The Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Fort Gordon, Georgia provides a full range of legal and non-legal support with excellence and distinction. A total soldier-civilian team effort that:

is an integral part of the Signal Regiment and Fort Gordon community.
responds quickly to the legal and non-legal needs of commanders, staffs, soldiers, retirees and civilians at Fort Gordon.
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 0730 to 1600. See the Legal Assistance and Claims pages for customer service hours and procedures

Power Of Attorney

OSJA Power of Attorney A Power of Attorney is a document by which one person, the "principal", gives another person, the "agent", authority to act on the principal’s behalf.

Types of Powers of Attorney: A Power of Attorney can be general or special.

General Powers of Attorney

A General Power of Attorney grants power to act for the principal in all situations. This allows your agent to do virtually anything you would be able to do if you were present.

Special Powers of Attorney

A special or limited Power of Attorney only authorizes your agent to do specific things on your behalf. For example, a special Power of Attorney might allow your agent to receive your household goods shipment or secure medical care for your children while you are away.

Creating Powers of Attorney

You create a Power of Attorney by signing a notarized document authorizing another person (your agent) to act on your behalf.

Military members often create Powers of Attorney in preparation for a move to a new assignment or a deployment. Spouses, and other family members, are granted Powers of Attorney to allow them to make financial arrangements for the payment of bills, ship or receive household goods shipments, register vehicles, and other things while the military service member is out of the area.

Warning: Powers of Attorney are DANGEROUS for precisely the same reason that they are useful – your agent has the power to do things in your name (including buying or selling property, opening new lines of credit and running up charges, withdrawing money from your bank account)! It is very important that Powers of Attorney only be granted to people that you trust to act responsibly and in accordance with your wishes. Whenever possible, issue Powers of Attorney that are limited in the scope of the authority granted and in the time period during which the authority can be exercised.

Remember that you may revoke a Power of Attorney at any time even if the document contains a specific termination date. You should advise anyone who may have dealings with your agent that the Power of Attorney has been revoked and that your former agent is no longer authorized to act on your behalf.

The following are special Powers of Attorney that military service members frequently use and which are available to you through this web site:

• Special Power of Attorney to Ship or Store Personal and Household Goods

• Special Power of Attorney to Receive or Take Possession of Personal and Household Property

• Special Power of Attorney to Authorize Medical Care for Children

Free notary service is available at the Legal Assistance Office during normal operating hours. In addition, many other Powers of Attorney (POAs) are available at the Legal Assistance Office, on a walk-in basis – You don’t have to make an appointment to get a Power of Attorney!

The following is a list of some of the most frequently requested Powers of Attorney:

POA for Check Cashing
POA to Buy/Sell/Lease Real Property
POA for Clearance of the Installation
POA for Voluntary Appointment of Guardian
POA to Apply for Dependent Identification Card
POA to Accept/Terminate Military Quarters
POA to Buy/Sell/Lease Vehicles
POA to Ship POV
General POA