Major Joshua Mast

She was malnourished, so it was hard to say the exact age.

So she had a medically estimated birth date in July of 2019. I actually, we had to come up with some day. And so in the office when we were doing this for her birth certificate, we're like, hey, who's got a birthday in July? And somebody's like, mine's the 24th. So her birthday is July 24th because of that moraine who says like, so he knows who he is out there. He's an uncle, honorary.

So she had a medically estimated birth date in July of 2019. I actually, we had to come up with some day. And so in the office when we were doing this for her birth certificate, we're like, hey, who's got a birthday in July? And somebody's like, mine's the 24th. So her birthday is July 24th because of that moraine who says like, so he knows who he is out there. He's an uncle, honorary.

So she had a medically estimated birth date in July of 2019. I actually, we had to come up with some day. And so in the office when we were doing this for her birth certificate, we're like, hey, who's got a birthday in July? And somebody's like, mine's the 24th. So her birthday is July 24th because of that moraine who says like, so he knows who he is out there. He's an uncle, honorary.

Wait a minute, so how did they pick you? It just kind of happened, and I can go into it. So I called her off-cycle. Do you want to tell that part?

Wait a minute, so how did they pick you? It just kind of happened, and I can go into it. So I called her off-cycle. Do you want to tell that part?

Wait a minute, so how did they pick you? It just kind of happened, and I can go into it. So I called her off-cycle. Do you want to tell that part?

So what happened was we came to find out through these daily stand-up briefs. So our colonel briefs the general, the four-star, in charge of all of Afghanistan every evening. And so in order to prep himself for that, we do a stand-up in the mornings with each of our disciplines saying, hey, sir, this is what's going on. And you give them a two-minute spiel on what's going on in your section.

So what happened was we came to find out through these daily stand-up briefs. So our colonel briefs the general, the four-star, in charge of all of Afghanistan every evening. And so in order to prep himself for that, we do a stand-up in the mornings with each of our disciplines saying, hey, sir, this is what's going on. And you give them a two-minute spiel on what's going on in your section.

So what happened was we came to find out through these daily stand-up briefs. So our colonel briefs the general, the four-star, in charge of all of Afghanistan every evening. And so in order to prep himself for that, we do a stand-up in the mornings with each of our disciplines saying, hey, sir, this is what's going on. And you give them a two-minute spiel on what's going on in your section.

And so we would get updates, of course, as an office, like a bunch of Americans in a shop anywhere, if there's something interesting, you're cuing into that. And so the guy handling this was originally an Air Force judge advocate, and his specialty was not operational law. And he had advised the commander, like, hey, it's an Afghan decision, we're going to tell them and whatever they say.

And so we would get updates, of course, as an office, like a bunch of Americans in a shop anywhere, if there's something interesting, you're cuing into that. And so the guy handling this was originally an Air Force judge advocate, and his specialty was not operational law. And he had advised the commander, like, hey, it's an Afghan decision, we're going to tell them and whatever they say.

And so we would get updates, of course, as an office, like a bunch of Americans in a shop anywhere, if there's something interesting, you're cuing into that. And so the guy handling this was originally an Air Force judge advocate, and his specialty was not operational law. And he had advised the commander, like, hey, it's an Afghan decision, we're going to tell them and whatever they say.

And so I had heard, you know, indications and warnings in the shop, like, that they thought she was foreign and that it was injured in a hospital. And then we found out that it was actually a little girl several weeks in. And when I'm listening to these briefs and hearing the legal advice, there's—

And so I had heard, you know, indications and warnings in the shop, like, that they thought she was foreign and that it was injured in a hospital. And then we found out that it was actually a little girl several weeks in. And when I'm listening to these briefs and hearing the legal advice, there's—

And so I had heard, you know, indications and warnings in the shop, like, that they thought she was foreign and that it was injured in a hospital. And then we found out that it was actually a little girl several weeks in. And when I'm listening to these briefs and hearing the legal advice, there's—

For context, there's a little bit of a disparity amongst lawyers about what the appropriate role of a legal advisor is. And what I've been taught in the Marine Corps is that our job is to give a commander legal maneuver space. So we give him his left and right laterals on a decision. Like, here's your range of options here that are legally supportable. Based on the situation, I recommend X.

For context, there's a little bit of a disparity amongst lawyers about what the appropriate role of a legal advisor is. And what I've been taught in the Marine Corps is that our job is to give a commander legal maneuver space. So we give him his left and right laterals on a decision. Like, here's your range of options here that are legally supportable. Based on the situation, I recommend X.

For context, there's a little bit of a disparity amongst lawyers about what the appropriate role of a legal advisor is. And what I've been taught in the Marine Corps is that our job is to give a commander legal maneuver space. So we give him his left and right laterals on a decision. Like, here's your range of options here that are legally supportable. Based on the situation, I recommend X.

And then you stand by and you salute smartly when he makes his decision. And he can accept risk anywhere on that spectrum depending on what his objectives are and what he believes will support the mission. And I think that's the proper role of a legal advisor.