Ensuring the availability of legal advice to commanders

Section 162(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) In all cases, forces assigned to a combatant command or to the United States element of the North American Aerospace Defense Command under this subsection shall include qualified judge advocates in numbers sufficient to provide legal advice to all commanders responsible for planning and organizing military operations and all commanders authorized to convene courts-martial under sections 822 through 824 of this title. The qualifications of judge advocates assigned under this paragraph shall include— (A) the qualifications set forth in section 827 of this title; and (B) any additional education, expertise, or experience determined to be necessary to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph by the Judge Advocate General of the armed force concerned, or in the case of the Marine Corps, by the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps..