Benjamin Grodi, Esq.
Formerly Marine Judge Advocate
Thomas’ commentary, then Benjamin’s bio:
We are privileged that this ‘ol Marine has joined a bunch of Army HR, paralegal NCOs and Judge Advocate lawyers. He has done it all, including administrative separations, IDES, MEBs, PEBs, line of duty investigations, retirement points’ analysis, courts-martial and much, much more. Thankfully he still has fire and passion inside of him to advocate on behalf of CitizenSolderLaw’s many clients. Whether it is legal assistance type of work, debt, DFAS-related, Fit Reps (fitness reports) OERs and NCOERs, we welcome your inquiries.
Now to the dry portion of the narrative:
Benjamin Grodi enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998 and was qualified as an Airborne Radio Operator/Air Refueling Observer/Loadmaster. While enlisted, he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Joint Endeavor (24th Marine Expeditionary Unit).
He received his commission in 2007 and in 2024, after 24 years of total service, he transitioned from the Marine Corps. His previous experience in the Marine Corps includes serving as a Trial Counsel and Senior Trial Counsel (Federal Prosecutor) and a Defense Counsel. He also served as Command Judge Advocate at Marine Barracks Washington 8th & I and the Staff Judge Advocate at the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, serving as the principle legal advisor to the Commanding Officer. As an attorney, he deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2013 serving as the Rule of Law Advisor to the Commanding General and as the Liaison Officer to the Afghan Deputy Director of Intelligence. He then deployed to Kuwait, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen in 2019 serving as the Staff Judge Advocate for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response Central Command.
His last assignment in the Marine Corps was the Operations Officer at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, and it was this tour where his passion for assisting service members going through IDES and the MEB/PEB began. During this tour he assisted and supervised a large population of Marines who were facing medical adversity. He observed many of these service members were shunned or otherwise “put in a corner” because they were injured, which was contrary to the purported claim of taking care of “our” own. He made these Marines his priority, ensuring they were meaningfully employed, given purpose, and treated with dignity and respect. This experience blessed him with the vision of future service to these members, ensuring they are always treated with dignity, respect, and are afforded the benefits they deserve.
He graduated from The Judge Advocate Generals Legal Center and School with a Master of Military Law in 2018, received his Juris Doctorate from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law in 2010 and earned his undergraduate degree from The University of Toledo in 2007. His awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Accommodation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He also is the recipient of the Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
