text: Legal Support to the Army
  identify, investigate, and assert claims on behalf of the United States. Claims attorneys at each level settle
  claims within delegated authority, and they forward claims exceeding that authority to the appropriate
  settlement authority.
  4-13. Foreign claims are investigated and paid outside the United States, in operational or other areas. In
  multinational operations, unless otherwise specified in applicable agreements, a troop-contributing nation is
  generally responsible forresolving claims arising from its own operations. Foreign claims against the United
  States will normally be resolved by the Service that is assigned single-service tort claims responsibility for
  the area. Claims attorneys should consult DODI 5515.08. Normally the parent Service resolves U.S.
  personnel claims. Army claims services are normally provided in the main and tactical CPsin the modular
  divisions and corps, TSC headquarters, and theater army headquarters. Commanders normallyappoint unit
  claims officers prior to deployments. Unit claims officers investigate, document, and report incidents to
  claims offices that might result in a claim by or against the United States.
  4-14. During operations, claims personnel establish claims operations and perform claims services. Because
  security is always a primary concern, the senior claims attorney is responsible for coordinating resources to
  ensure safety throughout all claims-related activities. The senior claims attorney also informs host-nation
  authorities how to process claims, provides information to the local population about claims procedures, and
  obtains translation services and local legal advice. It is critical for claims personnel and unit claims officers
  to document the existing condition of base camps, unit locations, or transportation routes when establishing
  claims operations. Good documentation at the beginning of an operation enables accurate payment of
  legitimate claims and prevents payment of fraudulent or inflated claims. When performing claims services,
  the senior claims attorney coordinates with unit claims officers to assist them with claims investigations. The
  senior claims attorney coordinates with the civil affairs staff to facilitate liaison with local officials, learn
  about local customs, and provide civil affairs and finance and comptrollerpersonnel information about claims
  procedures. The senior claims attorney coordinates with military police and military intelligence personnel
  to share information. Throughout an operation, claims personnel travel throughout the operational area to
  receive, investigate, and pay claims.
  4-15. Legal administrators may perform claims-related duties while in a deployed environment. These duties
  include coordinating with USARCS to establish foreign claims commissions, serving as claims investigating
  officers and foreign claims commissions, and processing claims in their unit’s operational area. Legal
  administrators may also serve as pay agents for foreign claims.
  4-16. Paralegal NCOs’ and Soldiers’ duties include claims intake, investigation, and adjudication. In the
  deployed environment, paralegal NCOs and Soldiers often conduct claims missions or run claim offices
  where they receive foreign claims from foreign nationals, investigate and adjudicate claims, and serve as
  claims paying agents.
  LEGAL FUNCTION: CONTRACT, FISCAL, AND ACQUISITION LAW
  4-17. Contract, fiscal, and acquisition law is the body of law that governs the funding and procurement of
  services, supplies, and construction in support of military operations.Paragraphs 4-18 through 4-24 discuss
  this body of law.
  FISCAL LAW
  4-18. Fiscal law pertains to the use of appropriated and non-appropriated funds to pay for obligations
  incurred by the government. The OSJA’s fiscal law responsibilities include furnishing legal advice on the
  proper use of funds in operations and training, interagency acquisitions, funding security assistance, funding
  contingency construction, and funding support to nonfederal agencies and organizations. Usually, OSJAs
  provide fiscal law support at the main and tactical CPs in divisions and corps, TSC headquarters, theater
  army headquarters, and each joint and multinational headquarters. At the multinational command
  headquarters, experts may also be required to provide advice concerning international support agreements.
  BJAs may provide fiscal law support at the brigade level.