Director, Defense Institute of International Legal Studies
Captain Ian S. Wexler, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, became the Director of
Defense Institute of International Legal Studies in July 2019. He is responsible for the
administration and management of the lead Defense Security Cooperation resource for global
professional legal education, training, and engagement with international military personnel and
related civilians.
CAPT Wexler was commissioned in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps Student Program
in 1997. Since then he has served in numerous shore and deployed assignments, including as a
military prosecutor, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Naval Justice School instructor and Staff
Judge Advocate at various commands throughout the United States. He has completed four joint
assignments and has been deployed to Iraq twice and also to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Prior to his arrival at DIILS, CAPT Wexler served as the Chief of Operational Law assigned to
U.S. Northern Command/North American Aerospace Defense Command. CAPT Wexler
coordinated US Northern Command’s legal response to multiple hurricanes and the surge on the
southwest border. In 2004 he served as the first Executive Officer for the military liaison office
of the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, and in 2010 he returned to Iraq as the Director of the Law
and Order Task Force. Additionally, during 2015 – 2016, CAPT Wexler served as the Staff
Judge Advocate for Joint Task Force – Guantanamo in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was in
charge of the largest deployed legal office in the Department of Defense.
CAPT Wexler is a graduate of Rutgers University (BA), University of Richmond School of Law
(JD), The Army Judge Advocate General’s School (LLM) and Center and the Naval War College
(MA). He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service
Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster) and various
other awards, campaign ribbons and unit devices.