The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) will hold a change of directorship today at 11 a.m. at the Naval Justice School, Building 360.

Current director COL Anne Ehrsam-Holland will be relieved by Air Force Col. John A. Dyer.

Guest speaker will be Vice Adm. Jeffrey Wieringa, Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Dyer leaves his post as Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. In this position, he was responsible for providing legal services to the command in areas ranging from space and computer network operations, international, acquisition, environmental and civil law to the administration of military justice.

He also provided functional oversight for 10 legal offices serving missions and personnel at 90 locations worldwide.

Col. Dyer was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Arkansas in 1983 after earning his juris doctorate degree at the university. He has served in a wide variety of judge advocate positions worldwide to include the deputy staff judge advocate for Air Combat Command, three wing-level staff judge advocate positions, an instructor at The Air Force Judge Advocate General School, the Air Force Chief of Legal Assistance and Preventive Law, and an area defense counsel.

Representatives of the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS), CAPT Lance Gordon, USN; LtCol Paul McConnell, USMC; and Maj Christian Ruwe, USMC; conducted a Combating Corruption and Terrorism Conference 17-21 May 2009 at Phoenix Base in Baghdad, Iraq. Augmenting the DIILS’ team was Maj Christopher Monsey, USAF, from the MNF-I Staff Judge Advocate’s Office.

The five-day conference was hosted and participation organized by the Inspector General, MNSTC-I Command Group. It brought together 35 participants from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Counter-Terrorism Bureau and the Commission of Integrity. The conference participants discussed strategies and shared insights on how best to battle corruption in Iraq. By facilitating inter-ministerial discussions, the conference provided a unique opportunity for the participants to discuss common issues they face and how they are addressing them.

The 23rd DIILS course on "Conducting Stability and Peacekeeping Operations in accordance with the Rule of Law" (PKRL) graduated 27 students from 17 countries on 20 November 2008. Twelve of the students came from African countries.  For the first time, the course curriculum included discussion and planning exercises focused on current or likely peacekeeping missions in Africa.  Students also visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and heard presentations from U.S. officials in Washington D.C. Commenting on the value of the program, one student from an African nation stated that PKRL "is very useful and it exposes the student to the concept of PKO and the application of law in such operations.  Also the program affords foreign students the opportunity to learn more about American life and aspirations."

PKRL (MASL P176019) will be offered again 13 April to 21 May 2009.

A DIILS Mobile Education Team (MET), including Major Nathan Kearns, USAF, CAPT Jonathan Fink, SJA U.S. Sixth Fleet, LCDR Dave Furry, ASJA, U.S. Sixth Fleet and LT Jeffery King, USCG, MLC Pacific Legal Division participated in the regional Black Sea Partnership Cruise exercises aboard the USS Mount Whitney.The focus of the DIILS program was Legal Issues in Maritime Security and Law Enforcement.The team program embarked in Constanta, Romania where the ship was underway throughout the Black Sea and disembarked in Varna, Bulgaria.The program involved junior naval and coast guard officers from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and the Ukraine.This MET was intended to build upon the growing partnerships among the five nations represented.The goal was to provide foreign naval and coast guard officers an understanding of the underlying international law related to military and law enforcement at sea, situational challenges encountered at sea and the fight against terrorism. The seminar provided current scenarios, hypotheticals and examples of practical and pragmatic ways to help cope with these challenges.

Nepal, a leading contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations throughout the world, recently participated in a DIILS-led program focused on improving the understanding of challenges faced in peacekeeping for key members of its forces.

Thirty leaders of the Nepal Military, Police and Armed Police who are likely to participate in UN Peacekeeping missions participated in the recent Legal Aspects of Peacekeeping Operations program presented by the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The DIILS team included adjunct faculty members from the U.S. Institute of Peace, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, and had DIILS staff members from the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army. The participants in the seminar made presentations which included observations and practical problem-solving arising from their experiences in Darfur.

This program marked DIILS’ eighth program in Nepal, and represents the continued partnership with the country which began in 2004.

More photographs: http://www.diils.org/file_gallery/5/843