Cody Elijah Harnish

I am a 1SG (E8) in the Army. I was investigated from OCT 2022 - SEP 2023 for a crime the Army assumed I did in 2018. In SEP 2023, the Army decided that evidence for the crime did not exist and all legal actions were dropped so there was not a court martial or UCMJ action. My Brigade Commander decided... to recommend me for a GOMOR for the alleged crime as Administrative actions don’t require solid evidence. In OCT 2023, a GOMOR was issued by the LTG not for the alleged crime, but instead for a Recruiter Misconduct that allegedly took place in 2018. Again, zero evidence to support this allegation existed and I honestly felt like they were trying to simply get me for something to justify having me flagged for such a long time with nothing to support it. I consulted with TDS and the Legal office throughout this whole process, but I felt like my best interests were not going to be represented by either as they are understaffed, over worked, and some simply just don’t have enough interest in what they do. Never once did an Army Lawyer meet with me and the JBLM Main office even declined to support me, without explanation, after physically showing up to their office for a few consecutive days. They emailed me saying they couldn’t help me and referred me to the legal office on McChord, which only does telephonic as the time. My telephonic consultation with the McChord legal office lasted only about 5 minutes and the civilian lawyer kept saying “do not try to re-litigate this, just trying to ask the General for leniency in the filing of the GOMOR”. I’ve maintained my innocence in these matters the entire time and knew I had to seek legal help outside of the Military. I contacted Mr. Harnish, a former Army JAG Officer, and looked up reviews for his service. I knew my best chance at showing the Army the truth was by hiring him to represent me. He immediately requested an extension and went over every detail in the investigation. He contacted several entities on post and “dug up” more information surrounding the case and even got evidence that I would’ve never been entitled to otherwise…. All of which pointed to the obvious answer: I was innocent the whole time. As new evidence was provided to him, he took meticulous time and effort to make sure no stone was left unturned and even asked for additional extensions so as not to rush through anything. My rebuttal was 112 pages long, packed with evidence and legal jargon that I honestly would’ve never been able to do with the on post legal help, let alone myself. Mr Harnish presented my case in an amazing fashion and the rebuttal was submitted well ahead of the deadline in NOV 2023. In JAN 2024, the LTG that issued the GOMOR decided to withdrawal and destroy the document, effectively ending the entire ordeal. This would’ve been impossible if not for Mr. Harnish as I know that I would not have been able to construct a rebuttal, nor get the evidence to support it, if not for him. This lawyer is a good man and is worth every penny.

I was acquainted with Mr. Harnish, after being notified by a past friend that CID called and was inquiring about events that took place almost five years ago. The allegations the agents were investigating were false and fabricated, however, I knew the narrative this individual was spinning carried se...vere consequences. After conducting some personal research on what to expect during an investigation involving a violation of article 120, I knew two things; first I had a short amount of time to protect myself from invasive legal techniques, and second, if I had any chance of fighting this accusation, I was going to need to seek private counsel. Over the course of forty-eight hours, I narrowed my search to three firms. I focused my search on those firms that specialized in UCMJ law and had a reputation for superior performance. I called all three however, the main factor that led me to favor Mr. Harnish, was his strategy to fight hard during the investigation phase to steer the outcome outside of a courtroom. He was never intimidated or led me to believe that this case was unwinnable. He listened intently, asked tough questions, and laid out a strategy for his defense. He was extremely proactive, the same day I picked him as my defense, he provided my command, CID and JAG a letter of representation. He also personally contacted all the parties to gather an understanding of the situation and the accusations. Running parallel to his actions, he had his investigator begin a separate investigation into the events that took place. Interviews were conducted along with forensics of my devices to help gather evidence on my behalf. Over the course of seven months, he executed his strategy flawlessly, eventually leading to an outcome of unfounded. I read numerous horror stories of invasive tactics, ostracization, and helplessness. By hiring Cody so early in the process I never experienced the more severe trauma associated with being under investigation. Having him was like having a bodyguard in your corner. Anytime I had to speak to my command he was a text message away. Not one day have I regretted the money spent to have him in my corner. If you’re reading this, please do not gamble with your future. If you have a family, do not gamble with their future. Look up the court martial docket and see the number of individuals facing criminal charges and notice that most of them decided to go with an appointed representation. Invest in yourself, your future, and your reputation. Cody, I am sure you hear this often, but I cannot put into words how thankful I am for everything you did for me. I was facing life-altering possibilities that would have ruined my family, altered the life of my children, and destroyed everything I ever worked for. You stopped this from happening, and for that, I am forever grateful to you.

Mr. Harnish is an excellent attorney that is experienced in military law and its system. His vast knowledge and experience of the military judicial system were instrumental in my case. He advocates for his clients and kept me informed every step of the way. I had the best possible outcome in my case ...and I know it was in large part to his expertise. Thank you Mr. Harnish!

My Command was seeking to separate me from military service for being dropped from a key development course after being rendered unable to continue due to a behavioral health crisis. The odds had felt stacked against me for several months. I had several years of very positive performance evaluations,... I had character statements that echoed the same. I had documentation that reflected my resiliency; records of in-patient treatment, outpatient treatment, a provider memorandum with a positive prognosis in light of my commitment to my own recovery and assisting others' in their recovery. I should have felt more confident. I was the walking and talking proof that personal dedication to the institutional programs organized to bring Soldiers back to the fight worked. But no one thought I had a chance of staying in. All interactions were consoling, sympathetic to the all-but-certain, soon-to-be end of my career. I had become resigned to it as well. But it didn't feel right. It didn't feel justified for everything I had given and sacrificed. So I was fighting it. Hopelessly fighting. I wasn't sure what to expect with a military lawyer. I had heard plenty of stories, so I was a bit nervous. Cody, understandably, kept his cards close to the chest in our first meeting, listening to my story, digging and sifting through the last several months I had lived through to come up with all of the facts, including the facts disregarded by my Command, and all of the key persons of interest that could potentially provide testimony. He wasn't passively engaged either. Pen and ledger at the ready, he alternated listening intently and furiously taking notes. I believe he filled at least four pages with key information to follow-up on. He requested additional documentation that I had accumulated over the last several months that supported everything I said, and contact information for all of the key people who had played a part in my recovery. He didn't commit himself to our assured victory before I left, I wouldn't have appreciated the false bravado either if he had, but he did reassure me that the course of action pursued by my Command didn't appear justified, given my record and my commitment to recovery. I felt better after our meeting, but still resigned to the end of my career. We only had a week and a half until the separation board. What kind of defense could be built in so little time? I can only imagine the time and energy that Cody must have put into building his case. He kept himself available to me and we spoke a few times in the days leading up to the board. On the day of the board I felt nervous and exhausted. Cody had an air of humble confidence. He was organized and well-prepared. He spoke calmly and reassuringly, but with an optimistic energy. I had thought myself mentally ready for the attacks of the prosecution, but it was truly like being battered by the raging winds and torrential rains of a terrible storm, taking the form of a narrative crafted to discredit my character and paint me as a weak, ineffective leader, ill-suited for continued service. As corny as it may sound, Cody was the immovable stone that kept me from being swept away in that storm. He wasn't idle at all during the proceedings either. I felt myself part of an audience, but he was engaged in the theater itself, objecting to each overreach of the prosecution, and strategically positioning himself at every opportunity to thoroughly trounce the prosecution's argument. The day stretched on, and my exhaustion overfilled. Before the closing arguments, Cody and I had one last conversation. By the end of it, for the first time, I actually felt hope that we would win. His closing argument was nothing short of an impassioned, masterful work of art. And it was all from his heart. I couldn't believe he didn't have a script to reference. It was very moving. And we won. No one thought I had a chance, including me. But Cody did.