Victim Witness Assistance Program

The Regional Victim and Witness Liaison Officer (RVWLO) for Marine Corps Installations Pacific acts as the manager for the VWAP Program for the Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations Pacific.  The RVWLO manages and maintains a list of all unit Victim Witness Assistance Coordinators and other base Victim Witness Representatives, tracks all services provided and is the central point of contact for the base program.

Pursuant to Marine Corps Directives, each office or agency which provides services to victims and witnesses appoints a Victim Witness Assistance Representative and each unit (Battalion and Squadron level and above) appoints a Victim Witness Assistance Coordinator (VWAC).  The VWAC and other representatives are responsible for that unit or office's obligations under the VWAP.

The RVWLO may be contacted at  DSN: 315-645-3977.

1.  Victim Rights

     a.  To be treated with fairness and respect for the victim's dignity and privacy.

     b.  To be reasonably protected from the accused.

     c.  To be notified of any decision to dispose of an alleged offense at court-martial, Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP), or Administrative Separation (ADSEP) proceedings.

     d.  To be present at all public court-martial, NJP, and ADSEP proceedings, unless the court or legal advisor, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding.  This right does not obligate the government to pay for expenses incurred by the victim to be present.    

     e.  To be reasonably heard at any public proceeding involving release, plea, sentencing, or parole of the accused.  This right does not obligate the government to pay for expenses incurred by the victim to be present.     

      f.  To confer with the attorney for the government in the case.

     g.  To receive information about the conviction, sentence, confinement, and release of the accused. 

      h.  To be notified of the apprehension of an accused, the initial appearance of an accused before a military judge, the release of the accused pending court-martial, any escape of the accused, and the time and location of any trial, NJP, or ADSEP proceedings (including entry of guilty pleas and sentencing).

       i.  To proceedings free from unreasonable delay.

       j.  To receive available restitution.

 
2.  Witness Rights

      a.  To be treated with fairness and respect for the witness’s dignity and privacy.

      b.  To be reasonably protected from the accused.

      c.  To be notified of any decision to dispose of an alleged offense at court-martial, NJP or ADSEP proceedings.

      d.  To be provided information about the resolution of the case to include ADSEP decisions, any punishment awarded to the offender, sentencing, imprisonment, and release of the offender, if confined.

      e.  To be notified of the apprehension of an accused, the initial appearance of an accused before a military judge, the release of the accused pending court-martial, any escape of the accused, and the time and location of any trial, NJP, or ADSEP proceedings (including entry of guilty pleas and sentencing).