Three stars for three wise men enacted

The President yesterday signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which is now Public Law No. 110-181.

The legislation provides that serving Judge Advocates General will serve as three-stars and the legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will serve as a one-star. See § 543.

The Act also makes one amendment to the UCMJ. Section 542 amends Article 136 to authorize CAAF judges to administer oaths. So the 2008 Manual for Courts-Martial is already out-of-date. Think we'll see a replacement volume during this decade?

The NDAA includes one other military justice provision, though it isn't codified in the UCMJ. Section 544 requires SECDEF to "prescribe regulations to prohibit the active participation by members of the Armed Forces in a criminal street gang."