Dasting timing… Guantánamo
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Brigadier General Vaughn
Rank: Brigadier General (O-7)
Position: Chief Defense Counsel, Military Commissions Defense Organization (MCDO)
About the Rank (Brigadier General)
First general officer rank
Senior flag officer with strategic and organizational authority
Typically responsible for major commands, directorates, or system-wide functions
Role: Chief Defense Counsel, MCDO
This position oversees defense counsel operations for military commissions
([[[most notably]]] those conducted under the Military Commissions Act, e.g., [[[Guantánamo cases]]]).
Primary Responsibilities
Leads and supervises all defense attorneys assigned to military commissions
Ensures independent, ethical, and effective legal defense for accused individuals
Safeguards attorney–client privilege and defense autonomy
Manages staffing, training, funding, and professional standards
Interfaces with DoD leadership while preserving defense independence
Core Duty
Guarantee fair trial rights and competent legal defense within the military commissions system.