General Counsel, DoD
&
Director, DLSA
View Biography
OGC MISSION

The principal mission of the Office of the General Counsel of the Department of Defense/Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA) is to provide comprehensive, cogent, timely, and accurate legal advice that is responsive to the Department's mission requirements, directly to the Secretary of Defense and senior DoD leaders (outside of the Military Departments and Combatant Commands, and the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense). The Office also provides advice to DoD officials not in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, where appropriate.

ABOUT DOD OGC
 
The essential functions of the Office of the General Counsel, in addition to providing legal advice to the Department's leadership, include:
 
  • Coordinating significant legal matters, including litigation, with the Department of Justice.
  • Establishing DoD policy on general legal issues.
  • Acting as lead counsel for DoD in international negotiations conducted by Office of the Secretary of Defense Components.
  • Overseeing legal services performed in DoD (except the Office of the General Counsel to the Inspector General).
  • Resolving different interpretations of law within DoD.
ABOUT DEFENSE LEGAL SERVICES AGENCY
 
The General Counsel is dual-hatted as the Director of the Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA). DLSA is a hybrid Defense Agency. The Director, DLSA, controls the billets, personnel, and funding for portions of DLSA. The General Counsels of the Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities are also part of DLSA, under the authority, direction, and control of the Director, DLSA, but their billets and funding are handled by the client organizations. The essential functions of DLSA, in addition to providing legal advice to the heads of the Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities, include:
 
  • Administering the Department's legislative program, including coordinating the Department's position on proposed legislation and maintaining the Departments historical legislative files.
  • Developing the Department' s standard of conduct policy and administering the Standard of Conduct program for OSD and assigned organizations.
  • Administering the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Review program.
  • Administering Military Commissions for the trial of detainees.
The functions of the DoD General Counsel are addressed in greater detail in the General Counsel chartering DoD Directive , DoD Directive 5145. l. The functions of DLSA are addressed in greater detail in the DLSA chartering DoD Directive, DoD Directive 5145.4.
 
DoD OGC and DLSA LEADERSHIP
 
The Honorable Caroline D. Krass, DoD General Counsel and Director, Defense Legal Services Agency|Biography
 
Corin R. Stone, DoD Principal Deputy General Counsel and Deputy Director, Defense Legal Services Agency|Biography
 

DOD GC Caroline Krass and DOD PDGC Corin Stone with the 2022 DOD OGC Summer Interns

Members of DoD OGC and the NSC Legal Advisor’s Office
Florencio Yuzon (NSC Legal), Caroline Krass (DOD GC), Ashley Deeks (Principal Deputy Legal Advisor, NSC), Corin Stone (PDGC, DOD), Katie Visser (DOD OGC)

 

DOD GC Caroline Krass with the US delegation at a NATO legal advisors conference. 
Front row:  Ms. Sabeena Rajpal (State/L); CDR Meredith Werner, JAGC, USN (Legal Advisor for US NATO Delegation); HON Caroline Krass (DoD GC); CAPT Lia Reynolds, JAGC, USN (DoD OGC)
Second row:  Mr. Rich Visek (State Department Acting Legal Adviser);  Mr. Matt Thrasher (DoD OGC)

Deputy Secretary Hicks Addresses OGC All Hands.