Arrested & in the National Guard? Active Military JAG Attorney Explains What Happens to Your Career

When a service member gets arrested, the civilian criminal case is only half the problem. Your military status, your security clearance, your veterans benefits, and your entire career are all on the line — independently of what happens in court. Attorney David Villa is uniquely positioned to explain this. He is both a civilian criminal defense attorney with Ruane DUI & Criminal Defense Attorneys AND an active JAG officer currently serving as a military defense attorney in the Maine Army National Guard. He has seen both sides of this process from the inside. If you serve in the National Guard or reserves and you have been arrested — this is the video you need to watch before you do anything else. 📞 Facing charges in Connecticut? Call us for a free case evaluation: 👉 https://www.ruaneattorneys.com 📞 203-925-9200/860-925-9200 ───────────────────────────────────── 📌 CHAPTERS ───────────────────────────────────── 0:47 Introduction — Attorney David Villa, JAG Officer and Civilian Defense Attorney 1:05 You Now Have Two Separate Legal Problems 1:36 Two Sets of Rules — Which Applies to You 1:51 Title 32 — State Duty, Drills, and Weekend Orders 2:14 Title 10 — Federal Activation and the Full UCMJ 2:42 Reporting Requirements — 72 Hours (Your Unit May Require Less) 3:36 Security Clearance — Report It or Lose It Permanently 4:05 Weapons Prohibition — If a Protective Order Was Issued You Cannot Handle Military Weapons 4:25 Domestic Violence Charges and Immediate Duty Conflict 5:02 DUI and Loss of Military Driving Privileges 5:54 What Your Command Can Do — The Full Spectrum 6:09 Letters of Reprimand and Demotion 6:28 Suspension from Duty and Bar to Reenlistment 7:38 Involuntary Separation and Administrative Discharge 7:49 The Discharge Spectrum — Honorable to Dishonorable 9:11 UCMJ Charges That Run Alongside Civilian Charges 9:30 Articles 111, 112a, 128, 128b, 133, 134 Explained 10:07 Veterans Benefits at Stake — GI Bill, VA Healthcare, Retirement 10:57 What to Do Right Now — Four Steps 12:33 Do Not Plead Guilty Without Understanding the Military Consequences ───────────────────────────────────── ⚖️ WHAT THIS VIDEO COVERS ───────────────────────────────────── ✅ Why winning your civilian case does not protect your military career ✅ The difference between Title 32 (state duty) and Title 10 (federal orders) ✅ Why the military can act on an arrest — without a conviction ✅ The 72-hour reporting requirement and why your unit may require faster ✅ Why failing to report is treated as more serious than the underlying arrest ✅ How a domestic violence protective order immediately prohibits you from handling military weapons ✅ The Lautenberg Amendment and what a DV misdemeanor conviction means for your military career ✅ The full discharge spectrum — from honorable to dishonorable — and what each costs you ✅ UCMJ articles that can run alongside your civilian charges ✅ Veterans benefits at stake — GI Bill, VA healthcare, home loan, retirement points ✅ Why you need both a civilian lawyer and a JAG attorney working together ✅ Why no plea should be entered without understanding the military consequences ───────────────────────────────────── 🎖️ ABOUT ATTORNEY DAVID VILLA ───────────────────────────────────── Attorney David Villa brings a perspective almost no other civilian defense attorney can offer. He currently serves as a JAG officer and military defense attorney in the Maine Army National Guard while practicing criminal defense on the civilian side with Ruane Attorneys in Connecticut. He understands both legal systems — from the inside — and knows exactly how decisions in one affect outcomes in the other. ───────────────────────────────────── 📞 CONTACT RUANE ATTORNEYS ───────────────────────────────────── Ruane Attorneys has been defending Connecticut residents since 2001. We represent clients statewide and offer free case evaluations. 🌐 https://www.ruaneattorneys.com 📞 203-925-9200/860-925-9200 ───────────────────────────────────── ⚠️ DISCLAIMER ───────────────────────────────────── The views expressed in this video are those of Attorney David Villa in his capacity as a civilian defense attorney and do not represent the views of the U.S. military or the Maine Army National Guard. This video is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this video does not create an attorney-client relationship. Contact a licensed Connecticut attorney for advice specific to your situation. ───────────────────────────────────── #NationalGuardArrest #MilitaryDefense #JagAttorney #ConnecticutCriminalDefense #RuaneAttorneys #ServiceMemberRights #MilitaryLaw #UCMJ #NationalGuard #VeteransRights #MilitaryCareer #DischargeTypes #SecurityClearance #LautenbergAmendment #CTCriminalDefense #MilitaryAttorney #KnowYourRights #LawTok #CriminalDefense #ConnecticutAttorney