Military Law - Navy Jag Student Program Forum

[Fed_Atty]

I believe the board met at the very end of March. Typically they hustle to try and get the Spring board results out quickly because they want to get the Direct Appointments in the pipeline as quickly as possible.

[SEC_Law]

So is everyone still assuming that April 22 is the day of reckoning?

[Stubbazubba]

So is everyone still assuming that April 22 is the day of reckoning?

I'm telling myself that's the earliest it might be. And April 29th would be the latest. Here's hoping it's the 22nd.

[lawschoolgirl12345]

I'm a OL going into law school at Pepperdine in fall 2016. I'm really set on the Navy JAG Corps. Any advice on what to do to get in by my 2L year? I know they value public service, leadership, work experience, grades, and school rank. Can anyone talk about the things on their resume or what they talked about during their JAG interview that they believe helped them the most get an offer from the Navy JAG?

[pzpzhops2]

I'm a OL going into law school at Pepperdine in fall 2016. I'm really set on the Navy JAG Corps. Any advice on what to do to get in by my 2L year? I know they value public service, leadership, work experience, grades, and school rank. Can anyone talk about the things on their resume or what they talked about during their JAG interview that they believe helped them the most get an offer from the Navy JAG?

First, I would recommend reading this thread. There is a lot of great information in here from current and former JAGs as well as students who are currently going through the commissioning process.

Addressing your questions in short:

1. You cannot "get in" or even apply for a commission as a JAG until you are a 2L via the Student Program. This is the case for the Navy, other services have other entry options.

2. You are right in noting the important things that the JAG Corps values. Show commitment to the Navy early and often. Apply to the Navy internship program your 1L summer. I would also recommend applying to other branches internship programs. Even if you don't get the navy internship, interning with one of the branches still shows commitment to serve.

There are others on this board that know much, much more than I do about the process. I'm sure they will chime in, but like I said, read this whole thread.

[lawschoolgirl12345]

I'm a OL going into law school at Pepperdine in fall 2016. I'm really set on the Navy JAG Corps. Any advice on what to do to get in by my 2L year? I know they value public service, leadership, work experience, grades, and school rank. Can anyone talk about the things on their resume or what they talked about during their JAG interview that they believe helped them the most get an offer from the Navy JAG?

First, I would recommend reading this thread. There is a lot of great information in here from current and former JAGs as well as students who are currently going through the commissioning process.

Addressing your questions in short:

1. You cannot "get in" or even apply for a commission as a JAG until you are a 2L via the Student Program. This is the case for the Navy, other services have other entry options.

2. You are right in noting the important things that the JAG Corps values. Show commitment to the Navy early and often. Apply to the Navy internship program your 1L summer. I would also recommend applying to other branches internship programs. Even if you don't get the navy internship, interning with one of the branches still shows commitment to serve.

There are others on this board that know much, much more than I do about the process. I'm sure they will chime in, but like I said, read this whole thread.

Thank you very much for the reply. I will definitely apply for internships in every branch my 1L year as it seems that its a very competitive process and there are few spots.

[wg6524]

So is everyone still assuming that April 22 is the day of reckoning?

That's what i've gotten penciled in. Hope it comes through that day. My wife is already giving me a hard time: "Oh hey, was that your phone?"

[lawschoolgirl12345]

If anyone has any advice (based on my stats below) regarding my chances of getting a Navy JAG internship my 1L, it would be appreciated!

3.72 GPA from a state school in California with full-tuition covered, majored in Philosophy, and minored in Law.
160 LSAT
Leadership experience in undergrad: VP of a literature club, pre-law society member, legal aid organization volunteer, nominated for a student leadership award, Teacher's Assistant for a professor.
Public Service: competitive congressional internship in DC during undergrad, 2016 JusticeCorps volunteer.
Starting school at Pepperdine Law in fall 2016(2nd tier law school ranked between 50-60). I don't know my first semester grades yet.
I have approx 2 years of work experience between undergrad and law school working at a small immigration law firm and then the legal department (contracts) of a large entertainment company.

For those who were selected for an internship, who did you get a letter of rec from?

I am thinking of getting a letter from a law prof, one from a previous employer between undergrad and law school, but I'm not sure who should be the third one. I have choices between my undergrad congressional internship supervisor (who supervised me in 2013), 2016 JusticeCorps volunteer experience, a prof from undergrad, the president of my undergrad school, and the head of the philosophy dept in undergrad. Anyone has any ideas as to whom I should pick for the third letter, and why?

Regarding the personal statement, its only 400 words. Any tips or ideas to write a stellar statement? What are some things I shouldn't forget to include?

I would like to apply to both the internship and externship. However, I'm not sure I qualify for the externship because my school is not close to a major Navy base. Any thoughts on this? Can I still apply for the externship if my school is in the Los Angeles area.

[20171203]

.

[pzpzhops2]

I was selected for an internship this summer with the Navy, I am a 2L. Like Lincoln Lawyer said, there are things that past selectees have had in common that give us some idea as to what the selection boards are looking for. However, the selection boards use the whole person concept which is frustrating for those of us who desire to be selected. The "whole person concept" is vague by design. I understand it is frustrating and unsatisfying to get the answer that there is no magic combination that will guarantee you selection, but that is what it is. School prestige and grades are a factor but certainly not determinative. JAG officers come from al tiers of law schools.

My LORs for the summer internship application package included two law professors and one from a prior work supervisor with no relation to law. You want a letter from people that know you well and will say more than the generic recommendation because that will help you stick out. I think it matters more about the quality of the letter than the title of the person. That is just my opinion however. It is always a plus to get a recommendation from military officer.

Your statement is your chance to convey to the selection board why you want to be a Navy JAG officer. Why the Navy? Like LincolnLawyer and I said above, read this thread. It will answer a lot (probably all) of the questions you have. Also read the enormous Military Law thread or as much as you can. Others before you have probably had and asked the same questions you have. Utilize the search tool at the top of the page.

As far as externships go... I am only familiar with the Air Force Externship program, but I feel the Navy externship is the same. You will likely need to be located close to a base in order to complete an externship. It is for school credit. I have heard that some people taking a semester off of classes to work an externship if their school is not located close to a military base.

Again, all of this is based off of my experience. JAG slots historically have been and still are extremely difficult to get. I decided before starting law school that I wanted to be a JAG officer. Ultimately, I may never get selected. Continue applying and hopefully it will pay off. After reading the two mentioned threads, you will begin to see that there is no magic formula and your fate is in the hands of the selection board. Do all you can in law school to make yourself as competitive as possible.

[lawschoolgirl12345]

Thank you for all this good info. I read the whole navy jag thread and am almost done with the military law thread. I have two questions I didnt see an answer to on those threads.

The first one: I know I'll have to list all the jobs I've had for the last 7-10 years. I was wondering if its okay not to write down a few short term jobs I had during and after college. I would like to put down only the relevant or long-term positions I've had. Would that be an issue for the SP application? And if selected, would OPM investigate my tax returns to confirm what I wrote down in the employment section? I think I remember they will only contact employers from the last three years. Am i right?

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

[SEC_Law]

Thank you for all this good info. I read the whole navy jag thread and am almost done with the military law thread. I have two questions I didnt see an answer to on those threads.

The first one: I know I'll have to list all the jobs I've had for the last 7-10 years. I was wondering if its okay not to write down a few short term jobs I had during and after college. I would like to put down only the relevant or long-term positions I've had. Would that be an issue for the SP application? And if selected, would OPM investigate my tax returns to confirm what I wrote down in the employment section? I think I remember they will only contact employers from the last three years. Am i right?

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

I would put down everything. Including only the relevant jobs is essentially leaving out some forms of employment. While I doubt they would check tax returns it's always better to be honest with the military.

[Ramrezyeh]

Thank you for all this good info. I read the whole navy jag thread and am almost done with the military law thread. I have two questions I didnt see an answer to on those threads.

The first one: I know I'll have to list all the jobs I've had for the last 7-10 years. I was wondering if its okay not to write down a few short term jobs I had during and after college. I would like to put down only the relevant or long-term positions I've had. Would that be an issue for the SP application? And if selected, would OPM investigate my tax returns to confirm what I wrote down in the employment section? I think I remember they will only contact employers from the last three years. Am i right?

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

To answer your first question: your SP application is part of it, but you are also required to report the same job timeline for your security clearance. I erred on the side of caution and reported everything so that my jag application would match my security clearance application. Took an extra 15-20 minutes of data entry on my jag app, but it paid off when I just had to copy and paste for my security clearance.

I'll leave the second part of your question to someone who went through that process.

[wg6524]

Thank you for all this good info. I read the whole navy jag thread and am almost done with the military law thread. I have two questions I didnt see an answer to on those threads.

The first one: I know I'll have to list all the jobs I've had for the last 7-10 years. I was wondering if its okay not to write down a few short term jobs I had during and after college. I would like to put down only the relevant or long-term positions I've had. Would that be an issue for the SP application? And if selected, would OPM investigate my tax returns to confirm what I wrote down in the employment section? I think I remember they will only contact employers from the last three years. Am i right?

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

The folks that have recently gotten selected might know better about that. However, when it comes to the OPM investigation it depends on the scope of the investigation and level you're at. I've had them call employers as far back as 10 years on me. I would err on the side of caution and list everything. Word of advice on the OPM investigation though: start tracking where you have lived and contacts at each address literally day to day. If you don't do it right they can kick your eQuip back or make the interview last painfully long.

[CharlieAvocado]

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

I assume you mean an unofficial internship with JAG. As someone currently in an externship, based on some of what I've overheard and learned, that's the fastest way to get somebody at JAG in trouble because they aren't aware of the hoops they need to jump through (or worse for them, they ignore them). There appears to be no unofficial internship. There's a reason they have you go through the process; they're checking your background, fingerprinting you, calling references, etc. Personally, the last thing I would want to do would be the law student who went "behind the backs" of the externship/internship program (I could see that being a black mark on any later applications). If you're not selected it's for a reason, they either don't have space for you, or they deem you unqualified at that time.

Now, you might be able to volunteer on base with JAG in a non-internship capacity, not 100% sure what that would entail, considering you probably wouldn't be able to have access to client information, which is basically everything.

I know my school permits me to get pro bono hours volunteering with JAG, which I will do once my externship ends. [ETA: I got permission from JAG as well to continue in a volunteer capacity.]

[wg6524]

Second, I'm thinking of pursuing an unoffocial internship if I weren't able to get the official one due to the tough competition. I read I should contact the local base in my area and ask to speak to the person in charge of recruiting or an SJA and the chief paralegal. Can anyone elaborate on this process? (e.g. If I should reach out to small vs. large base, if I should send a writing sample/resume via email to the office or if I should call directly).

I assume you mean an unofficial internship with JAG. As someone currently in an externship, based on some of what I've overheard and learned, that's the fastest way to get somebody at JAG in trouble because they aren't aware of the hoops they need to jump through (or worse for them, they ignore them). There appears to be no unofficial internship. There's a reason they have you go through the process; they're checking your background, fingerprinting you, calling references, etc. Personally, the last thing I would want to do would be the law student who went "behind the backs" of the externship/internship program (I could see that being a black mark on any later applications). If you're not selected it's for a reason, they either don't have space for you, or they deem you unqualified at that time.

Now, you might be able to volunteer on base with JAG in a non-internship capacity, not 100% sure what that would entail, considering you probably wouldn't be able to have access to client information, which is basically everything.

I know my school permits me to get pro bono hours volunteering with JAG, which I will do once my externship ends. [ETA: I got permission from JAG as well to continue in a volunteer capacity.]

Agreed. It seems like the Air Force may have some more latitude to create unpaid internship positions. I think the major issue with the Navy internship is the preferential treatment I hear former interns get when applying to become a JAG. I know the the Wing JAG at the Air Force Reserve unit near my school was all about finding free interns to help knock out the pile of work he has.

[Husky09]

Frequent peruser, first time poster... PR'd (thank you for resources in this thread!)

Phone calls are coming out - 2L SP, last name at beginning of alphabet, missed call at 2:15pm.

[cdemps3]

Hey all,

Also someone who never posts but I was PR'd this afternoon around 2:00. Thanks for this thread, I will have many questions and updates coming along.

I am a 2L, top 20% at a T2. Spent last summer at a smaller/midsize USAO and this coming summer I will be at a major metro DA. I am on the primary law review and I did moot court as well.

[SEC_Law]

I'm a 3L and mine still says "Pending." I can't imagine that they are coming out this early seeing as we aren't even at the 10 week mark.

[Fed_Atty]

Congrats to those selected!

[cdemps3]

I'm a 3L and mine still says "Pending." I can't imagine that they are coming out this early seeing as we aren't even at the 10 week mark.

Needless to say I was surprised. Mine actually still says "Pending" as well.

[SEC_Law]

I'm a 3L and mine still says "Pending." I can't imagine that they are coming out this early seeing as we aren't even at the 10 week mark.

Needless to say I was surprised. Mine actually still says "Pending" as well.

I guess my next question would be...how do you know then? Did you receive a call? If so, from who?

[Stubbazubba]

Wow, this is early. So did all the calls go out today? That seems crazy.

I almost can't help but be suspicious of these two first time posters. I believe you, I just don't want to, y'know? I think they call it denial.

[SEC_Law]

Wow, this is early. So did all the calls go out today? That seems crazy.

I almost can't help but be suspicious of these two first time posters. I believe you, I just don't want to, y'know? I think they call it denial.

I'm skeptical and that is putting it nicely.

[psu2016]

Wow, this is early. So did all the calls go out today? That seems crazy.

I almost can't help but be suspicious of these two first time posters. I believe you, I just don't want to, y'know? I think they call it denial.

I'm skeptical and that is putting it nicely.

I was in class with a girl who got her Navy JAG offer today and ran out of the room crying tears of joy, so I can confirm that at least some calls went out today.