There are two ways to enter the JAG Corps as a Marine. The first is the PCL-Law program --the Marine Corps equivalent to the student entry program. Students complete the ten-week Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, either during the summer before law school, or the 1L or 2L summer. Candidates then receive the rank of Second Lieutenant and are placed on Inactive Duty pending completion of law school. Upon graduation, students must take the first scheduled bar exam in any state, and must report LSAT scores of 150+. After passing the bar, students enter the Basic School--a six-month intensive basic training for the Marine Corps, then join JAG Corps members from the Navy at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island. Students are then assigned their first duty station. The second option for entering the Marine JAG Corps is through the OCC-Law program, which is open to licensed attorneys, who must have completed law school, passed a state bar, and earned a 150+ on the LSAT.
The first is the Direct Commissioned Course (DCC) Phase--a six-week basic training for JAGs in Fort Benning, Georgia.
The JAG Corps is the legal branch of the military, concerned with military justice and military law. The chief attorney in each branch is the Judge Advocate General, and those under him or her are considered to be Judge Advocates. These individuals both defend and prosecute military personnel, using the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
Alison Monahan. Updated February 06, 2019. The Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG Corps), which encompasses the career path for military lawyers, has been popularized by the television show JAG, the film A Few Good Men, and a host of other pop cultural touchstones. If you're looking to serve your country as a lawyer, consider the JAG Corps.
As a JAG, you’ll be able to travel as well as live and work in exciting locations all over the world. And while you’re serving your country, you will have the opportunity to continue your education through specialized training in an array of legal fields.
As a JAG sworn to defend the legal rights of your fellow Airmen, you’ll have access to specialized training courses and continuing legal educational opportunities that are provided at no cost to you. There are courses for prosecutors, defense counsel and military judges along with courses in a wide variety of specialties. In addition, JAGs are competitively selected every year to return to law school for LL.M.s in areas like government contracts (procurement), labor law, air and space law, international law and environmental law.
JAG attorneys do not typically get to decide who to represent or what cases to take. Attorneys may find themselves arguing positions at odds with their personal beliefs, such as defending someone accused of a terrible crime or giving advice that leads to military action and the resulting loss of life.
JAG attorneys are trained in and practice a very wide variety of law, including criminal prosecution and defense (court s-martial), family, tax, estate planning, contracts, immigration, torts, environmental, landlord-tenant, and more.
It doesn’t need to be that way. Often, the most fulfilled attorneys work in public interest positions. While most law students and attorneys are aware of careers working with nonprofits and government agencies like public defender and district attorney offices, one path that students and young attorneys may not have considered is being an attorney ...
In addition to the pride and satisfaction of supporting our armed forces, there are many upsides to joining the JAG Corps. While it is not advisable to cite these as primary motivating factors in seeking to join the JAG Corps during the application, some of the personal benefits include:
What other legal career not only encourages attorneys to stay in shape, but actually requires it, provides the facilities, and gives time during the day to do so? Finally, JAGs who serve for 20 years are eligible for military retirement benefits .
Finally, JAGs who serve for 20 years are eligible for military retirement benefits. Therefore, a young attorney in his or her late 20s could join JAG, serve 20 years, and receive a full military retirement before turning 50. They would then leave the military with significant experience and job prospects. In exchange for all the great benefits of ...
JAG attorneys will likely not live in one location for long. They are usually assigned to military bases for two years at a time, with possible deployments to other locations during that time. Family members can typically accompany the attorney to their assignments, but not on deployments, which can be for several months at a time.
As a member of this elite group of law professionals, you’ll provide a full range of legal services to the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Space Force, Airmen, and Guardians.
The student loan repayment program will repay up to $65,000 of your student loans over a three-year period.
Unless you grew up in a JAG or Air Force family, it’s likely you have many questions about the program and life in the Air Force. A lot of those questions are answered here, but please feel free to contact us at 1-800-JAG-USAF or airforcejagrecruiting@gmail.com with any specific inquiries.
Monitor, coordinate and direct legal activities. Prepare legal advice and opinions. Represent the United States in civil proceedings. Act as trial counsel, defense counsel or military judge as-needed. Instruct personnel in military justice procedures and legal issues.
51JX. The pursuit of justice is at the center of every Air Force objective. So the rights of Airmen are naturally held in the highest regard and are defended and supported by top legal minds like Air Force Judge Advocates (JAG).
To get a direct appointment as an attorney with the Air Force, you must have graduated with a Juris Doctor (or be close to graduation) from a law school approved by the American Bar Association.
Commissions to the Air Force JAG can be competitive. On average in the United States, more than 40,000 people graduate with a law degree each year and seek employment in their field.
Lawyers who work in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) corps serve the Air Force and its service members in a variety of ways, working as prosecutors, defense counsel and judges. After a few years of service, JAG officers who undertake additional legal training serve in highly specialized subfields such as procurement and government contracts, ...
Lawyers who work in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) corps serve the Air Force and its service members in a variety of ways, working as prosecutors, defense counsel and judges.
A JAG officer gets an introduction to military life and law beginning with Commissioned Officer Training followed by the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course conducted at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. A number of opportunities exist for lawyers as they are promoted through the ranks, including leadership and teaching.
Air Force JAG salary starts at $3,850.50 per month in base pay, which translates to $46,206 annually. Air Force benefits include a housing allowance adjusted for local cost of living, medical and dental benefits, and 30 days of paid vacation a year.
Air Force. You'll enter the service as a First Lieutenant, which is pay grade O-2. Career advancement and diverse opportunities are some of the perks you'll enjoy.
Gain Leadership Skills. At the tactical or personal/direct level, members of the Air Force master their primary duty skills. Furthermore, they develop experiences in applying these skills and also acquire knowledge that enables them to display competencies that is essential to effective leadership.
Being part of an organization whose purposes is to preserve peace and security, and also defend the US air space and its territories, you will be in a better place to serve your country.
Free Healthcare & Housing. The Air Force offers all its Airmen and their families’ world-class insurance plans. They receive low cost, full medical and dental care at military and civilian facilities. Airmen also get full pay and allowances even during sick days, and they are also given low-cost life insurance.
Humility and versatility are two characteristics would-be military attorneys should develop, experts say. To become a military attorney, experts say you must demonstrate grit, resourcefulness and willingness to serve.
Adventurousness: Experts say JAGs should be eager to explore legal specialties, because they will be called to serve in a variety of legal roles. Applicants should communicate their enthusiasm about the variety of legal experiences that the JAG Corps offers.
Experts say JAGs may be deployed to combat zones and assigned to roles they might not have chosen. DeSousa says a JAG needs to be comfortable with uncertainty. "If you are someone who wants to feel that they are always in control of their schedule and life, maybe it's not the right occupation for you," he says.
Versatility: Cmdr. Sylvaine Wong, deputy director for recruiting and diversity in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, says the most competitive applicants to the JAG Corps are those who have excelled in multiple areas, including academics , sports and other extracurricular activities.
Located in beautiful and rugged Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Air Force Academy is the home of around 4,000 cadets who make up the Wing.
After completing required courses at the U.S. Air Force Academy, cadets are required to serve as commissioned officers in the Air Force for at least eight years. While attending the academy, students receive a free, world-class education valued at over $400,000, plus room, board and medical and dental benefits.
The CFA consists of a basketball throw, pull-ups, a one-mile run, a shuttle run, crunches and push-ups.
Academy applicants must complete the Candidate Fitness Assessment, which measures their strength, speed, endurance and agility. The CFA consists of a basketball throw, pull-ups, a one-mile run, a shuttle run, crunches and push-ups.
The CFA consists of a basketball throw, pull-ups, a one-mile run, a shuttle run, crunches and push-ups. Participating in sports such as soccer, football, swimming and wrestling is beneficial to perform well on the CFA. Individual skills, such as distance running, sprints and upper body strength are also important.