Fort Huachuca Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (AZ) Contact: Captain Maria Doucettperry, Law Day School Coordinator Fort Huachuca (OSJA), USAIC & Fort Huachuca Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613 E-mail doucettperrym@huachuca-emh1.army.mil Activity Summary: Fort Huachuca Office of the Staff Judge Advocate(OSJA) organized activities aimed at increasing community awareness of legal rights and responsibilities. The group presented puppet shows addressing the need for appreciation of diversity on the playground, for kindergarten students and special needs preschoolers, at the post elementary school and at the mall. Thereafter, a marionette dance and question and answer session reiterated that we are all “Everyday People”. Additionally, the office organized a poster contest, fun run, mail shred, luncheon, voir dire, mock trial, voter registration drive and naturalization ceremony wherein citizens of ten countries renounced their alliance to their native countries to become American citizens. Activity Narrative: The OSJA’s Client Services Division wrote and performed a puppet show that demonstrated the need for diversity among school aged children. The discriminating behavior of the puppets actualized the need for diversity and why everyone has a duty to speak up when others around them are acting discriminatorily. Because the puppet show was performed during two school assemblies and twice at the local mall it was viewed by children of all ages. The question and answer session and marionette song and dance that followed the puppet show encouraged participation by all. Many children and adults left singing the tune “Everyday People.” An ongoing voter registration drive made the public aware of their duty to speak up for democracy and diversity and every other freedom and law that affects them. The public was reminded of their duty to vote as citizens of a free and democratic society. Registrations were taken at several public areas, including the post grocery store and local mall. Additionally, new citizens sworn in at the Law Day Naturalization ceremony were registered and students 18 and older at the Alternate High School were registered. The high school principal even agreed to keep registration forms at the school to encourage registration by students as they reach eighteen. In accordance with our theme, wheelchair racers, a group previously overlooked, were actively encouraged to participate in the fun run. The run commenced with a speech from the Staff Judge Advocate making everyone aware of the purpose of Law Day and encouraging everyone to celebrate freedom daily. Participants included runners, walkers and wheelchair racers from the post and surrounding communities. This year’s run had such a favorable community response that wheelchair participants will be included in not only the Law Day run but other similar post runs for many years to come. The poster contest encouraged participation by our younger citizens. Elementary students were given a brief speech on democracy and diversity and then asked to illustrate what it meant to them. All posters were displayed at the post JAG office. Winners were congratulated at the school Awards Day program to encourage participation in the future. A special session of Federal District Court was convened at Fort Huachuca on Law Day to swear in twenty-two nationals of other countries as U. S. citizens. The ceremony, which was open to the public, demonstrated the American Naturalization process. The ceremony also highlighted the diversity theme by allowing persons of many diverse backgrounds an equal opportunity to obtain American citizenship. At our Law Day Luncheon, the speaker was Judge Roll of Federal District Court. Judge Roll discussed the significance of Law Day and the recognition and celebration of our freedom as Americans. This served as an effective forum for Law Day discussions among the local legal community. The luncheon, which targeted legal professionals in the area, also served as the meeting site for the May Cochise Bar Association Meeting. The luncheon was so successful that it was suggested that next year’s luncheon also coincide with a local bar meeting. To increase public awareness of those groups often targeted in unlawful schemes, specifically young military soldiers and elderly citizens, the office issued brochures informing the public of identity theft and set up a shredder in the local post office. Free mail shredding was offered and we explained the importance of properly disposing of personal documents, i.e., bank statements, pre-approved credit offers, etc. Office personnel shredded mail for nearly forty-five individuals and issued important information to members of our elderly community. To make students aware of the entire process, a mock voter registration was held. From the registry, names were randomly selected for potential jurors and a mock voir dire was conducted by two attorneys with an attorney from the local prosecutor’ s office serving as judge. Over sixty students left with a complete understanding of the judicial process and the importance of registering to vote. Selected jurors served as the jury for the mock trial. Activities in the schools culminated with a mock trial conducted before the entire school. With the exception of the judge, all participants were students. From this activity the entire school, approximately 300 students, were introduced to the judicial process. The trial was so effective the school indicated they would make a mock trial part of their yearly activities. Sample Programs Home | By Audience | By Location | By Sponsoring Organization