Military Law Forum

[Fed_Atty]

Especially for 1st time applicants don't get your hopes up because the Navy never takes anyone on their 1st board. Ever. It's a numbers game, there are enough applicants that they can afford to only choose the people who are willing to risk their whole careers for a chance. All branches (except for the OYCP) will insist on turning down applicants multiple times before they accept them to prove that they want it bad enough, there are enough of us that they can do whatever they want.

Incorrect. The Navy does take people on their first board. They took me on my first board and I know of others.

[andythefir]

Especially for 1st time applicants don't get your hopes up because the Navy never takes anyone on their 1st board. Ever. It's a numbers game, there are enough applicants that they can afford to only choose the people who are willing to risk their whole careers for a chance. All branches (except for the OYCP) will insist on turning down applicants multiple times before they accept them to prove that they want it bad enough, there are enough of us that they can do whatever they want.

Incorrect. The Navy does take people on their first board. They took me on my first board and I know of others.

Congratulations, but when did you apply? Did you have former military service/some other game-changer? The Navy told me straight up that for people without those kinds of backgrounds applying in 2013 for the first time is very grim.

[bouakedojo]

Especially for 1st time applicants don't get your hopes up because the Navy never takes anyone on their 1st board. Ever. It's a numbers game, there are enough applicants that they can afford to only choose the people who are willing to risk their whole careers for a chance. All branches (except for the OYCP) will insist on turning down applicants multiple times before they accept them to prove that they want it bad enough, there are enough of us that they can do whatever they want.

Incorrect. The Navy does take people on their first board. They took me on my first board and I know of others.

Congratulations, but when did you apply? Did you have former military service/some other game-changer? The Navy told me straight up that for people without those kinds of backgrounds applying in 2013 for the first time is very grim.

I believe he's a former Navy officer, IIRC.

[adonai]

Especially for 1st time applicants don't get your hopes up because the Navy never takes anyone on their 1st board. Ever. It's a numbers game, there are enough applicants that they can afford to only choose the people who are willing to risk their whole careers for a chance. All branches (except for the OYCP) will insist on turning down applicants multiple times before they accept them to prove that they want it bad enough, there are enough of us that they can do whatever they want.

Incorrect. The Navy does take people on their first board. They took me on my first board and I know of others.

Congratulations, but when did you apply? Did you have former military service/some other game-changer? The Navy told me straight up that for people without those kinds of backgrounds applying in 2013 for the first time is very grim.

I believe he's a former Navy officer, IIRC.

My interviewer did the Navy JAG internship and got in on first try. Perhaps former Navy/military experience is a huge bump. There's enough of those types to take so I am not expecting at all to be taken in this time. Not just saying that as a figure of speech but am actually deciding my next steps as if I already got rejected.

[andythefir]

Not just saying that as a figure of speech but am actually deciding my next steps as if I already got rejected.

In 2013 every JAG applicant at every level should always assume they will get rejected. The numbers are way too low to count on the JAG at any point.

[NAOBERJU]

Just to chime in...I was accepted by the Navy on my first board and I have no prior military experience or family connection. I would not throw away or discount the first board. Anything is possible.

[adonai]

Just to chime in...I was accepted by the Navy on my first board and I have no prior military experience or family connection. I would not throw away or discount the first board. Anything is possible.

Let me guess, top 10%?

[Esquire]

Especially for 1st time applicants don't get your hopes up because the Navy never takes anyone on their 1st board. Ever. It's a numbers game, there are enough applicants that they can afford to only choose the people who are willing to risk their whole careers for a chance. All branches (except for the OYCP) will insist on turning down applicants multiple times before they accept them to prove that they want it bad enough, there are enough of us that they can do whatever they want.

Completely untrue on the Navy account and the "all branches" comment.

[abogadesq]

For those who were selected for Army AD and are just finishing up law school, hurry up and get another job. February 2014 is the earliest you'll be starting, most likely.

I thought the Army only selects people after they take the bar exam?

[DannyBoy31]

OYCP applicant here anxiously awaiting the board results. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be released this week, although the recent trend suggests it will be the last week of February or the first week of March.

Can anyone who has been accepted to this program please give a brief summary of what to expect if accepted as far as when you meet with the AFROTC detachment, when one should expect to go to MEPS, take the AFOQT, and attend summer training? Thanks!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Tagging

[target]

OYCP applicant here anxiously awaiting the board results. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be released this week, although the recent trend suggests it will be the last week of February or the first week of March.

Can anyone who has been accepted to this program please give a brief summary of what to expect if accepted as far as when you meet with the AFROTC detachment, when one should expect to go to MEPS, take the AFOQT, and attend summer training? Thanks!

I am applying for this board review, but here is what my ROTC interviewer told me. He said that I need to contact him/ROTC detachment as soon as I find out the result to get all the paperwork done. I will then go through a background check, a medical examination, etc. He also mentioned that the summer training will start around mid- to late-June and run until late-July.

Good luck!

[NAOBERJU]

I have good grades but I was not in the top 10%. I am not even close to the top 10%. I also did not go to a tier one law school. While the Navy seemed to care about grades, they definitely were looking at other factors. My impression, and this is just my personal opinion, but I think the interview and the Navy JAG Corps internship were the two most significant parts of my application.

[navyjagjds]

I was also selected for Navy JAG on my first attempt and I do not have any military or family connections. My grades were in the top half of the class at a first tier law school. I will second Naoberju in that the interview seemed to be a very important factor. I also had extensive leadership in undergrad and a couple of prestigious leadership awards.

[andythefir]

I was also selected for Navy JAG on my first attempt and I do not have any military or family connections. My grades were in the top half of the class at a first tier law school. I will second Naoberju in that the interview seemed to be a very important factor. I also had extensive leadership in undergrad and a couple of prestigious leadership awards.

Looks like the recruiters were trying to let me down easy then.

[erik_1717]

Any Army 2L summer interns hear back regarding the final selections?

[navyjagjds]

I was also selected for Navy JAG on my first attempt and I do not have any military or family connections. My grades were in the top half of the class at a first tier law school. I will second Naoberju in that the interview seemed to be a very important factor. I also had extensive leadership in undergrad and a couple of prestigious leadership awards.

Looks like the recruiters were trying to let me down easy then.

Well, I was also pretty convinced that one needed a military connection of some sort and that it would take a few boards to show them that I was serious about joining. Maybe the decision-makers mixed it up this year and the recruiters normally would be right about what they told you.

[f_atc]

I applied for the AF GLP for the Feb 2013 board. Are there many people on here waiting on those results?

Wondering who else is checking this blog, the AF Facebook page, and their phones over and over again everyday.

[bouakedojo]

I was also selected for Navy JAG on my first attempt and I do not have any military or family connections. My grades were in the top half of the class at a first tier law school. I will second Naoberju in that the interview seemed to be a very important factor. I also had extensive leadership in undergrad and a couple of prestigious leadership awards.

Looks like the recruiters were trying to let me down easy then.

No, I think the general rule is that most don't get selected on the first board. The people posting here that have are the exceptions to the rule. I've talked to four different Navy JAGs who've said the same thing to me. One said they did a survey at their JAG training of how many people there got in the first time and almost everyone said it took multiple attempts.

All that said, keep your head up.

[DannyBoy31]

I applied for the AF GLP for the Feb 2013 board. Are there many people on here waiting on those results?

Wondering who else is checking this blog, the AF Facebook page, and their phones over and over again everyday.

I'd say it's safe to say you're in good company. I applied to the OYCP, but I think the same board makes selections for both programs.

[zashby]

I applied for the AF GLP for the Feb 2013 board. Are there many people on here waiting on those results?

Wondering who else is checking this blog, the AF Facebook page, and their phones over and over again everyday.

I'd say it's safe to say you're in good company. I applied to the OYCP, but I think the same board makes selections for both programs.

I am also applying. Does anyone know if there is a quota for how many 1Ls, 2Ls, etc. they are looking for or if the AF just wants to fill x number of spots and doesn't care how its allocated?

[Trout et al]

.

[Pdk7]

Does school prestige matter for JAG? If so, to what extent? What advice would you give someone who is deciding between lower Top-14 at sticker and regional tier-1 with close to full ride? Is JAG basically too selective to even take into consideration when making this decision.

Assume no military experience or connections.

I would say it doesn't matter for the most part. I don't know anything about the other branches but I know that its not really a priority for Army. They care more about the quality of the person. I used to be kind of paranoid about this as well, and I kind of didn't trust other people when they told me the same thing, but do your own research. I went to their website and looked at the list of individuals selected for Active Duty, Reserves, and 1L and 2L internships. You'll see that the list of schools includes almost as many T4 schools as it does T1 on all of them. I did this for each year of law school and as I was applying, and it never really changed. I'm graduating from a Tier 4 school and I got 2L summer internship and the AD position.

[target]

Does school prestige matter for JAG? If so, to what extent? What advice would you give someone who is deciding between lower Top-14 at sticker and regional tier-1 with close to full ride? Is JAG basically too selective to even take into consideration when making this decision.

Assume no military experience or connections.

I would say it doesn't matter for the most part. I don't know anything about the other branches but I know that its not really a priority for Army. They care more about the quality of the person. I used to be kind of paranoid about this as well, and I kind of didn't trust other people when they told me the same thing, but do your own research. I went to their website and looked at the list of individuals selected for Active Duty, Reserves, and 1L and 2L internships. You'll see that the list of schools includes almost as many T4 schools as it does T1 on all of them. I did this for each year of law school and as I was applying, and it never really changed. I'm graduating from a Tier 4 school and I got 2L summer internship and the AD position.

With this said, go to a school that you think would give you most job prospects. Don't put all your eggs in the JAG basket.

[howell]

Does school prestige matter for JAG? If so, to what extent? What advice would you give someone who is deciding between lower Top-14 at sticker and regional tier-1 with close to full ride? Is JAG basically too selective to even take into consideration when making this decision.

Assume no military experience or connections.

I have not seen any indication in the Air Force's selections that school matters at all. In our 60+ person JASOC class, very few are from T14s. I would say most are from solid T1 & T2 schools, but they run the gamut. And this class was all selected during the past year or so, which was certainly a very selective time for the AF. No one that I've talked to who has been involved in the selection process seems concerned with the school. My guess would be that it's tougher finding law students who can handle the legal work who can also be good officers.

I also agree with the poster above who said not to put all of your eggs in the JAG basket. You never know when something might come up that could disqualify you. I think you'll be ahead of the game if you go to law school knowing you want to apply for JAG positions, but, as with anyone applying for JAG, you have to have a plan B. What that is might be better served by less debt or a higher-ranked school.