{"80":{"first":"Paul","last":"Starita"},"81":"Assistant U.S. Attorney \/ Colonel, USMCR","82":"paul.starita@usdoj.gov","83":"760-644-0041","84":{"first":"Christopher","last":"Brown"},"85":"1998","86":"For more than seventeen years, Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Christopher Brown, U.S. Marine Corps, has distinguished himself in public service as a Marine Corps Officer and Judge Advocate from 2001-present\u2014deploying twice in support of major combat operations\u2014and, from 2010-present, as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the District of Arizona.\r\n\r\nLtCol Brown was recently mobilized from the Reserve, taking a leave of absence from his civilian position as an AUSA, and is currently deployed to the Middle East, serving as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate (DJSA) for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).  In conjunction with partner forces, CJTF-OIR\u2019s mission is to defeat ISIS in designated areas of Iraq and Syria and to set conditions for follow-on operations to increase regional stability.  As the DSJA, LtCol Brown is the second ranking lawyer for CJTF-OIR, and supervises a split law office of judge advocates who advise the combatant commander (a three-star Army General) and his staff regarding a broad spectrum of complex operational law issues, including lethal targeting and military operational planning, for adherence to the Rules of Engagement and the Law of Armed Conflict.\r\n\r\nAs an AUSA in Arizona from 2008-present, LtCol Brown represented the United States in several hundred cases and investigations, involving financial crimes\/fraud, public corruption, espionage, terrorism, major drug-trafficking conspiracies, firearms violations, human smuggling, and other crimes.  He tried numerous cases, and obtained convictions in significant cases stemming from national security investigations, and also served as the Hate Crimes Coordinator for the office.  He is currently assigned to the Financial Crimes and Public Integrity unit.\r\n\r\nOn active duty in the Marine Corps from 2001-08, LtCol Brown distinguished himself in many roles, including as a military prosecutor, defense counsel, and SAUSA for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  As a Captain, in 2007-08, he was selected to serve as the Marine Corps\u2019 Senior Defense Attorney in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).  During OIF, LtCol Brown supervised the provision of defense services in an operational area the size of the State of New York, and conducted defense investigations and criminal litigation under austere and challenging conditions, including in Fallujah, Ramadi, and Western Anbar Province. He served in that position for nearly thirteen months where he advised and\/or represented hundreds of service members.  He received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement.\r\n\r\nLtCol Brown has been a reservist since 2008.  He graduated from Command & Staff College (seminar) (2012), served as a Regional Judge Advocate in Arizona (2012-16), and currently serves as the Deputy Branch Head for the Judge Advocate Reserve Trial Support Branch (JRT) (2016-present).  The JRT provides support to active component prosecution offices and is staffed by 10-12 reservists who are also experienced civilian prosecutors.  LtCol Brown supervises JRT prosecutors and assists the branch head with management and oversight of JRT.  From 2017-18, LtCol Brown initiated, developed and implemented a Marine Corps-wide, JRT program to assist active duty prosecutors tasked with composing case analysis memoranda for major felony cases and investigations.","87":"LtCol Brown is the consummate public servant who has dedicated his career to military service and criminal justice. Having recently supervised LtCol Brown, I believe I am in a unique position to speak to his character and the significance of his accomplishments.\r\n\r\nFollowing the acts of terrorism on September 11, 2001, one of LtCol Brown\u2019s first duties in the Marine Corps was to provide legal aid to thousands of Marines and other service members gearing up to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq, providing advice in areas such as estate planning, contract law, landlord\/tenant law, and the Servicemembers\u2019 Civil Relief Act.  There, at Camp Lejeune, NC, during those stressful and long hours supporting mass deployments, he began to build his reputation as a solid and steady professional, with an unflappable demeanor, and impeccable judgment.\r\n\r\nLtCol Brown took those character traits, and learned skills, with him to his next active duty assignments as a military prosecutor, SAUSA, senior defense attorney and finally senior prosecutor.  In 2006, while serving as the Senior Defense Counsel at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC, his boss, the Regional Defense Counsel for the Eastern U.S. (RDC-East), asked him to deploy as the Senior Defense Counsel-Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The RDC-East, needing to fill a Major\u2019s position, identified then Captain Brown as the officer most qualified to lead the defense bar in Iraq.  Though LtCol Brown was in a non-deployable position at the time, he eagerly volunteered and received his command\u2019s approval to deploy.  When asked to lead defense services during combat, LtCol Brown rose to the challenge and was awarded for his efforts.  During his time on active duty, he received two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal for his exceptional impact on the OIF mission.\r\n\r\nFor the last 10 years, LtCol Brown has juggled a very busy practice as an AUSA in Arizona with his reserve duties.  His success and progression within the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office speaks for itself.  He steadily earned a sterling reputation as a federal prosecutor in Arizona, initially working in General Crimes, and then entrusted with some of the most sensitive cases and investigations in the National Security and White Collar sections.\r\n  \r\nMost recently, I directly supervised LtCol Brown in his JRT leadership role.  LtCol Brown received accolades from the highest levels of Marine Corps leadership for initiating, developing, and implementing a reserve program to utilize experienced reserve prosecutors to advise and assist active duty prosecutors with the composition of case analysis memoranda for major felony cases and investigations.  This program has resulted in a world-wide improvement to the Marine Corps\u2019 military justice system. \r\n \r\nLtCol Brown\u2019s selection to deploy and represent the Marine Corps as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for CJTF-OIR in the operation to defeat ISIS is a credit to his outstanding reputation in the Marine Corps, and his recent successes and impacts as a leader within the Marine Corps Reserve.  \r\n"}