Columbia Center for Oral History Portal > Oral history interview with Charles D. Swift, 2011.Biographical NoteLieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy JAG Corps/Private Practice.
Scope and ContentsBorn: 1961, Washington D.C. Education: B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1984; J.D., University of Puget Sound School of Law (Seattle University School of Law), 1987; Surface Warfare Department Head School, 1990-1991; LL.M., Temple University, 1999. Career: active duty, U.S. Navy, 1985-1991; Defense Counsel, Naval Legal Service Office Northwest, 1994-1997; Staff Judge Advocate, Naval Forces, 1997-2000; Officer in Charge, Naval Legal Services, 2000-2003; Office of Chief Defense Counsel, Military Commissions, 2003-2007; private practice, Swift & McDonald, 2007 to present. Reminiscences: childhood and family social views; primary school education and athletics; education at Naval Academy; experience as Naval officer in Pacific; early influences of Lieutenant Commander Val Lippa and Derwin Brent Pope; first experience with Middle Eastern clients as international military training officer; personal experience of 9/11; career post-Hamdan decision. Discussions: military juries and commissions; involvement in Vieques v. United States Navy; War Powers Act; origins of Middle East instability; rules of engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq wars; role of media in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld; Article 36, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions; early meetings with Salim Hamdan; speech at Oxford University concerning Hamdan; travel in Yemen; detainee conditions at Guantánamo Bay; Military Commissions Act of 2006. Cases discussed: ex parte Quirin; in re Yamashita; Hamdan v. Rumsfeld; United States v. Al-Saddiqui; Rasul v. Bush; al-Odah v. United States United States v. Loving; Boumediene v. Bush; United States v. Hamdan.
SubjectsAccess ConditionsCopyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2011. Permission required to cite, quote, and reproduce. Contact repository for information.
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