Jack Melvin from Oconomowoc is running to succeed the retiring Lee Sherman Dreyfus, Jr. If elected, Jack will become the ONLY post 9/11 combat veteran on the Circuit Court in Wisconsin. Jack is very proud of his military service and hopes to give voice to our newest generation of combat veterans should he be elected in April.
As a member of the Army National Guard, Jack has deployed three times to the Middle East. Most recently Jack deployed in 2016 as part of the famed 101st Airborne Division's HQ where he served as the Operational Law Attorney for the Ground Force Command for Iraq and Syria. In this role, Jack made split second decisions on the legality of proposed actions of American and Allied forces throughout the country of Iraq.
Only a year prior, Jack was deployed as part of a HQ detachment of Wisconsin's storied 32nd "Red Arrow" Infantry Brigade when it was sent to Jordan to assist that nation's military in defending its border from incursions from Syria and Iraq. During Jack's time in Jordan, ISIS, the Free Syrian Army, the Syrian Regime and others had control of the border with Jordan, making this a critical and risky assignment.
In 2008 and 2009, Jack had his first deployment to Middle East. Jack was sent to Egypt for 18 months to work with the Egyptian Military in its efforts to root out terrorists in that country as well as work with the Egyptian military as part of the international effort to stop piracy off the coast of Yemen and Somalia.
"My service has helped me sharpen my legal skills, refine my decision making, and given me a unique perspective that I think will be of great benefit to the people of Waukesha County." As a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), Jack has been able to cross train on a wide variety of legal issues. He has learned a great deal about the military's role in domestic emergencies (natural disasters and civil unrest), criminal law (with specialized training in the legal issues associated with sexual assault and rape), probate law, and administrative law. "Being able to bring practical in-depth experience in the wide variety of issues that come before our judges gives me a the unique ability to hit the ground running should I be elected to this critically important role in our community."
Jack will not be the first post 9/11 veteran to join the judiciary. Judge Mark Gundrum, an appeals court judge on the Waukesha based District II Court of Appeals, was part of the Iraq Surge in 2008. Judge Gundrum was first elected to the circuit court in 2010 and was later appointed to the court of appeals winning his own full term in 2017. Judge Gundrum is supporting Jack in his effort to join the Waukesha Bench.
"In the nearly 20 years since the attacks on September 11, 2001, thousands of Wisconsinites have served overseas in the middle east, Iraq and Afghanistan. With such a large number of Wisconsinites having served, it is important for our judiciary be reflective of the broader populace including our combat veterans. I am honored to be a veteran and humbled to be representative of those who have served our nation."
Jack and his wife Laura live in Oconomowoc with their two school-aged daughters. Jack works for the State of Wisconsin as a Staff Attorney with the Labor and Industry Review Commission in Madison. Jack was born and raised in Wisconsin, has been an attorney for over 20 years, a member of the Wisconsin National Guard for over 15 years and currently holds the rank of Major.