About Us
Welcome to the home of Oregon’s TDS, which are provided by the Army National Guard (ARNG) 653rd Trial Defense Team (653rd TDT), a subordinate operating element of the ARNG 4133 Regional Trial Defense Team (RTDT), and National Guard Bureau (NGB) TDS.
Oregon is also the home of the Army National Guard 4133d RTDT. Trial Defense Services along with the 4133d RTDT were initially established by National Guard Force structure approval memorandum 11 September 2009, and is responsible for technical supervision and rating of Army National Guard Trial Defense Counsel and Paralegals supporting the Army National Guard Trial Defense Service (ARNGTDS) within ten western states and the Pacific Territory of Guam.
Mission
The 653rd TDT’s mission is to provide zealous advocacy and defense services to ARNG Soldiers whenever required by law or regulation and authorized by the ARNG TDS, our higher headquarters.
TDS defense services include 1) representing Soldiers charged with military criminal offenses at trial; 2) representing Soldiers during criminal investigations and before elimination or grade reduction boards; and, 3) counseling Soldiers regarding pretrial restraint, nonjudicial punishment, and various adverse administrative actions taken pursuant to military regulations.
In accordance with AR 27-3, below is a comprehensive list of defense services:
- Administrative actions that are initiated on the basis of alleged violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), or are related to impending, pending or recently completed UCMJ proceedings.
- Enlisted administrative separations under chapters 5-13 (personality disorder), 7 (defective/fraudulent enlistment/reenlistment), 8 (pregnancy if notification procedure is used), 9 (alcohol/drug abuse), 10 (for the good of the service), 11 (entry level performance/conduct), 13 (unsatisfactory performance), 14 (misconduct), and 18 (overweight). (AR 635-200)
- Officer elimination actions
- Officer resignation in lieu of administrative elimination proceedings
- Reductions in grade
- Memoranda of reprimand
- Summary Court-Martial counseling
- Special Court-Martial Representation
- General Court-Martial Representation
- Article 32, UCMJ, representation
- Article 15, UCMJ, counseling