The Quill & Sword

In this episode, we explore how the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) applies directly to military officers deployed alongside foreign coalition partners, breaking down how defense articles, technical data, and "deemed exports" are strictly regulated under federal law. The hosts examine high-risk operational platforms like unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-drone jammers, detail legal sharing pathways such as Foreign Military Sales and AUKUS, and outline a practical four-step battle drill for military personnel navigating export compliance downrange.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we analyze how the overhaul of FAR Part 18, emergency acquisitions by condensing FAR Part 18 and relocating general acquisition flexibilities to a centralized reference at acquisition.gov. Listeners will learn how the updated RFO framework eliminates redundant non-statutory language while retaining critical higher spending thresholds, local contracting preferences, and key statutory emergency authorities.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review the discovery and disclosure rules under R.C.M. 701 and R.C.M. 703, highlighting the tension between a victim's Fourth Amendment privacy rights in digital evidence and the accused's statutory right to discovery. We examine whether the military judge erred in denying defense access to a complete forensic data extraction of the victim's cell phone when the government held physical possession of the data, but the victim had consented only to a limited, location-related search. We provide key takeaways on the strategic trial application of the harmless error standard, the evolving definition of physical possession in the digital age, and the broader appellate trajectory of balancing Fourth versus Sixth Amendment rights in military courts.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we analyze the overhaul of FAR Part 17, highlighting key
additions such as the explicit codification of reverse auctions and the
removal of the default five-year ceiling on option periods. We also
discuss structural streamlining across the subparts, the relocation of
procedural best practices to the non-regulatory FAR Companion, and
the broader policy shift toward judgment-based procurement practices.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast
page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show
includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our
four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law
Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR
and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg”
(Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate
General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at
https://tjaglcs.army.mil/

In this episode, we explore the major shift in FAR Part 16 from a restrictive to a permissive regulatory philosophy, as well as the new agency justification requirements for non-fixed-price contracts introduced under Executive Order. We also break down key structural reorganizations across the subparts and highlight new acquisition flexibilities, including establishing BPAs under IDIQ contracts and the formal codification of vendor on-ramps and off-ramps.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we unpack the massive revamp of FAR Part 13, which completely strips out commercial clutter to focus strictly on simplified procedures for non-commercial acquisitions. We discuss operational updates for contracting officers, including the migration of payment clauses to Part 32, the transition to a dynamic online list of inapplicable laws, and the strict new legal distinction between canceling an unaccepted purchase order versus terminating an accepted one.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we examine FAR Part 9, explaining how major sections—including pre-award surveys and contractor team arrangements—have been removed from codified regulation and relocated to the non-regulatory FAR Companion Guide. We also detail core retained statutory standards updated for plain language, along with critical new administrative rules that make non-compliance a direct trigger for suspension or debarment proceedings.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review the residual hearsay exception under M.R.E. 807 and the Sixth Amendment right to present a complete defense under Chambers v. Mississippi. We examine whether the military judge arbitrarily excluded a third party's recorded confession and apology letter to the victim's parents, and whether admitting that evidence for impeachment alone infringed a weighty interest of the accused. We provide takeaways on the current trustworthiness standard, the line between judicial gatekeeping and panel credibility determinations, and the appellate risk of excluding exculpatory evidence.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review the hearsay exception for prior consistent statements under M.R.E. 801(d)(1)(B) and the Frost and Finch factors that govern each subsection. We examine whether a victim's statements to law enforcement were admissible to rehabilitate credibility attacked on the “other ground” of faulty memory in Ruiz, and of inconsistency in Brown, along with CAAF's clarification of Ayala on when both subsections may apply. We provide takeaways on anticipating impeachment, making strategic decisions about highlighting inconsistencies, and using bench briefs to frame the issue for the military judge.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we break down the mandatory priority ladder for federal procurement, guiding contracting professionals through the essential "rules of the road" for sourcing supplies and services. They also highlight crucial updates on using the Spend Under Management tiers, the relocation of Federal Supply Schedule procedures to the GSAM, and the streamlined three-day explanation process for unsuccessful quoters.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we unpack two proposed rules from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that could qualify companies with up to half a billion dollars in annual revenue as small businesses. The hosting team breaks down the five major proposed shifts—including massive NAICS code consolidation, a preference for headcount-based standards, and the "hold harmless" policy—detailing exactly how these changes will reshape the "rule of two" and the competitive landscape for federal contractors.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we dive into the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) to explain
how FAR Part 8 has been completely restructured, consolidating three FAR
parts into one and moving Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) ordering procedures
out of the FAR and into the GSAM. We detail essential shifts for acquisition
professionals, including the new required-use contract hierarchy, defense-specific deviations, and the strict three-day timeline for providing brief
explanations to unsuccessful quoters.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast
page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show
includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our
four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law
Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR
and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg”
(Administrative & Civil Law Department).

In this episode, we examine the transition from prescriptive checklists to a dynamic acquisition planning process that moves procedural "how-tos" into the non-regulatory FAR Companion Guide. The discussion highlights the unification of consolidation and bundling into a single framework, alongside new transparency requirements designed to protect small business incumbents.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review the CAAF's ruling that a defense counsel's statement of “no motions” at arraignment constituted an affirmative, express waiver of a multiplicity challenge to duplicative Article 128b domestic violence specifications. We examine the tension between waiver and forfeiture, the majority's reliance on the absence of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, and the dissent's concern that constitutional double jeopardy rights were relinquished without any showing the accused personally understood or intended to give them up. We also discuss the still-unresolved question, left open in both Malone and the subsequent Ford decision, of what constitutes the “unit of prosecution” for Article 128b offenses, and provide takeaways for practitioners on documenting client conversations, charging strategy for “super specs,” and preserving multiplicity issues for appeal.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we explore the historical roots of sealed bidding and its modern transformation under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO), which reorganizes FAR Part 14 into a more accessible, lifecycle-based structure,. The discussion highlights the transition of non-regulatory best practices to the new FAR Companion, the removal of outdated procedures like facsimile bids, and the consolidation of two-step sealed bidding to create a leaner, more organized rulebook.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review whether a suspect's statement, “I would like to speak to a lawyer, but um, yeah,” was an unequivocal invocation of the right to counsel under Article 31, UCMJ principles. We examine how the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces applied Edwards v. Arizona and Davis v. United States, and how the majority and dissent split over whether the words “but um, yeah” were meaningless filler words or introduced genuine ambiguity into the invocation. We provide takeaways for practitioners on evaluating motions to suppress based on the precise wording of a client's request for counsel.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In the premiere episode of The Backbone, host 1SG Green brings together leaders from across the Judge Advocate General’s Corps for a special National Paralegal Appreciation Day discussion focused on the evolution of Army legal practice, professional development, and the future of the Army’s Paralegal.
Joined by CSM Bostic, the 14th Regimental Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps; 1SG Washington, Project Lead for the 27D Paralegal Handbook; SFC Grell, Project Lead for the Legal Technician Standard Training Package (STP); and LTC Wilson, providing the operational Judge Advocate perspective, the panel explores how leadership, doctrine, operational experience, and innovation are transforming the way Army legal professionals support commanders and Soldiers.
Together, they discuss the modernization of the 27D Paralegal Handbook, the development of the Legal Technician Standard Training Package (STP), the importance of professional development, and the leadership required to prepare the next generation of Army paralegals. The conversation highlights how doctrine, operational experience, education, and innovation work together to strengthen the Corps and ensure legal professionals remain ready to meet the demands of an evolving operational environment.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we explore the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) of Part 19, which reorganizes small business regulations into acquisition life cycle stages while moving non-regulatory best practices to the FAR Companion. The discussion highlights critical updates for practitioners, such as the mandatory Rule of Two at the master contract level and a new, efficient process for automatically releasing requirements from the 8(a) program.
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we review the interplay between unlawful command influence (UCI) and a plea agreement's waiver of all waivable motions. We examine whether a “waive all waivable motions” provision, confirmed through a judge's colloquy, forecloses appellate review of a UCI claim even when the accused later alleges his defense counsel misadvised him about its effect. We provide takeaways on the importance of thorough judicial inquiries into waiver provisions, precise and documented advice from defense counsel on what a plea waives, and the correct legal standard for assessing prejudice in ineffective assistance of counsel claims tied to a guilty plea.

Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department). Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/.

In this episode, we discuss navigating the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO)
using updated tools on acquisition.gov, including practitioner albums for
change summaries and the new FAR Companion. The panel outlines how to
locate agency-specific supplements like the AFARS and DFARS, while
providing strategies for researching primary sources such as National Defense
Authorization Acts (NDAAs) and GAO case law. Finally, the episode introduces
the newly renamed Acquisition Attorney’s Deskbook and explores the evolving
role of closed and open AI tools in conducting streamlined legal analysis.

Resources Links
Deskbooks:
Attorney’s Acquisition Deskbook: tjaglcs.army.mil/publications
Fiscal Law Deskbook: tjaglcs.army.mil/publications

Primary Sources:
FAR: www.acquisition.gov/
RFO: www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul
RFO Practitioner Albums: www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/practitioner
albums
FAR Companion:
www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/page_file_uploads/far-companion.pdf
AFARS Link: www.army.mil/armycontracting#org-afars
DFARS: www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfarspgi/current/index.html and
https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfars_far_overhaul_class_deviations.html
U.S. Code and Statutes: uscode.house.gov/
Congress: www.congress.gov/
DoD History & Library Directorate: whs
mil.libguides.com/dodappropriationslaws
GAO: www.gao.gov/legal/bid-protests/search
Court of Federal Claims (COFC): www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/
Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA): www.asbca.mil/

Secondary Sources:
Congressional Research Reports: www.congress.gov/quick-search/crs
products?qs_expand=true
WIFCON.com: www.wifcon.com
Small Gov Con: www.smallgov.com
StanHinton: www.stanhinton.com
Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast
page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show
includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our
four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law
Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR
and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg”
(Administrative & Civil Law Department).