EDGEWOOD, Md. -- For the second time in recent years, the Maryland National Guard’s legal teams came together for a two-day, all-hands event to strengthen professional knowledge but also deepen relationships between Army and Air legal personnel at multiple locations, September 7-8, 2025.
The joint professional development training brought together Maryland Army National Guard and the Maryland Air National Guard judge advocates, paralegals, and support staff from across the state to focus on interoperability, legal readiness, and real-world application of military legal principles.
The training kicked off at Weide Army Heliport at Aberdeen Proving Ground - South with remarks by Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, adjutant general of Maryland, and Brig. Gen. Andrew W. Collins, assistant adjutant general for the Maryland Army National Guard, followed by a facilities tour and a flight in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
“We wanted to put the judge advocates and paralegals into the actual setting to really immerse them in the experience of the hangar and the airfield,” said Maryland Army National Guard Capt. Brittany Whitehair, assistant staff judge advocate. “We got a capabilities tour and facility tour to get an understanding of the aircraft. We do legal reviews all the time for aviation requests so understanding what the Army Aviation team does is important to our success as a team.”
The agenda was crafted with input from both the Army and Air judge advocate general offices, with the intent to not only train and improve within their individual jobs, but also to build relationships across the branches and bases to help improve how the group operates as a team.
“The goal of the event is to ensure it's not just about teamwork and fun,” said Maryland Army National Guard Col. Marci Sam, state staff judge advocate for the Maryland National Guard. “It’s really about interoperability between the Air, the Army, the Joint Staff, and the state staff. Making sure they’ve trained and worked together so that when an emergency happens, the response is quick, it’s coordinated, and there’s already trust and relationships in place.”
Across the Maryland National Guard there is an emphasis on readiness. For the judge advocate teams this means bridging the gap between the Army and the Air Force. Although they do the same job, the language and approach can be very different across branches.
“I think this event has been a great opportunity to understand the Army legal teams better," said Maryland Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Wendye Rich, law office superintendent for the 175th Wing. “We got to meet their new paralegal and we’re looking forward to collaborating more closely with them. Working together will give us a chance to compare practices, see what we can learn from each other, and gain a better understanding of what we each do. It’s also a way for us to pick up some of their terminology and approaches, while sharing our own.”
The event, which also took place at Camp Fretterd Military Reservation in Reisterstown, Maryland, provided the opportunity to earn continuing legal education which is a requirement to maintain licensure.
“Lawyers are professionals,” said Sam. “Just like a doctor or a psychologist, we are licensed, and with that comes the obligation to ensure our knowledge is current. That’s why continuing legal education is so important. One of the main goals of this event is to provide training on the newest legal developments, so the legal reviews we provide are accurate, relevant, and up to date.”
Leadership emphasized the mission importance of doing their jobs well and working together as it is key to always be ready to serve the state and nation when called upon.
"If we act outside the law or outside ethical standards, we risk losing the trust of the American people and the citizens of Maryland,” said Birckhead. “That trust is vital, and we cannot afford to lose it. We are part of an ethical organization with high standards. We don’t play politics, but we focus on people and doing what’s best for those we serve. Interoperability between our Army and Air components allows us to continue serving with excellence and carries us forward.”