After a year since the initial investigation into toxic leadership and bullying commenced, Mr. Carpenter secured a 3-0 RETAIN vote at the board of inquiry where the board members determined I was neither toxic or bullying.  From the initial phone call in July 2016, Steve was there to offer guidance a...nd support as my chain of command marched through a relief-for-cause command OER, a permanently filed GOMOR and into the notification for elimination and subsequent Board of Inquiry in May 2017. No one can fully understand the emotional toll the Army administrative process takes on an individual unless one has undergone it his/herself.  From the beginning, Steve expertly discerned numerous due process violations and less than stellar investigative work on the part of the investigating officer.  In less than 48 hours, Mr. Carpenter had read the entire investigation, “the longest 15-6 he had ever seen,” and completed the twenty page rebuttal memorandum to the BDE CDR.  His wise counsel at every step called for tactical patience and exercising the right to remain silent. When served with the elimination notification, I took thirty days to decide to fight the charges at the BOI.  Steve, although surprised, never wavered in his support.  A consummate team player, he enlisted the additional services of a military defense attorney locally, and together we unraveled an entire year of company command through discussion, appropriate documentation, defense witness testimony and his unrelenting desire to get to the heart of the matter.  Mr. Carpenter, through his numerous years of experience in the military justice system, expertly identified the critical issues in the case and applied the necessary amount of pressure throughout the two-day board process.  I am grateful for the intensity both he and Chris applied during the exhaustive three days of preparation prior to the board.  You cannot afford not to hire Mr. Carpenter when faced with a military justice system where the deck is stacked against from the moment you are flagged at the start of the investigative process.  I highly recommend seeking his assistance from the absolute beginning of any administrative or criminal proceedings.  You deserve the best defense possible so you can continue to protect your career and your reputation.  Steve does not treat you as just another case.  Over the course of the past year, he has been the perfect blend of lawyer, counselor, priest and friend.  When the chips are down, there is no one better in the business to have on your side to guide you through the process and secure the best possible outcome for you and your family!

In 2016 Jan 2nd was accused of something I never did, and immediately got under investigation and flagged. I was under investigation from Jan 2016 until July 2017. To be charged in the military with a sexual offence is devastating. It is literally life changing, it is a significant emotional event, y...our whole world is going to be radically altered. I was accused with three acts of sexual assault from attempted rape, sodomy, and indecent act of a minor. I was facing prison, a felony record, and sex offender registration. The attorney I hired was going to face one of the most challenging cases ever. My wife and I chose Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Hillner. They are not afraid of the government, the chain of command, prosecutors or my evil ex-wife. Steve is truly going to be the only person outside of your family that you can trust. He keep me calm for a year and a half, and then it was a three day in your face battle, but in the end all charges were dropped. I walked away with a clean record, no jail, and can finally see my 27yrs retirement. I will forever be grateful, thankful, and appreciative for Mr Carpenter and Mr. Hillner. They are the best of the best. Trust me if you need a lawyer that will tell you the truth and possibilities then you need to call Mr. Carpenter. He knows the military law and knows what he is doing. Hiring him was the best decision my wife and I have ever made.

There's nothing more stressful in the military than facing a Court Martial. Stephen was able to give me strength and hope for my career after going to the routine TDS lawyer who didn't give me any comfort or reassurance about my situation. Stephen is proactive rather than reactive and he went above a...nd beyond what I ever could have asked for in a lawyer. Before I worked with Stephen I was waiting for weeks on end for even the smallest bit of information about my case. Once I was working with Stephen he went out of his way to contact anyone and everyone he could to get me the answers I needed within 24 hours. Stephen was great at explaining everything about my case, court martial, military law, etc. to make sure I fully understood what I was going through so I never felt like I was confused or in the dark about my case. Stephen is well respected at my base and every time I mentioned that I was working with him on my case people would say they've seen him do great work. Through working with Stephen I was able to keep my rank in the Army which was the exact outcome I was hoping for in my case. You never think you will face this kind of situation and it was by far the scariest and worst experience of my career. Once I began working with Stephen I felt relief and I finally felt like I would be able to continue my career, which I am now able to.

After reviewing Mr. Carpenter credentials, comparing them with all others in the business I decided to hire him for my brothers Army sexual assault case. I realized that sexual assault cases in the Army have been on the rise and were being prosecuted even when there was little to no evidence that a c...rime had occur. The scales of justice are somewhat tipped to the prosecution side in order to raise the rate of a successful cases and improve the overall numbers of the Army. The Army usually assigns those cases to experienced military lawyers (JAG officers) who are colonels and have been specially trained for those type of cases and have many years of experience. On the defense side however, they are usually assigned a Captain JAG officers that deal with many types of cases at the same time, are less experienced, have not gone and often do not have as much time to prepare for the cases as they are swamped by many other cases. It is for this reason that I knew we had to use a civilian military lawyer for my brother. We knew that my brother was innocent in all this but when it comes to sexual assault cases it is usually a he said/ she said type of thing. Throughout the whole process Mr. Carpenter not only communicated with my brother who was his client but also with me (with my brothers’ permission). He would be quick in his responses and whenever we had any detailed questions or needed any updates on how the case was developing he was thorough in his response. Being stationed overseas my brother had limited access to phones and Steve was very flexible with his time to accommodate. He, Ben Hillner (his partner), and the military JAG worked together to come up with the best defense possible for my brother. Throughout the process they were able to uncover many things about the plaintiff and her credibility was discredited throughout the numerous interviews they conducted and through trial. The jury definitely saw through all the evidence and through a great cross examination of her that she was indeed not credible. My brother was acquitted of all charges and there is no doubt in our minds that Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Hillner played a huge role in that. I would recommend both of these gentlemen without hesitation to any military member or their families. They are professional, thorough, and will fight for the best outcome possible.