MCB HAWAII, KANOEHE BAY, Hawaii -- For the second year in a row, the MCB Hawaii Base Legal Center was awarded the Commandant's Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance for distinguishing itself as the best legal services center in the Marine Corps.
"This award means a lot to us over here at Base Legal," said Capt. Jeffrey S. Dimmig, officer in charge. "This award is a testimony of the enlisted Marines and the hard work they do. They are the ones making everything happen and taking care of the Marines and Sailors."
The Judge Advocate League to legal service centers awards the CAELA annually for superior and quality legal assistance.
Locally, everyday, the Marines at Base Legal assist in wills, powers of attorney, separation and divorce paperwork, along with legal counsel.
"We have a pretty small staff over here at Base Legal," said Dimmig. "We do not have nearly the working staff that bases like Camp Lejeune, N.C., have. These guys do a ton of work and once again, they made it all happen."
With tax season in full swing, the center is further tasked with the responsibility of providing free tax service and assistance to Marines, Sailors, their families and retirees.
"Most of the service members on this base cannot afford to go out in town and find an attorney, let alone ones that are willing to give free legal advice," said Lance Cpl. David Reinman, the legal assistance noncommissioned officer in charge. "We assist a lot of people, and our hard work has really paid off. It motivates all of us over here to know that we have helped so many people, and have done it to the best of our ability."
Despite obstacles in manpower, the Legal Services Center takes pride in continually providing quality services to its clients.