text: Chapter 5
  of the DES, making timely elections on how to proceed in the DES, preparing rebuttals, and representing
  Soldiersbefore the formal physical evaluation board.
  Role of the Soldiers’Medical Evaluation Board Counsel
  5-6. Upon initiation of a medical evaluation board, the SMEBC provides a legal briefing highlighting the
  services provided by the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel and the Soldier’s rights throughout the DES process.
  The SMEBC advises Soldiersthrough the medical evaluation board and informal physical evaluation board
  phases. SMEBCs are located at most medical treatment facilities where there is an Army medical evaluation
  board.
  Role of the Soldiers’Physical Evaluation Board Counsel
  5-7. The SPEBC provides legal advice and representation to Soldiers who appeal the results from an
  informal physical evaluation board to a formal physical evaluation board. If aSoldier is not satisfied with the
  results of the formal physical evaluation board, the SPEBC assists the Soldier in appealing to the United
  States Army Physical Disability Agency. Soldiers’ physical evaluation board counsel are currently located
  at Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
  5-8. Only attorneys assigned to Office of Soldiers’ Counsel are authorized to represent an individual
  undergoing evaluation in the DES. Nevertheless, command legal advisors should be familiar with the DES
  process because it affects Soldier availability for deployment and individual and unit readiness. Judge
  advocates assigned to legal assistance, special victim counsel, trial defense services, administrative law, and
  brigade legal team billets should be familiar with the DES process as it may affect individual clients in other
  actions.
  LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES
  5-9. Soldier and Family legal assistance is a provision of personal civil legal services provided to Soldiers,
  their dependents, and other eligible personnel. The mission of the Army Legal Assistance Program is to assist
  clients with their personal legal affairs quickly and professionally whenever possible. The legal assistance
  mission ensures that Soldiers have their personal legal affairs in order before deploying. (See AR 27-3 for
  more information onthe Army Legal Assistance Program.)
  5-10. JAG Corps legal assistance attorneys, and paralegals working under their supervision, provide legal
  assistance in many settings—combat readiness exercises, predeployment preparation, Soldier readiness
  processing, andoperational or deployed settings. Regular Soldier readiness processing ensures that Soldiers
  and emergency-essential civilian employees have their legal affairs in order and are ready to deploy.
  5-11. Legal assistance attorneys provide extensive legal services, including ministerial and notary services,
  legal counseling, legal correspondence, negotiation, legal document preparation and filing, limited in-court
  representation, legal referrals, and mediation. They handle many legal issues, including family law, estates,
  real property, personal property, financial, civilian and military administrative matters, immigration and
  naturalization matters, and taxes.
  5-12. Paralegal Soldier and civilian paraprofessionals legal assistance duties include interviewing and
  screening clients, coordinating and administering the legal portion of Soldier readiness and predeployment
  processing, maintaining the client records database, and preparing powers of attorney and other legal
  documents. Under the supervision of a judge advocate, they may provide income tax assistance, manage
  electronic filing of income tax returns, provide notary services, and assist with will preparation. All paralegal
  and paraprofessionals maintain the confidentiality of legal assistance clients and client information.
  5-13. SJAs are prepared to resolve the full range of legal assistance cases in garrison andin the operational
  area. Due to the special attorney-client relationship and the possibility of conflicting interests between
  commanders and Soldiers, the SJA generally designates specific judge advocates as legal assistance
  attorneys. Because of the increased demand for legal assistance services during deployments, the SJA may
  assign judge advocates who normally do not provide these duties as legal assistance attorneys. Likewise,
  BJAs and Command Judge Advocatesface the possibility of conflicting interests between commanders and
  Soldiers while providing legal assistance. BJAs and Command Judge Advocates are responsible for ensuring