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    2024 Outstanding Young Military Awards Recipients

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    Lieutenant Commander Erin Slycord, VA – United States Coast Guard

    Lieutenant Commander Slycord entered active duty in 2002 and became a Coast Guard Judge Advocate in 2019. She has served in multiple positions including as the Legal Advisor to the Office of Maritime Law Enforcement and Policy, and as a Special Victims’ Counsel in the Office of Member Advocacy and Legal Assistance. LCDR Slycord distinguished herself as a key leader in the Office of Maritime Law Enforcement and Policy when she represented the United States on delegations negotiating bilateral maritime law enforcement agreements with Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Ecuador, and Cote d’Ivoire, directly supporting Presidential priorities and direction in National Security Memorandum 11 on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses. The distinguished accomplishments of LCDR Slycord reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Coast Guard, the Armed Forces, and the Department of Homeland Security.

    Lieutenant Amy Zajac, NJ – United States Navy

    Lieutenant Amy Zajac demonstrates exemplary service, aptitude, and innovation as a Judge Advocate both on shore and at sea since 2017. LT Zajac has superbly advised numerous commands on a variety of legal issues spanning ethics, administrative, military justice, operational, international, fiscal, and theater security law. She has distinguished herself as a leader and pacesetter, executing legal engagements across thirteen countries and promoting legal integration and interoperability in multinational exercises and operations, directly furthering the mission of the U.S Navy. She exhibited tireless dedication to supporting the Fleet and forward-deployed commands during the COVID-19 pandemic and regional crises, whether through novel approaches to legal assistance or timely and effective provision of critical legal guidance to commands and operators. LT Zajac’s distinguished accomplishments reflect great credit upon herself, the U.S. Navy, and the Department of Defense.

    Captain Anna Sturges, CO – United States Air Force

    Captain Anna Sturges joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2012. After law school, she entered active duty as an Air Force Judge Advocate in 2018. She served as a Chief, Military Justice, Area Defense Counsel and Senior Defense Counsel. She distinguished herself as a leader during the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully prosecuting a high-visibility infant murder trial while leading the Air Force’s 5th busiest Military Justice docket. After excelling among Area Defense Counsel, defending 427 military justice actions including 17 courts, she was advanced to Senior Defense Counsel, supervising 9 attorneys and paralegals while leading felony-level courts. She was recognized with 7 quarterly and annual awards, including the Military Justice and Discipline Directorate Company Grade Officer of 2023. The distinguished accomplishments of Capt Sturges reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Air Force, and the Department of Defense.

    Captain Hannah Miller, GA – United States Army

    Captain Hannah Miller entered active duty into the United States Army as a Military Police Officer in June 2013 and was assessed into the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps in January 2021. She has served in multiple positions including the Military Justice Advisor for the 316th Cavalry Brigade and 194th Armored Brigade, Senior Trial Counsel and then Administrative Law Attorney for the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore. Captain Miller set herself apart from peers and superiors alike by overseeing 60 courts-martial as a Senior Trial Counsel and taking on duties as both a Contract and Fiscal Law Attorney and Environmental Law Attorney for an understaffed Administrative Law section for the Army's largest TRADOC installation. The distinguished accomplishments of Captain Miller reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.

    Major Annie Bruton, CA – United States Marine Corps

    Major Annie Barry Bruton entered active duty in 2013. After serving as a Logistics Officer, she attended law school and became a Judge Advocate in December of 2019. She has served in multiple positions to include Trial Counsel, Administrative Law Officer-in-Charge, and as a forward-deployed Staff Judge Advocate in Darwin, Australia. While deployed, she supported a force of 1,800 Sailors and Marines, providing sage advice to commanders and advising on 30 criminal cases, including 3 foreign criminal jurisdiction cases, and supported nine MAGTF-level, bilateral and multinational exercises with foreign partners. As a Trial Counsel and Administrative Law Officer-in-Charge, she handled over 80 cases, serving as a prosecutor for a contested general court-martial, nine special courts-martial, and 40 administrative separation boards. The distinguished accomplishments of Major Annie Barry Bruton reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Marine Corps, and the Department of Defense.