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I remember the case. The female JAG Reservist exceeded her authority and jumped the chain of command by ordering snipers could not use M118LR Special Ball. When the Army sniper sergeant jumped the chain and told the three star-in-charge, there was an investigation. The investigation found M118 (and M118LR) special ball was authorized in September 1985 by a joint board of all the service's senior JAGs. The female JAG served the balance of her tour and got a mediocre officer evaluation (probably ending her career). The sergeant was reprimanded (wink, nod) and assigned as an instructor at the Army's Sniper School at Ft. Benning.

The Washington Times

January 20, 2006 Friday

BYLINE: By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Sniper rounds

An Army judge advocate general (JAG) temporarily banned Army and Marine Corps snipers from using a highly accurate open-tip bullet.

The JAG, we are told, mistakenly thought the open-tip round was the same as hollow-point ammunition, which is banned. The original open-tip was known as Sierra Match King and broke all records for accuracy in the past 30 years.

The difference between the open-tip and the hollow point is that the open-tip is a design feature that improves accuracy while the hollow point is designed for increasing damage when it hits a target.

About 10 days ago, the Army JAG in Iraq ordered all snipers to stop using the open-tip 175-grain M118LR bullet, claiming, falsely, it was prohibited. Instead of the open-tip, snipers were forced to take M60 machine gun rounds out of belts and use them instead.

The order upset quite a few people here and in Iraq who said the JAG ignored the basic principle of every military lawyer that there is a presumption of legality for all issued weapons or ammunition that are made at the military service level at the time they are acquired.

“She forced snipers to use less accurate ammunition, thereby placing U.S. forces and Iraqi civilians at greater risk,” a Pentagon official said of the JAG, who was not identified by name. “And she incorrectly issued an order. JAGs may advise a commander, but they cannot issue orders.”

After Army lawyers were finally alerted to the JAG’s action, the order was lifted and the JAG was notified that the open-tip was perfectly legal for use by snipers. However, the reversal was followed by the Army officials’ taking retaliation against a sniper who blew the whistle on the bogus order. The sniper lost his job over a security infraction in reporting the JAG.