VETERANS OF ATL BAR
HON . ALEXANDRA MANNING
Magistrate Court of Fulton County
I served in the U . S . Army and went through Airborne school in Ft . Benning , Georgia . After receiving my Honorable Discharge , I began a fifteen year career in law enforcement before going to law school . My military service instilled in me the requirements and responsibilities of discipline , patience , resilience , honor , and duty .
My military service informs my judicial philosophy through what we began learning at Basic training : see the potential in all people , regardless of background – we are all human and fallible – and build your fellow soldiers up , especially when they are torn down . As a judge , I see how differently military service effects veterans appearing before the Court . The issues , regardless of when veterans and active duty service members have returned from conflict , are deep – most involving substance abuse , domestic violence ( victims and perpetrators ), self-injury , and mental illness exacerbated by combat and the lack and stigma of mental health . For example , we know that veterans with untreated PTSD are three times more likely to be violent and even after recognizing the problem , treatment for veterans and services for victims fleeing violence need more resources and funding . I am grateful for my colleagues who serve tirelessly with Veterans Treatment Courts .
HON . JENNIFER NEAL-JONES
Magistrate Court of Fulton County
United States Army , Corporal / E4 , Served four years ; Army Commendation Medal ( 1st Oak Leaf cluster ), Army Achievement Awards ( 1st Oak leaf Cluster ), Overseas Service Ribbon , Army Good Conduct Medal , NCO Professional Army Development Ribbon , Army Service Ribbon , Letter of Commendation , Certification of Achievement . October 20 , 1984 , I enlisted in the United States Army .
For my military occupation specialty , I chose 75E , Military Personnel Actions Specialist . In December 1986 , I was reassigned to Korea and took up duty in Yongsan , Seoul , Korea where I was a member of HHC 501st Support Division . My job was to preform all manner of personnel actions , but mostly , I did Casualty and Mortuary Affairs . It was sad and gratifying at the same time . After my two years of service in Korea , I was reassigned to the Military District of Washington ( MDW ) where I was responsible for ensuring military service members and their family were duly notified and properly treated . After being medically discharged from the Army , I proceeded to complete dual degrees and taught English in a private school setting . Thereafter , I was granted admission to law school where during my first year , my husband , Detective Willie Neal , Jr . was killed-in-the-line-of-duty . Instantly , I became a single mother of two amazing daughters , and I persevered and graduated with my class . This took strength and discipline , which is the hallmark of Army soldiers . As a defense attorney , I worked with many veterans who have or are experiencing mental illness and homelessness . As a judge , I want to ensure that all people are treated fairly and that decisions made are based on the evidence before the Court .
HON . CHRISTIAN COOMER
Court of Appeals of Georgia
Current Rank is Lieutenant Colonel , United States Air Force Reserve , years : 2001- present ( includes service on active duty , in the Georgia Air National Guard , and in the Air Force Reserve ). On September 11 , 2001 , I was an Air Force First Lieutenant who had arrived at my first duty station only days before the historic attacks . I was still in-processing at Shaw Air Force Base as we escalated from a peace-time posture to a homeland defense footing in the span of about three hours . Experiencing that tumult as the junior-most JAG in my office reinforced in me the Air Force mantra that flexibility is the key to Air Power . In the years that have followed , I have drawn on that experience to stay mission-focused in adversity and to return to fundamentals in the face of uncertainty . I have employed the dual principles of flexibility and focus in overcoming challenges ever since . www . atlantabar . org THE ATLANTA LAWYER 9