RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany. -- RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Why this process? Why this regulation? Why does the next step happen the way it does? Somewhere inside the Ramstein Law Center, there is usually a seasoned attorney on the receiving end of these questions.
“I’ve read the regulation. I understand the principle,” said Airman 1st Class Mary-Alice Prosper, 86th Airlift Wing Judge Advocate military justice paralegal and Airlifter of the Month. “But, can you explain to me why we’re doing these things?”
It's a habit she had to develop. When she first arrived at Ramstein AB, she was more inclined to answer with “yes, ma’am” or "yes, sir” and dive head-first straight into the task. Experience in military justice eventually taught her that following instructions could only take her so far. The job demanded that she understand the architecture behind the process.
The expectations come early for military paralegals. Prosper may wear the rank of a junior enlisted Airman, but she says there is little about the responsibility that feels junior.
“We don’t get to function as junior Airmen,” she said. “You have to function at a high level from the start.”
That reality has been sharpened by periods of minimal manning as personnel rotate through temporary duties, deployments and other commitments. Attorneys aren’t always available to step forward, nor can a non-commissioned officer. Sometimes the person left holding the responsibilities is the junior Airmen, who have to know enough to make the moves.
“There comes a time where you’re the A1C in the office and you have to figure it out,” Prosper said. “The attorney cannot go. The paralegal has to step up.”
Before her journey in the U.S. Air Force began, Prosper’s life looked differently. Prosper was raised in St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands, describing herself then as a “creative introvert.” She taught biology to ninth graders at Charlotte Amalie High School, coached pageant contestants and public speakers and carried a long-standing ambition to become an attorney.
“I’ve wanted to be an attorney my entire life,” Prosper said.
She spent college exploring both medicine and law, before the legal field was the final verdict. Law school was supposed to come next, until she learned about the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and the opportunities through military service.
The culmination of military and legal matters has placed Prosper close to people whose lives rarely fit cleanly into the allegations, regulations and records used to adjudicate a case. She learned quickly that professionalism cannot depend on what sits inside of a case file.
“I try to put the charges out of my mind and treat that person with respect,” she said. “They may have done a terrible thing, but at the end of the day, they’re a person.”
Attentiveness has proven useful in a career field that asks Prosper to occupy more space than her rank might suggest. The creative introvert from St. Thomas is now expected to know when to speak, when to question and when to step forward.
“Our ultimate goal is to support Airmen,” Prosper explained. “To help them navigate through difficult situations, provide advice and guidance.”