Legal Office

The 374th Airlift Wing Legal Office provides on-point and timely legal services to meet the needs of our commanders, first sergeants, airmen, civilians and dependents.
Legal Office graphic

Legal Assistance

The Legal Office provides free confidential legal assistance on personal civil legal matters to eligible clients, including active duty or retired military members and their dependents. Examples of personal civil legal matters include: wills, powers of attorney, adoption, dependent care, financial responsibility, domestic relations, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) matters, veterans reemployment rights, landlord-tenant issues, and casualty affairs. The highest priority is given to Air Force personnel who need mobilization- or deployment-related legal assistance.

If your question relates to criminal or administrative actions see the section titled "Military Justice."

The Air Force Legal Assistance Website
If you need immediate information, the Air Force Legal Assistance Website provides general legal information on many common legal problems including: consumer/financial affairs, deployment readiness, family law, immigration, military benefits, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and more.

Wills and Advance Medical Directives
Legal assistance attorneys can prepare wills and advance medical directives, including living wills and medical powers of attorney. Before your appointment please visit theAir Force Legal Assistance Website to fill out a will worksheet form.

Legal Assistance & Will Hours (by appointment only)
Appointments for legal assistance and wills are by appointment only, Monday through Thursday. Will executions are done every Friday morning. If you are deploying and no appointment is available before you leave, please make sure to tell the receptionist that you are deploying. We will make every attempt to see you before you deploy.

Powers of Attorney and Notary Services
The Legal Office can prepare general and special powers of attorney and provide notary services on an appointment basis

Tax Clinic
The Legal Office operates a free tax clinic. The clinic helps Airmen prepare and file their federal and state tax returns. The tax clinic is run by volunteers who receive training by IRS personnel. The clinic is open from January through mid-June every year. This year, the clinic is open to all ranks, as well as DoD employees. Assistance is provided, by appointment only, Monday through Thursday. To schedule an appointment, please call 315-225-4927/4926 or 315-225-8069.

The Legal Office begins recruiting volunteers for the Tax Clinic at the end of November. Please contact the legal office if you are interested in volunteering to help our Airmen.

Immigration
If you recently married a foreign spouse and are looking to obtain a visa for him/her, please visit the USCIS website, http://www.uscis.gov/, and search for the I-130 petition. This is the petition you need to file in order to
have a spouse permanently reside in the United States. If you have further
questions on the process, please make a legal assistance appointment.

Claims

The Legal Office processes claims both for and against the Air Force arising out of incidents occurring on Yokota AB. To file a claim with our office, please call (315) 225-8423/9935.

Military Justice

The Legal Office provides legal advice on a full range of disciplinary matters to the wing commander, as well as to subordinate and tenant units. We enable commanders to uphold good order and discipline through the efficient and equitable administration of military justice, ranging from administrative actions to general courts-martial.

The Area Defense Counsel provides individual Air Force members independent legal representation. Airmen facing adverse administrative actions or who are suspected of committing an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice can receive confidential legal advice outside of the 374 AW chain of command. Do not contact the base legal office for these issues as everything you say can be used against you in court.

Air Force members can schedule an appointment with the Area Defense Counsel by calling 315-225-8114/8119.

VWAP

The Victim and Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) is supported by the Staff Judge Advocate's Office. It provides for the support of victims and witnesses of crimes under the UCMJ. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, VWAP ensures that victims and witnesses receive the information and assistance they deserve.

Please call (315) 225-8069 to schedule an appointment with our VWAP coordinator.