Illinois PBA Honors Two DuPage Prosecutors for Military Service in Iraq

At their annual Christmas party on Wednesday, December 1st, the Illinois Prosecutor’s Bar Association (PBA) presented two (2) DuPage County Assistant State’s Attorneys with a Special Commendation Award for their service to our country in Iraq.  Lieutenant Colonel Robert Douglas and Captain Michael O’Donnell, along with two other Assistant State’s Attorneys from Cook County, were presented with a plaque “in recognition of dedicated service in defending the United States of America in armed conflict overseas as well as outstanding efforts on behalf of the victims of crime, law enforcement officers and prosecutors throughout the State of Illinois.”  The plaque was signed by PBA President Bernard J. Murray, the Chief of the Criminal Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Rob Douglas and Mike O’Donnell are United States Army Reserve Officers who were activated and deployed to Iraq.  While on active duty from February 14, 2003 until April 27, 2004, Lt. Col. Douglas served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps as the Command Judge Advocate for the 308th Civil Affairs Brigade.  In addition he served as the Governate Support Team Leader attached to the 101st Airborne Division as well as on the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).  Some of his duties involved assisting with the rebuilding of the Iraqi Criminal Justice System and Judiciary, whereby he interviewed former judges to determine their fitness to serve; he also interviewed persons interested in serving as judges, and then presented his findings to the CPA through his higher headquarters.

Captain Mike O’Donnell served as the Company Commander of the 814th Military Police Company which was mobilized from February 10, 2003 until February 3, 2004.  He assisted with the guarding of over 7,000 Iraqi prisoners at Camp Bucca in Iraq, and was later assigned to perform customs missions in Kuwait, ensuring that all equipment and personnel met the standards of the United States Customs Department and the United States Department of Agriculture.  Captain O’Donnell’s unit also performed customs inspections of all military equipment returning to the United States from Kuwait

State’s Attorney Birkett expressed high praise and pride for the service of Douglas and O’Donnell, as well as the other Army Reservists in his office.  Captain Chris Mulligan, an Investigator in Birkett’s office assigned to the Children’s Center, served in the Army Reserve, Military Police and was deployed from December 27, 2002 until March of 2004.  He served in both Kuwait and Iraq and numerous camps and prisons, assisting with the guarding of Iraqi prisoners.   Assistant State’s Attorney Phil Hiscock, a Captain in the Army Reserve since 1999, has not yet been deployed, yet has spent an enormous amount of time assisting the U.S. Army units as they prepared for deployment.  Assigned to the Legal Support Organization at Ft. Sheridan, Captain Hiscock provides legal services for soldiers preparing to deploy, and has drafted over 300 wills and powers of attorneys.

Additionally, the State’s Attorney’s Office has one woman in the military, Sr. Airman DeKole Branch of the U.S. Air Force.  Sr. Airman Branch is with the 440th Services Flight Unit of the General Mitchell Air Force Base of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  She serves as a Clerk in the Records Division of the State’s Attorney’s Office.  Although 80 members of her Unit left for Iraq today, Branch was not among them; however she anticipates being deployed in the near future.

“We are very proud of Rob, Mike, and Chris, as well as Phil and DeKole for their service to our country and to our community,” State’s Attorney Birkett declared.  “We also are grateful to their families for their sacrifice.  We are happy to have Rob, Mike and Chris back with us, serving the people in their roles as prosecutors and investigators.  We also pray for the safe return of all our soldiers.”