Military then Law?

[Det.Brotha]

Has anyone here decided to spend time in the services, especially officer programs and served as a JAG before going and practicing privately? 

Is anyone considering it? 

[-]

Its my plan. Ive talked to the head of JAG on Fort Knox and talked with him a little bit. Is there anything you would like to know. I plan on attending UVA for Law School and coincidentally, the Army's JAG school is at UVA. So an extra year of specialized training? Definitely.


The Navy and the Army are the only branches that have a separate "corps" and basically the JAG officer spends his time doing Law instead of as a side job as in the AF, Marines and Coast Guard.

After 5 years of service in JAG I am going to try and get a job with 0 law school debt.

[von Clausewitz]

Although I can only speak accurately about becoming a Navy/Marine Corps JAG Officer, am I sure the other branches do not deviate very substanially.

There are three ways to becoming a Navy JAG.

One is by direct appointment (DA). You have already graduated from law school and apply to become a commissioned officer.

Two is by legal education program. You are currently in the military as a normal commissioned officer, you apply and if accepted the military will send you to (and pay) for your law school. However only 25 applicants are accepted every fiscal year.

Finally, I forgot what its called but its the most common path for becoming a JAG. While in law school, you apply to be a JAG. Its sorta like ROTC minus the money. You apply your second or third year and from time to time do PT or drill or various other military activities. However, during this time you are actually commissioned as an officer and get paid as a lieutenant junior grade (0-2) instead of an ensign (0-1) upon getting your JD.

And as MayitPleaseMe correctly pointed out, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force have "full-time" JAGs. Although Navy Judge Advocates and Marine Judge Advocates fall under a single command under the Secretary of the Navy, Marine JAs (like all Marine MOSs) are expected to be able to lead the appropriate infantry unit. In the Corps, everyone is a rifleman. Clerks are riflemen. Supply are riflemen. Armor are rifleman. And attorneys are riflemen.

Hope that helped.

[justinlpugh]

Has anyone here decided to spend time in the services, especially officer programs and served as a JAG before going and practicing privately? 

Is anyone considering it? 

Having known the realities of Army Jag and working very close with them while in Afghanistan this past year, I'm going to apply JAG when I'm done with law school. I will take any and all opportunities to get my feet into the door early.

The JAG Officers I came into contact with while in Afghanistan were great poker players, but also very intelligent and fun officers to be around. Most of them dealt with mostly civic issues, such as law and creating the infrastructure for Afghan law in Kabul.

Nonetheless,

I love the notion of still being in the military being able to be around soldiers and being able to do the job I've wanted to do most of my life. It also doesn't hurt that you get free health care, steady check that will never stop, and steady pay raises.

[heart99]

Has anyone here decided to spend time in the services, especially officer programs and served as a JAG before going and practicing privately? 

Is anyone considering it? 

Do you mean that the first commander is the military then followed by law?




_________________
California Orange County Lawyer

[AFCoach]

"The Navy and the Army are the only branches that have a separate "corps" and basically the JAG officer spends his time doing Law instead of as a side job as in the AF, Marines and Coast Guard."

MayItPlease Me -- I'm not sure where this info came from but it's not accurate.  I am an AF JAG and have been for almost 6 years.  We have our own corps and we practice only law.  My experience is only the Marines are general officers first and then JAG officers.  That's why all Marine JAGs have to complete full Officer Candidate School which is extremely physically challenging.  I worked with an AF JAG at my last base who tried to go Marine but was injured at OCS.  She was in very good physical shape.

For example, I spent my first four years in the courtroom as a prosecutor for two years and as a defense lawyer the other two years -- so I'm not sure where the comment about a side job comes from.  It was certainly a full time JAG job.  I now teach at the AF Academy and coach our mock trial team.  If you have any questions though feel free to contact me.  I'd love to help you out.  I have worked with all branches and can give you the low down to the best of my ability.  Any other JAG in my office would also answer any questions you may have.  The AF does deploy less and for shorter duration (6 versus 12 to 18 months) in comparison to the Army.

Whatever you decide it is a great job and I am very glad to have it.  I highly recommend it.  You get to see a variety of legal issues and see the world.  You also get paid to stay fit and exercise.

[Present sense impression]

There are three ways to becoming a Navy JAG.
...

Finally, I forgot what its called but its the most common path for becoming a JAG. While in law school, you apply to be a JAG. Its sorta like ROTC minus the money. You apply your second or third year and from time to time do PT or drill or various other military activities. However, during this time you are actually commissioned as an officer and get paid as a lieutenant junior grade (0-2) instead of an ensign (0-1) upon getting your JD.

Does anybody know typically how many law school students per year the Navy accepts under this option?