The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) will hold a change of directorship today at 11 a.m. at the Naval Justice School, Building 360.

Current director COL Anne Ehrsam-Holland will be relieved by Air Force Col. John A. Dyer.

Guest speaker will be Vice Adm. Jeffrey Wieringa, Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Dyer leaves his post as Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. In this position, he was responsible for providing legal services to the command in areas ranging from space and computer network operations, international, acquisition, environmental and civil law to the administration of military justice.

He also provided functional oversight for 10 legal offices serving missions and personnel at 90 locations worldwide.

Col. Dyer was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Arkansas in 1983 after earning his juris doctorate degree at the university. He has served in a wide variety of judge advocate positions worldwide to include the deputy staff judge advocate for Air Combat Command, three wing-level staff judge advocate positions, an instructor at The Air Force Judge Advocate General School, the Air Force Chief of Legal Assistance and Preventive Law, and an area defense counsel.

DIILS serves as the Department of Defense lead agency for providing professional legal seminars and programs, as well as education and training, to international military members and civilian government officials in furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. DIILS fosters close ties with U.S. international partners and allies, leading professional courses, workshops, and seminars, both in the U.S. and outside the US in locations worldwide, providing forums for discourse and the exchange of ideas between military and civilian professionals. Focused on enhancing the Rule of Law, DIILS was founded on these cornerstones:

• Internationally recognized principles of human rights and humanitarian law;
• Fostering disciplined military operations through the review, revision, and/or reorganization of legal aspects of various military systems, from legally-related regulations through legislation;
• Respect for and understanding of the principle of civilian control of the military; and
• Recognition and respect for the full spectrum of rule of law principles.