Operation Purple Pride Headlines
- Operation Purple Pride welcomes personal diaries or journals, photos, quick news updates about you and other classmates serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
- Nursing soldiers and cheerleading Rachel Engler ('05) took on the challenges of the U.S. Navy, nursing and the Washington Redskins
- Supporting U.S. troops from the air Jeffrey Cretz ('03) serves second deployment in Middle East
- Second tour in Iraq feels right U.S. Army officer and ROTC program graduate Jeffrey Farmer ('88) takes major changes in stride
- Helping make Baghdad a safer place JMU ROTC graduate Capt. Dan Hodermarsky ('03) keeps HQ vehicles in top shape
- No clowning around for this Navy 'bozo' Aviator David Hunter "Bozo" Bankart ('99) takes pride in giving back
- Hobby turns into career Brennan Sweeney ('97) enjoys the art of aviation
- Baghdad, family crisis and intercultural cooperation Eric Johnson ('95) reports on the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom with Task Force Tarawa Marines
- Different perspectives Will Schiek ('87) leads more than 500 U.S. soldiers providing logistics, security and communications for their Iraqi counterparts
- A service-oriented life Joe Clem ('89) provides medical support in Baghdad
- Rebuilding Iraq Civil Affairs officer Maj. Patrick Creed ('93) works with Iraqis to rebuild a nation
- Serving with JAG Corps in Iraq Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) with the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps
- Bringing democracy to the Afghani people and airwaves Maj. Patrick Kerr ('90) with Task Force Lightning
- Securing Baghdad's west side Capt. Shawn Harper ('97) reports on duty in Iraq
- Learning to fly Black Hawks Former JMU recruiter Lt. Kenny Ward ('03) now in 82nd Aviation Brigade
- A brief hello to fellow Dukes Lt. Col. Don Mosman ('85) reports from Iraq
- JMU's award-winning ROTC program Program repeatedly ranked in the top five percent in the nation.
- Maj. Mitchell Bell ('88) rescues injured Marines Marine reservist serves in Al Taqaddum, Iraq
- 1st Lt. James Sheasley ('02) cheers on the Dukes Purple, gold and green for this Marine
- Supporting the global war on terrorism Charles May ('83) is serving in Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Coming home Iraqi war veteran returns to JMU ROTC
- Warhorn History: Lt. Col. Laurie Moe Buckhout's ('84) Operation Iraqi Freedom diary
- MREs for 200,000? Army food service director Lt. Col. Don Vtipil ('84) serves three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
- A Blackhawk pilot's view of Operation Iraqi Freedom A journal entry by Major Donald R. Nitti ('88)
Serving with JAG Corps in Iraq
Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) with the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps
Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) outside Camp Anaconda, Balad, Iraq in October 2005.
From Madison to law school
Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) has been all over the globe since graduating from Madison. After earning a B.S. in political science and a minor in criminal justice, McWright went on to Ohio Northern University for law school, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1988. He then passed the Indiana bar exam and began private practice in Versailles, Ind. About a year later, McWright decided to apply for the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps.
A military journey with the JAG Corps
"I went into the JAG Corps because I felt an obligation to serve our country in the military, and [wanted] the opportunity to practice law in various legal fields," he says. "The JAG Corps has officers assigned all over the continental United States and throughout the world so it provided a great opportunity to see many different places."
In June 1989, McWright was commissioned as a first lieutenant and went on to the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Training Course in September. With his training completed, McWright began his military journey. "I was stationed at Fort Gordon, Ga., from 1989 to 1992; Fort Stewart, Ga., from 1992 to 1995; Fort Riley, Kan., from 1995 to 1997; received my Master's of Law from the Army Judge Advocate General's School in 1998; was on the faculty at the Air Force Judge Advocate General's School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., from 1998 to 2001; was deputy staff judge advocate at Fort Polk, La., from 2001 to 2003; and was deputy staff judge advocate at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., from 2003 to 2005."
With the Army's Trial Defense Service
In June 2005, McWright deployed to Iraq, where he is the regional defense counsel, Region IX (Middle East) for the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service. He is currently stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad. "The TDS mission is to provide a full range of criminal defense legal services to soldiers, which includes representing soldiers charged with criminal offenses at trial and during criminal investigations or in other adverse criminal or administrative actions," he says.
McWright supervises 21 Army trial defense attorneys stationed throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan. "I do a good bit of traveling throughout Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan to where my supervisees are located," he says.
After a yearlong tour in Iraq, McWright will return to the U.S. in summer 2006. He will then take the role of executive officer for the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service Headquarters, located in the Washington, D.C., area. "I am glad I deployed to Iraq because I have so many great soldiers and attorneys working with me, but I am looking forward to getting back to the states after my year is up and seeing my wife, Andrea," he says.
McWright is a proud member of the Duke Club. Although he wasn't a part of the ROTC program at JMU, he says that the military science courses he took were some of his favorites. "I had a blast at JMU and am amazed at the growth of the school since I graduated over 20 years ago," he says. "I'd love to come back and teach someday."