Face of Defense: Paralegal Builds Relationships, Camaraderie

By Army Sgt. Eric Glassey
Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Sept. 3, 2013 – Whether it’s serving in the 4th Infantry Division’s staff judge advocate office at Fort Carson, Colo., or with Regional Command Southwest here, Army Cpl. Natasha Hunter said, she enjoys her work as a paralegal.

Army Cpl. Natasha Hunter researches regulations at her office at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Sept. 1, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Eric Glassey    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Hunter, a 22-year old, Staunton, Va. native, often works alongside Army Capt. John Stewart, 4th Infantry Division trial counsel.

“I’ve known her the entire time she has been in, and I’ve been working with her for almost two years,” Stewart said. “She is driven and has the internal drive. She always wants to succeed and to do better – a perfectionist. It’s something you either have or you don’t.”

Hunter takes being separated from family, while deployed, in stride.
“The toughest part is being away from family and friends, but that is part of my obligations, my duty,” she said, looking at pictures of her mother, two younger sisters, and a 2-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Pita.

Meanwhile, she said, the Judge Advocate General Corps makes the separation easier. “We’re family,” she said. “All you have is each other. I come in every day, and I’m happy to see the people I work with. They keep you going.”

Hunter builds relationships and camaraderie with those she works with on a continuous basis.

“Some people are good at their job, but are not ‘people persons,’” Stewart said. “Everyone she works with likes and respects her. I’ve worked with her in previous units, and when she leaves those units, they all miss her and are upset when she leaves. I’m talking about people from private to battalion commander.”

Hunter said standards provide her with a feeling of fulfillment in her job.

“My favorite part is research,” she said. “I like looking into the regulations and finding out what is supposed to be right and what is wrong. I like helping and assisting commanders and first sergeants.”
Army Sgt. Maj. Mark Cook, 4th Infantry Division staff judge advocate sergeant major, said Hunter’s strength is derived from her relationships and passion for standards.

“She wants to do the right thing all the time,” he said. “She goes out and looks for the right thing. It’s built in -- it’s her character to do the right thing for herself and others. That’s what makes her strong.”