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Want to Be a JAG?

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  • 19th Airlift Wing Judge Advocate

Serving as a Judge Advocate General provides a unique opportunity to promote good order and discipline in the Air Force through the practice of law.  The career field is challenging and fast-paced with limitless opportunities for growth and learning.  As fully licensed attorneys and active duty officers, JAGs specialize in a wide variety of fields including criminal law, torts/claims, operations law, contracts, and environmental law.  There are two programs available for current active duty members to become a JAG: the Funded Legal Education Program and the Excess Leave Program.

FLEP provides an exceptional opportunity to attend law school at Air Force expense.  If selected for FLEP, you would get full pay, allowances, and other benefits while attending law school as a full-time student.  Law school typically lasts three years, and your only military duty obligations during that time are your studies as well as completing two summer internships.  During the internships, you would still be getting paid full salary and allowances.  The positions available for this program are very limited, but if selected, you will have the unparalleled opportunity to attend law school while serving as an active duty officer.

ELP is also a fantastic program that allows you to go on excess leave status, essentially putting your active duty career on hold while you go to law school as a full-time student.  While your law school tuition, application, and fees would not be covered and you would not be getting an Air Force salary, you would continue to accrue time toward promotion and retirement, and you’ll still have access to many active duty benefits including medical services and base exchange/commissary privileges.  There are also generous loan repayment programs available once you become a JAG.

Whether applying through FLEP or ELP, preparing an application for the JAG Corps is a time- intensive process.  Required materials include a resume, motivational statement, Law School Admission Test results, law school letters of acceptance, military records, and up to five letters of recommendation. The Air Force also recommends submitting a writing sample that includes legal analysis. 

If you are interested in applying, visit the JAG Recruiting website at www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/jag/entry-programs/active-duty-military or call (800) 524-8723.  Please feel free to drop by the legal office and you can discuss the career field and the application process with one of us.  Good luck, and we hope to see you in the JAG Corps!