text: Chapter 5
  Legal Support to Soldiers and Families
  This chapter discusses the core legal competency of providing legal support to Soldiers
  and Families and its subordinate legal functions and tasks. This chapter covers these
  topics with a focus on legal support during large-scale combat operations, rear
  detachment operations, and maintaining installation services.
  LEGAL FUNCTION: SOLDIER AND FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES
  5-1. The legal function of Soldier and Family legal services includes theselegal tasks:claims by Soldiers
  and DA Civilians, medical evaluation and disability law, Soldier and Family legal assistance, and special
  victim counsel services. Each of these legal tasks centers on service to individuals as opposed to service to
  the institution.
  CLAIMS BY SOLDIERS AND DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY CIVILIANS
  5-2. The Army claims program investigates, processes, adjudicates, and settles certain claims on behalf of
  and against the United States worldwide. This program works under the authority conferred by statutes,
  regulations, international and interagency agreements, and DOD directives. The Army claims program
  supports commanders, promoting the morale of Army personnel by compensating them for property damage
  suffered incident to service.
  5-3. Adjudicating claims for property damage of Soldiers and other employees arising incident to service
  is a legal task under the legal function Soldier and Family legal services. This process is supervised by TJAG
  under the authority of the Secretary of the Army. Most claims by Soldiers and DA Civilians arise incident to
  household goods moves at government expense and are covered by the Personnel Claims Act. These claims
  are first filed directly with the carrier by the Soldier or DA Civilian. If the Soldier or DA Civilian does not
  receive adequate resolution with the carrier, the local claims processing office will assist with forwarding the
  claim to the Center for Personnel Claims Support at Fort Knox. (See AR 27-20 for further details on
  processing personnelclaims.)
  5-4. There are several other claims cognizable under federal law for harm, damage,or destruction to person
  or property resulting incident to service that Soldiers and DA Civilians may file with the unit legal office.
  Claims may be processed under the Military Claims Act, National Guard Claims Act, international
  agreements, Maritime Claims Act, Non-Scope Claims Act, and Article 139, UCMJ. Brigade legal sections
  and OSJAs in the deployed environment must be prepared to process claims with the appropriate area claims
  office. Judge advocates at all echelons need to understand and advise commanders on the requirements to
  report and investigate claims under Chapter 2, AR 27-20. Additionally, JALS personnel must be familiar
  with claims processing, investigative procedures, and command claims service responsibilities and contact
  information.
  MEDICAL EVALUATION AND DISABILITY LAW
  5-5. Soldiers undergoing evaluation in the Army’s Disability Evaluation System (DES) are entitled to legal
  representation from the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel. The Office of Soldiers’ Counsel includes Soldiers’
  Medical Evaluation Board Counsel (SMEBC) and Soldiers’ Physical Evaluation Board Counsel (SPEBC)
  who provide case-specific legal advice and advocacy tailored to the Soldier’s goals regarding their ultimate
  outcome from the DES. The SMEBC and SPEBC advise Soldierson submitting materials at various stages