MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- The MCB Hawaii legal assistance office received the Commandant's Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance for the year 2000 on March 13, in a small, but distinguished ceremony that took place at the base conference room.
Brigadier Gen. R. E. Parker, MCB Hawaii commanding general, presented the award to seven Marines and one civilian, during the general's weekly meeting with the base's principal staff and commanding officers.
This small group of Marines, said Brig. Gen. Parker, is what the base has to handle the legal needs of your Marines and Sailors.
This was the second time in four years the legal center at K-Bay won the CAELA. They were recognized in 1997 as well.
The CAELA is annually awarded by the Judge Advocate League to legal service centers for superior, quality, legal assistance.
"It's an honor and a privilege to earn this award," said Capt. Daniel J. Evans, the officer in charge of the Legal Assistance Office. "It reflects greatly on the legal assistance team, the legal service center and all their hard work at K-Bay."
It is not often small legal assistance centers like K-Bay's get recognized, because small centers don't usually handle as much business as the larger bases like Camp Pendleton, Calif., or Camp Lejeune, N.C., according to Evans. "Those particular legal centers have more personnel, especially attorneys, working for them, so they're able to provide service to a large number of clientele."
Not only has the center been able to handle a large workload, but prides itself on the ability to provide quality legal assistance to clients.
Wills, powers-of-attorney, separation and divorce paperwork are only a small portion of the day-to-day tasks the legal center at K-Bay handles.
"Most people can't afford to go out into town and get an attorney, let alone find one that gives free legal advice," said Evans.
One of the biggest reasons K-Bay's legal assistance office is successful, according to Evans is the dedication of the staff to understand the clients they serve are therefor help with financial and legal problems.
"We streamlined our service to be proficient for effective production and service to Marines, Sailors and their family members," said Sgt. Mitchell S. M. Jones, legal assistance chief of the legal assistance center. "We restructured our procedures to handle an ever increasing client base."
With tax season in full swing, the center is further tasked with the responsibility of providing free tax service and assistance to Marines, Sailors and their families.
Despite obstacles in manpower, the legal service center takes pride in continually providing quality service to its clients.