside — particularly as it relates to Special Victims' Counsel (SVC).

The IRC and the Case for Civilian SVCs

In 2021, Secretary Austin established the Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military. After more than 600 interviews, the Commission issued its report with more than 80 recommendations. Congress allocated nearly $479 million toward implementation.

One of those recommendations focused on increasing victim agency and control, including expanding SVCs. For the National Guard, that meant something very specific: moving from a model force of JAGs and support personnel on temporary orders, and transitioning to a combined legal office with permanent civilian attorneys and paralegals.

I agree with that shift — but not for the reasons being discussed right now. Civilian SVCs can walk into a civilian court for a protective order hearing in the state where they are licensed, and navigate cross-jurisdictional issues that uniformed JAGs simply cannot. Most importantly, they stay. There is continuity — and continuity matters enormously to survivors.

What Was Built — and What I Don't Know

When I was Deputy Program Manager, the plan was to resource approximately 30 civilian positions across the Army and Air National Guard, with funding allocated by Congress. I worked with a tremendous team to get those positions classified, with hiring beginning in April 2023. I left the program for North Carolina in July 2023 to retire.

I know what was built and funded before I left. What I don't know — and what I'm genuinely asking — is what happened next.

The IRC funding was a seven-year effort, a roughly $4.5 billion investment through FY2028. The expectation was for civilian hiring to continue year after year until the capability became permanent. Whether those SVC positions made it into FY24 and beyond, I cannot tell you. What we do know is that DoD workforce reductions have delayed plans to hire at least 1,000 civilians tied to IRC implementation. Senators Gillibrand and Murkowski have raised concerns that some SAPR programs may be facing cuts.

The Questions That Need Answers

So here is what I want to know:

• Were the civilian National Guard SVC positions that Congress funded actually executed?
• If they weren't, why?
• If they weren't, where did the resources go?
• Assuming funding is still available — is there still an opportunity to execute?

A "ruthless review" sounds compelling. But reviews that ignore the gap between what was announced and what was actually built don't protect anyone.