Mark S. Martins

Last updated
Mark S. Martins
BG Mark S. Martins.jpg
BG Mark S. Martins
Born (1960-07-26) July 26, 1960 (age 64)
New York, U.S. [1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1983–2021
Rank Brigadier General
Awards

Mark Steven Martins [2] (born July 26, 1960) [1] is a retired United States Army officer. He attained the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. Martin's final position was Chief Prosecutor of Military Commissions, overseeing the trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four co-defendants. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Early life

Martins attended high school in Rockville, Maryland. His father was a colonel in the US Army as well as the chief of neurosurgery at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. [6]

Education

Martins attended the University of Maryland for one year before being admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point. [7]

He received his Bachelor of Science (BS) from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1983, graduating first in his class of 833 students. [6] After graduation, Martins attended Army Ranger School. He was then awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and attended Balliol College at the University of Oxford, graduating with a Master of Arts (MA) in 1985 with first class honors. [1] [8]

He also holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from Harvard Law School where he served on the Harvard Law Review with Barack Obama and graduated magna cum laude, [9] a Master of Laws (LLM) in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia (graduating first in his class), and a Master of Military Arts and Sciences (MMAS) from the Command and General Staff College (graduating first in his class).

Military career

Martins commissioned into the Infantry Branch of the US Army and served as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division in 1983. In 1987, he was accepted into the Army's Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP). Upon his graduation from Harvard Law School in 1990, Martins became a judge advocate in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. [10]

His military education includes:

Since becoming a judge advocate, Martins has held a number of positions. This includes Trial Counsel, Chief of Legal Assistance, Chief of Administrative Law, Operational Law Attorney, and Senior Trial Counsel for the 101st Airborne Division. Martins was also the Instructor of International and Operational Law and deputy director of the Center for Law and Military Operations. [11]

Additionally, Martins served overseas as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for the 1st Infantry Division while stationed in Germany. he was also the Chief of Staff of USKFOR and the Legal Advisor to Commanding General, Task Force Falcon while stationed in Kosovo. Furthermore, he was also the Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. [11]

From 2006 to 2008, Martins led the Rule of Law campaign for Multi-National Force - Iraq. While in Iraq, Martins coordinated the work of United States and coalition investigative, corrections, and judicial experts and directed MNF-I support to Iraq's courts and law enforcement institutions. He is reportedly a close friend of General David Petraeus, and the two frequently went running together in Iraq. [9]

In September 2009 he was appointed the Deputy Commanding General of Joint Task Force 435, charged with reforming military detention operations in Afghanistan. During this time, he also co-led the interagency Detention Policy Task Force. [12] By February 2010 he was overseeing detainee operations at the Detention Facility in Parwan (DFIP) which replaced the Bagram Theater Internment Facility. [13]

In the fall of 2010, Martins assumed command of the new Rule of Law Field Force - Afghanistan, which works to transform problem areas into secure and accountable legal environments.

In a lecture following his acceptance of Harvard Law School's Medal of Freedom in 2011, Martins said:

[Afghanistan's] lack of governance … is accompanied by a lack of confidence in the government's ability to deliver justice, resolve civil disputes and address a perceived culture of impunity among the powerful. Establishing the rule of law in these districts is critical to the kind of sound governance that will enable an enduring transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces and deny that rugged country as a sanctuary for global threats. [14]

Martins became the Chief Prosecutor of Military Commissions in 2011 at Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp. [15] During this time, he reportedly requested not to be considered for a promotion as Martins was in-line for a promotion to major general, though he felt that a promotion would be disruptive to his work in Guantánamo. [7]

In 2013, the army extended Martin's retirement beyond the scheduled late 2014 date, then to 2019, and finally to 2023. [16] In 2021, he decided to retire effective September 30, 2021, before the start of the 9/11 trials. [17] Martins' retirement announcement came as a surprise to many, though Martins was actually due to retire many times before 2021. [18]

Military awards

Martins is a recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star (two awards), and the Meritorious Service Medal (multiple awards).

His badges include the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. [12] [11]

Personal life

Martins is married. His wife Kate is also a West Point graduate, and was a helicopter pilot in the US Army. They have two children. Martins' son Nate also attended West Point and completed Ranger School in the US Army. His daughter, Hannah, was in Army ROTC at Princeton University. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Task Force Guantanamo</span> Military unit

Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO) is a U.S. military joint task force based at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba on the southeastern end of the base. JTF-GTMO falls under US Southern Command. Since January 2002 the command has operated the Guantanamo Bay detention camps Camp X-Ray and its successors Camp Delta, Camp V, and Camp Echo, where detained prisoners are held who have been captured in the war in Afghanistan and elsewhere since the September 11, 2001 attacks. From the command's founding in 2002 to early 2022, the detainee population has been reduced from 779 to 37. As of October 21, 2022, the unit is under the command of U.S. Army Brigadier General Scott W. Hiipakka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Hemingway</span> American military lawyer

Brigadier General Thomas Hemingway is an American military lawyer who has served as a legal advisor to the Office of Military Commissions. Thomas Hemingway was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in November 1962 after earning his undergraduate degree at Willamette University. Upon graduation, he took an educational delay and earned his doctor of jurisprudence in 1965 at Willamette University College of Law. Hemingway entered active service in November 1965. He has also been an associate professor of law at the United States Air Force Academy and a senior judge on the Air Force Court of Military Review. He is a current member of the state bar in Oregon and the District of Columbia, and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. He retired from active service in October 1996. General Hemingway was recalled to active service in August 2003 to fill the position as Legal Adviser to the Convening Authority in the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions, Washington, D.C. General. He was replaced by Thomas W. Hartmann in July 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John D. Altenburg</span> United States general

John D. Altenburg Jr. is a lawyer for the U.S. Army and a retired major general. In December 2003, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld named Altenburg as the appointing authority for military commissions covering detainees at Guantanamo. He resigned, effective November 10, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Borch</span> American lawyer

Colonel Frederic L. Borch was a career United States Army attorney with a master's degree in national security studies, who served as chief prosecutor of the Guantanamo military commissions. He resigned his commission in August 2005 after three prosecutors complained that he had rigged the system against providing due process to defendants. He was replaced by Robert L. Swann

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Haynes II</span> American lawyer and politician

William James "Jim" Haynes II is an American lawyer and was General Counsel of the Department of Defense during much of 43rd President George W. Bush's administration and his war on terror. Haynes resigned as general counsel effective March 2008.

The United States Marine Corps' Judge Advocate Division serves both to advise the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) and other officials in Headquarters, Marine Corps on legal matters, and to oversee the Marine Corps legal community. The head of the Judge Advocate Division (JAD) is the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant.

Kevin M. Sandkuhler is an American lawyer, and retired brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps. His 2003 memo expressing concerns about the US interrogation of terrorism suspects, released in 2005 after a declassification request by Senator Lindsey Graham, received national and international attention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas W. Hartmann</span>

Thomas W. Hartmann is an American lawyer and officer in the United States Air Force Reserve. He has 32 years of criminal, commercial and civil litigation experience. Between 1983 and 1991 he was a prosecutor and defense counsel in the Air Force, including duties as Chief Air Force Prosecutor in Asia-Pacific Region. From 1991 to 1996 he was an associate at Bryan Cave LLP and at SBC Communications. In 1996 he became senior counsel for mergers & acquisitions for SBC Communications closing multiple deals worth several billion dollars in U.S., Europe, and South America as well as negotiating a strategic partnering agreement with a global internet service provider. From 1998 onwards he was general counsel for SBC Communications (1999–2001), Orius Corp. (2001–2004) and MxEnergy Inc. (2005–2007) in domestic and international settings. In July 2007 Brigadier General Hartmann was appointed the legal adviser to the convening authority in the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions. In September 2008, as a result of the expansion of the commission efforts that Hartmann had led, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England elevated Hartmann to become the director of operations, planning, and development for the commissions. Hartmann reported to Susan J. Crawford, a retired judge, who was the convening authority until March 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Morris</span>

Attorney Lawrence J. Morris is the chief of staff and counselor to the president at The Catholic University of America and a retired United States Army colonel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David J. R. Frakt</span>

David Frakt is an American lawyer, law professor, and officer in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Kyndra Kaye Rotunda is an American lawyer, author, and former Major in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. She is a law professor at the Chapman University School of Law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew G. Olsen</span> American prosecutor (born 1962)

Matthew Glen Olsen is an American attorney who has served as the Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division since 2021. He is the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Chipman</span> United States Army general

Lieutenant General Dana Kyle Chipman, USA is a retired American military lawyer who served from 2009 to 2013 as the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William K. Lietzau</span>

William K. Lietzau is an American lawyer, former U.S. Marine Corps judge advocate, and former director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaughn Ary</span> United States Marine Corps general

Vaughn A. Ary is a retired American major general and the former staff judge advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and director of the United States Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division. Ary was forced to retire from his role of Conventing Authority for Military Trials of Guantanamo Bay detention camp, by a U.S. Federal judge, after five months. Ary currently serves as U.S. Department of Justice as Director of the Office of International Affairs, where he has responsibility for U.S.-initiated extraditions and U.S.-requested deportations.

Michael E. Dunlavey is a former major general in the United States Army. Following his retirement from the Army he was elected a State Judge in Erie Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas E. Ayres</span> United States Army general (born 1962)

Major General Thomas E. Ayres is a retired American military lawyer who served as the 20th Deputy Judge Advocate General of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Gill (lawyer)</span>

Stephen D. Gill is an American lawyer, from Massachusetts, and a retired United States Naval Reserve officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Pede</span> United States Army general

Charles Nicholas Pede is a military lawyer and retired United States Army lieutenant general who last served as the 40th Judge Advocate General of the United States Army. Pede was promoted from the rank of brigadier general to the rank of lieutenant general, bypassing the rank of major general on July 26, 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy". 1991. p. 811. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  2. "Mark Steven Martins". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  3. Finn, Peter (2011-06-23). "Pentagon names new Guantanamo prosecutor". Washington Post. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  4. "Deputy Commanding General Joint Task Force 435". Department of Defense. 2009-09-18. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10.
  5. Arthur B. Spritzer (2010-02-26). "Jalatzai v. Gates" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-04.
  6. 1 2 3 Carter, Terry (2013-03-01). "Meet the man who would save Guantanamo". ABA Journal.
  7. 1 2 Finn, Peter (2012-05-04). "Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, lead prosecutor in 9/11 case, in fight of his career". Washington Post.
  8. "U.S. Central Command | Brigadier General Mark S. Martins". Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  9. 1 2 "Mark Martins". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07.
  10. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : LENS Conference 2013 | Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, JAGC, Chief Prosecutor, Military Commissions. YouTube .
  11. 1 2 3 "Chief Prosecutor Military Commissions Brigadier General Mark S. Martins" (PDF). The US Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.
  12. 1 2 "Brigadier General Mark Martins To Speak". Charlotte School of Law. Archived from the original on 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  13. "New task force assumes control of detainee operations in Afghanistan". Department of Defense. 2010-01-08. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
  14. "Rule of law in Afghanistan is critical to an enduring transition of governance, says HLS Medal of Freedom recipient Brig. Gen. Mark Martins '90". Harvard Law School News and Events. Harvard Law School. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  15. "Mark S. Martins". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  16. Rosenberg, Carol (2017-10-18). "Pentagon postpones Guantánamo prosecutor's retirement until 2019". Miami Herald.
  17. Rosenberg, Carol (2021-07-09). "Chief Guantánamo Prosecutor Retiring Before Sept. 11 Trial Begins". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  18. Pfeiffer, Sacha (2021-07-10). "Chief Guantánamo Prosecutor Announces Surprise Retirement Before 9/11 Trial Starts". NPR.