what is the advantage of joining the airforce as a lawyer

by Garfield Klein 3 min read

What do lawyers do in the Air Force?

These highly trained attorneys handle a wide variety of legal issues including international law, operations law, environmental law and military and civilian personnel issues. From trial preparation to post-trial actions, they provide important legal counsel every step of the way.

What rank is a lawyer in the Air Force?

Beginning JAG corps salaries vary because each branch has different initial ranks for its JAGs. Coast Guard lawyers start at the highest rank, O-3. Marine, Air Force and Navy military lawyers start at the rank of O-2, and Army lawyers start at the rank of O-1.

What branch of the military is best for lawyers?

The JAG Corps is the legal branch of the military, concerned with military justice and military law.Feb 6, 2019

Will the Air Force pay for my law degree?

The Air Force JAG Corps currently does not offer scholarships to pay for law school. The Air Force, however, offers the Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) to officers and enlisted members on active duty.

What are Air Force lawyers called?

Judge Advocate General's Corps
The Judge Advocate General's Corps also known as the "JAG Corps" or "JAG" is the legal arm of the United States Air Force.

Is being a JAG worth it?

By becoming a JAG, you are guaranteed a career that has rotating assignments by location and practice area, exposing you to the world and the law in ways you could have never imagined. It provides unrivaled practical and hands-on experience to springboard your career.

How much do Air Force JAG lawyers make?

The salaries of Air Force Jags in the US range from $10,085 to $237,745 , with a median salary of $42,868 . The middle 57% of Air Force Jags makes between $42,868 and $107,389, with the top 86% making $237,745.

How do you become a lawyer in the Air Force?

QUALIFICATIONS
  1. Must be a citizen of the United States.
  2. Must be a graduate of an ABA-approved law school and be admitted to practice law in the highest court of any U.S. state, commonwealth, territory or the District of Columbia.
  3. Must be commissioned before the age of 40.

Is Air Force JAG competitive?

The JAG application process is competitive, rigorous, and highly selective. We evaluate each candidate using the "whole person" concept, which means we look at academic performance, extracurricular activities, community service, prior military record, and work and leadership experience.

What benefits do you get after 4 years in the Air Force?

After you complete your initial four-year service obligation, you can qualify for a retention program that allows the service to pay you up to $60,000 if you stay with the Air Force. Sign up for another two years after your initial four-year commitment and you receive $20,000.

How hard is it to join Jag?

Depending on the service branch, the acceptance rate for JAG Corps applicants is typically between 4-7%. The Army, for instance, receives about 4000 applications every year and only accepts around 200.May 9, 2017

How long is Air Force school Jag?

nine-week
After completing Officer Training School (OTS), you will begin the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course (JASOC), also at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. This is a nine-week course where you will be trained on Air Force legal practice.

How to join the JAG Corps?

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.

How long is the JAG training?

The first is the Direct Commissioned Course (DCC) Phase--a six-week basic training for JAGs in Fort Benning, Georgia.

What is a JAG?

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).

What is the JAG Corps?

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.

What is it like to be a JAG in the Air Force?

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.

What do JAGs do?

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.

Do JAG attorneys decide who to represent?

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.

What is a JAG attorney?

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.

Do attorneys work in public interest?

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 ...

Is it advisable to join the JAG Corps?

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:

Do JAGs get military retirement?

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 .

Can a 20 year old join the JAG?

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 ...

How long do JAG attorneys live?

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.

BECOMING A JAG

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.

JAG BENEFITS

The student loan repayment program will repay up to $65,000 of your student loans over a three-year period.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

What is the job of a military lawyer?

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.

What is 51JX in the Air Force?

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).

How to become an Air Force lawyer?

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.

How many people graduate from the Air Force with a law degree?

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.

What is a JAG in the Air Force?

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, ...

What is a JAG lawyer?

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.

Where is the JAG training?

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.

How much does an Air Force JAG make?

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.

What is the pay grade for a first lieutenant?

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.

How does the Air Force gain leadership?

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.

Why are the US armed forces important?

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.

Does the Air Force offer free healthcare?

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.

What are the qualities of a military attorney?

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.

Why should a JAG be eager to explore legal specialties?

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.

Can a JAG be deployed?

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.

What are the qualities of a good JAG?

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.

Where is the Air Force Academy?

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.

How long do you have to be a cadet in the Air Force?

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.

What is the CFA in basketball?

The CFA consists of a basketball throw, pull-ups, a one-mile run, a shuttle run, crunches and push-ups.

What is the CFA for the Academy?

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.

What is the CFA?

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.

What Is The Jag Corps?

The UCMJ

How Does One Join The Jag Corps?

  • There are two main paths lawyers may take to join the JAG Corps. The first is for law students to apply to the JAG Corps upon completion of law school. Applicants must have passed the bar exam, and must be prepared to enter Officer Training. The second path is for licensed and experienced attorneys to join the armed forces. Such candidates must likewise enter Officer Trai…
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Army

  • Entry into the Army JAG Corps (founded by George Washington in 1775) occurs through Direct Commission. Commissioned individuals enter the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Training Course, which is split into two phases. The first is the Direct Commissioned Course (DCC) Phase--a six-week basic training for JAGs in Fort Benning, Georgia. The second is the Charlottesville Phase, …
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Navy

  • To become an officer in the JAG Corpsin the Navy, this branch of the military must offer hopefuls a commission, after which time they enter Officer Development School (ODS), where they receive the rank of Ensign, and their active duty pay and benefits begin. Located in Newport, Rhode Island, ODS is specifically tailored to those entering the Navy as officers. Once completed, candidates e…
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Air Force

  • The Air Force has four different entry programs into the JAG Corp. The first is the student option, where candidates apply as either a 1L or 2L, and commit to completing Active Duty as a member of the JAG Corps after graduating law school and passing the bar. The second program entails licensed attorneys directly entering the JAG Corps. The third o...
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Marine Corps

  • 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 D…
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Coast Guard

  • Unlike the other military branches, there is only one way to enter the Coast Guard JAG Corps—as a Direct Commission Lawyer (DCL). Final year law students and licensed attorneys may enter the Coast Guard this way. After commissioning, they must attend the 4-5 week long Direct Commission Officer course in New London, Connecticut, before attending a ten-week Basic Law…
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