Alumni Spotlight
From UH Law Center to Overseas Deployment: Alumnus Richard Nguyen Shares Insights from His JAG Career
Alumnus Capt. Richard Nguyen (J.D. ’21) wears the traditional cavalry Stetson during the July 1, 2025, “Casing of the Colors” ceremony for the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood. The ceremony marked the unit's formal send-off for deployment in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
July 29, 2026 — When Capt. Richard Nguyen (J.D. ’21) enrolled at the University of Houston Law Center, he planned to continue serving in the military. He did not expect a UHLC course and a conversation with a professor to introduce him to a new legal career — one that would eventually take him overseas.
Today, Nguyen is a judge advocate with the Texas Army National Guard and part of the highly competitive Judge Advocate General’s Corps or JAG Corps. The path to that career was anything but straightforward.
A Defining Experience at the UH Law Center
Before attending law school, Nguyen was commissioned as a Medical Service Officer and expected to remain on that track. That changed when classmates encouraged him to explore UH Law’s Military Justice Clinic.
“A few buddies of mine were heading to active duty and planning to take the Military Justice Clinic at the Law Center,” Nguyen said. “I was curious about the clinic, and it became more once I started talking with Professor Jason Marquez and saw the kinds of issues he dealt with.”
The conversation changed the direction of his career.
As one of the clinic’s inaugural students, Nguyen worked with service members from multiple military branches while serving as a judge advocate in training under Professor Marquez’s supervision. The hands-on experience gave him practical exposure to military legal practice before he entered the JAG Corps.
“Learning from an experienced attorney and judge advocate like Professor Marquez let me understand the process much faster than my peers who joined the JAG Corps straight out of law school without that exposure,” Nguyen said. “In the end, what drew me to this work was simple — I really liked working with soldiers.”
Serving Overseas, On the Ground
The foundation Nguyen built at UHLC proved valuable during a recent 10-month deployment supporting Operation Spartan Shield, a U.S. Central Command operation in the Middle East, where he advised military commanders on legal matters ranging from administrative law to the Rules of Engagement while also providing legal assistance to soldiers and their families.
The assignment placed him in a rapidly evolving operational environment that demanded thoughtful legal guidance and quick decision-making.
“Getting visibility into what was happening behind the scenes, watching it play out in the news, and then seeing what we were actually doing on the ground was eye-opening,” Nguyen said.
Much of Nguyen’s work centered on what he jokingly describes as “HR legal for the military.” He advised commanders on cases involving potential misconduct, investigations and disciplinary actions, while helping military leaders understand the legal parameters surrounding training exercises and operational missions. He also assisted soldiers with personal matters, including powers of attorney and wills.
As the deployment progressed, the nature of the work shifted.
“The shift from a more garrison-like environment to a volatile security environment happened fast,” Nguyen said.
Part of his role involved briefing commanders and soldiers on the Rules of Engagement, the legal framework governing how military personnel respond to potential threats while carrying out their missions. As conditions changed, so did the legal questions he fielded.
“Operating in a real-world environment sharpens how deeply I had to think about how my advice affects both the mission and the soldier’s life,” he said.
One of the most valuable aspects of assignment, Nguyen said, was working alongside experienced judge advocates who had deployed before him. The experience gave him an opportunity to see how seasoned military attorneys approached difficult legal questions in an operational setting.
According to Col. Sergio Tristan, staff judge advocate for the Texas Army National Guard, Nguyen “navigated complex, real-time legal questions at the intersection of international law, military justice, and command authority that few attorneys encounter in a career.”
“Operating in a real-world environment sharpens how deeply I had to think about how my advice affects both the mission and the soldier’s life,” Nguyen said.
Advice for Future Military Lawyers
Looking back, Captain Nguyen encourages students interested in military law to explore the field before deciding whether it’s the right fit.
“Try it before you decide,” he said. “Join the clinic, take an internship, and you’ll know quickly whether this is for you. The organization, the people, the mission will challenge and inspire you.”
For Nguyen, that willingness to take a chance on a new opportunity at the Law Center ultimately led him from a classroom in Houston to providing legal counsel for soldiers half a world away.
