In The News CAPTAIN NEVILLE F. DASTOOR, J.D, LL.M, THE FIRST ZARATHUSHTI IN THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (JAG) CORPS The US Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corp, founded by George Washington on July 29, 1775 after he took command of the continental army is a wide ranging practice that includes military law and criminal prosecution to international law and legal assistance both in the US and abroad.. 33 year old Neville Dastoor, of Gainsville, Florida, is perhaps the first Zarathushti to be admitted to the JAG Corp. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2004, Neville worked in the field of corporate law for 4 years, and left it to pursue his passion for International Law with special emphasis on International Human Rights. He went back to school at NYU to get his LL.M Degree (Master in law) in International Legal studies which led him to work at an international level with the Nepal Government, to secure Dalit Rights in Nepal’s New Constitution. He also worked in India to document violations of Dalit Rights in Gujarat, India and he coauthored a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council. At the INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands he conducted research and application of International Human Rights Law and International Criminal Law to potential triggering situations. At PEOPLE’S WATCH, NGO, Madurai, India 2008, he held a fellowship at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Here he coordinated and supervised Public Tribunals on Police Torture of Dalits in various Indian States as part of the National Project on the Prevention of Torture in India (NPPTI) and drafted observations and recommendations. JAG has been the next step in Neville’s career goal. He trained for the JAG Corp program from October 2010 to February 2011 at the JAG school of Military Law, in Virginia. The admission process was highly selective and competitive, and the training included challenging academics in military law, and rigorous physical training. The Direct Commissioned Officers Course in leadership and tactic is designed to challenge JAG officers physically and mentally, which includes combat training, rifle marksmanship, land navigation training etc. Neville is now promoted to the rank of Captain. Since March 2011 he has been deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait to provide legal assistance to soldiers in the 1st Theater Sustainment Command. He will practice a wide variety of law in the JAG Corp, including prosecuting and defending court martial. Neville is the son of Dr Firdaus Dastoor (Gastroenterologist) and Tehmi Dastoor (Interior Designer) and brother of Dr. Sarosh Dastoor, (Periodontal/Implant Surgeon), of Houston, Tx
FEZANA JOURNAL –Summer 2011
113