Veterans Thread Forum

[CMac86]

And can you like, blow off work?

Nope, I'm still active duty.

[SemperLegal]

Does anyone know how someone's retirement would be affected if they got out to attend law school and then came back in as a JAG? I tried applying for Air Force FLEP the last two years but was unable to receive a release from my career field. If I don't get picked up next year, I will definitely be getting out and going to law school on my own as it is my last year of eligibility. I don't really like the new blended retirement system that is due to hit in 2018. I know if you enter active duty prior to 2018, you have the option of staying under the current system but am unsure if this would still be the case if I left active duty and returned. If anyone has any input, I would greatly appreciate it.

The language used is "Date of Original Entry", so you will still be eligible for the old system. Additionally, I've never seen a grandfather program use the date of re-entry as the baseline, it's always based the first day you went on Active Duty or (occasionally) the date you commissioned.

Thanks, that's great to know. I actually think the new system is better, just not from the standpoint that I would have already missed out on 5 years of matching TSP contributions by the time it kicks in.

I'm both a VA accredited advocate and a pension lawyer (though my public pension experience is limited). Let me know if you want me to look into it for official or unofficial pro bono.

[sodomojo]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

[AJordan]

It's not like you're just preparing for the LSAT though. You'll need time to go through all the logistical parts of preparing for military school as well as ensuring you're a 300 PTer.

Aside from that it wouldn't be an awful idea to volunteer but only if you have a genuine interest in that which you spend your time. Otherwise it's better to use your time to further personal fulfillment at your age. When you get 10+ years down the road you'll not regret using those six months to do something you enjoy or something that genuinely fulfilled an interest. In the military, depending on assignment, you'll likely have the opportunity to do some really cool stuff in your time off, but that's no guarantee. I see plenty of folks taking 60 days terminal leave or selling time upon reenlistment. Time is your friend when you're young. There's no problem with using some of it in pursuit of immediate happiness.

[Dcc617]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

[Wipfelder]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Is BOLC branch specific these days?

[Dcc617]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Is BOLC branch specific these days?

I was ordnance BOLC. The biggest waste of time I've ever been paid for. All I did was party, work out, and chill.

[Wipfelder]

Every couple of years they change up the officer education program. I escaped having to go through BOLC through luck of the draw. It seems to occillate between being worthless and chill and being worthless and a big haze.

Sometimes I wonder if people have any idea how poorly their tax dollars are spent. I think the DoD is one of the only organizations where efficiency is frowned upon and results don't matter.

[Dcc617]

Every couple of years they change up the officer education program. I escaped having to go through BOLC through luck of the draw. It seems to occillate between being worthless and chill and being worthless and a big haze.

Sometimes I wonder if people have any idea how poorly their tax dollars are spent. I think the DoD is one of the only organizations where efficiency is frowned upon and results don't matter.

You missed out then. We didn't do organized PT, showed up for class at 9, broke for lunch at 11, resumed at 1, and any day past 3 was a late one. And free hotel rooms, a per diem, and in transit BAH. And nothing you do matters as long as you pass. My only regret is not partying even more while I was there.

[Wipfelder]

Every couple of years they change up the officer education program. I escaped having to go through BOLC through luck of the draw. It seems to occillate between being worthless and chill and being worthless and a big haze.

Sometimes I wonder if people have any idea how poorly their tax dollars are spent. I think the DoD is one of the only organizations where efficiency is frowned upon and results don't matter.

You missed out then. We didn't do organized PT, showed up for class at 9, broke for lunch at 11, resumed at 1, and any day past 3 was a late one. And free hotel rooms, a per diet, and in transit BAH. And nothing you do matters as long as you pass. My only regret is not partying even more while I was there.

That sounds like heaven. The captains career course was similar. We were all pretty burnt out by that point, so a break was needed.

[MichiganHoosier]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Is BOLC branch specific these days?

I was ordnance BOLC. The biggest waste of time I've ever been paid for. All I did was party, work out, and chill.

The jealousy is real. Infantry BOLC was 20 weeks of sitting in the woods sucking in the miserable Georgia sun. Hell is Georgia in the summer.

[Wipfelder]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Is BOLC branch specific these days?

I was ordnance BOLC. The biggest waste of time I've ever been paid for. All I did was party, work out, and chill.

The jealousy is real. Infantry BOLC was 20 weeks of sitting in the woods sucking in the miserable Georgia sun. Hell is Georgia in the summer.

Good practice for Ranger School!

[Wipfelder]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Is BOLC branch specific these days?

I was ordnance BOLC. The biggest waste of time I've ever been paid for. All I did was party, work out, and chill.

The jealousy is real. Infantry BOLC was 20 weeks of sitting in the woods sucking in the miserable Georgia sun. Hell is Georgia in the summer.

And also, that's basically the crux of being an Infantryman. Slog, catch shrapnel, dig, patrol, and slog.

[sodomojo]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Damn. My friend at FABOLC right now is making it sound like ass. Good to hear the other side of the coin. I'm not holding my breath though lol if nothing else Fort Sill will probably fuck it up for me

[MichiganHoosier]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Damn. My friend at FABOLC right now is making it sound like ass. Good to hear the other side of the coin. I'm not holding my breath though lol if nothing else Fort Sill will probably fuck it up for me

Are you going ADA or FA? Why are you taking the LSAT now? Just for practice? Just remember, it is an easily learnable test, but at least in my case, it is an easily forgettable one too. Your score is only good for 5 years.

[sodomojo]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Damn. My friend at FABOLC right now is making it sound like ass. Good to hear the other side of the coin. I'm not holding my breath though lol if nothing else Fort Sill will probably fuck it up for me

Are you going ADA or FA? Why are you taking the LSAT now? Just for practice? Just remember, it is an easily learnable test, but at least in my case, it is an easily forgettable one too. Your score is only good for 5 years.

Going FA. Yeah I'm aware. It's not ideal I guess but I wanted to go in with a good idea of where I stand as far as law school goes. This way I can focus on studying for a couple months instead of doing it while still serving or getting out only to struggle with the LSAT.

It would cap me at 5 years, but I figure on the off chance i don't enjoy things, I'd get out in 3, get out in 4-5 if I like it (which is the plan right now), and on the off chance I love it and want to make a career out of it, then I can do that too. This is of course working on the assumption that there's absolutely no leeway between 5 years and ~20, which is obviously false, but oh well.

I'm looking at officership as more of a professional challenge/personal checklist kind of thing than a lifelong profession I'd like to pursue. I know things can always change, so we'll see how it goes.

[usn26]

It would cap me at 5 years.

6 years... can always apply to law school in the last year of valid scores then defer.

[CenterFringe]

Currently a senior in ROTC here. Should be going to BOLC in exactly a year from now, so I will have roughly 6 months to prep for/take the LSAT between graduation/BOLC. Planning to take the September and December tests, so I'd have around 3 months before each test.

I have nothing else planned during that 6 month span at the moment. My question is should I keep it that way or should I find some job/internship to keep me further occupied?

It just feels weird thinking I will be wasting half a year of my life doing nothing else but sitting at home studying for a stupid test. It seems to me most who take a gap year to study/rest are told it looks better to get some work experience concurrently, but since I will have 3-5 years of AD service by the time I get to law school anyways, I figured that wouldn't apply to me. Would this be a correct assumption?

When I got out I spent like 8 months traveling and partying. Doesn't matter. Study for the LSAT, go to the gym, and enjoy not having any problems for a few months. Then party your ass off in BOLC because it literally does not matter at all.

Damn. My friend at FABOLC right now is making it sound like ass. Good to hear the other side of the coin. I'm not holding my breath though lol if nothing else Fort Sill will probably fuck it up for me

Are you going ADA or FA? Why are you taking the LSAT now? Just for practice? Just remember, it is an easily learnable test, but at least in my case, it is an easily forgettable one too. Your score is only good for 5 years.

Going FA. Yeah I'm aware. It's not ideal I guess but I wanted to go in with a good idea of where I stand as far as law school goes. This way I can focus on studying for a couple months instead of doing it while still serving or getting out only to struggle with the LSAT.

It would cap me at 5 years, but I figure on the off chance i don't enjoy things, I'd get out in 3, get out in 4-5 if I like it (which is the plan right now), and on the off chance I love it and want to make a career out of it, then I can do that too. This is of course working on the assumption that there's absolutely no leeway between 5 years and ~20, which is obviously false, but oh well.

I'm looking at officership as more of a professional challenge/personal checklist kind of thing than a lifelong profession I'd like to pursue. I know things can always change, so we'll see how it goes.

I took my LSAT after graduating while waiting for TBS. Best decision of my life. I was able to study about 4 hours a day for 6 weeks, took it once, and never had to worry about it again. Trying to get back into study/test taking mode after being out of school for four years is not something I envy.

[Cjackson]

Are any of you guys submitting diversity statements with your applications?? I just came across some older threads where guys touched on how they can bring different perspectives because of their deployments/foreign travels and I didn't consider this previously. I touch on military service in my PS but I could definitely put something together on how I could bring a different perspective to a school.

If you have, can I convince you to let me read it by chance? I don't even have an idea on how to start or the formatting.....etc.

[Mcsale02]

Has anyone ever deferred and waited another year to attend law school to stay active duty an extra year?

[laqueredup]

Are any of you guys submitting diversity statements with your applications?? I just came across some older threads where guys touched on how they can bring different perspectives because of their deployments/foreign travels and I didn't consider this previously. I touch on military service in my PS but I could definitely put something together on how I could bring a different perspective to a school.

If you have, can I convince you to let me read it by chance? I don't even have an idea on how to start or the formatting.....etc.

I thought an additional diversity statement would be redundant, but that kind of depends on the story you are telling. Basically if the diversity statement adds something useful to telling your overall story, do it.

[KPUSN07]

Question about health insurance related the GI Bill / YR Program - when a school says that students are required to have health insurance does that mean the GI Bill / YR Program covers that insurance for the student in conjunction with the school? What is the policy on health insurance with the GI Bill? Also, if you have a family, how are they to be covered while your in school full time?

[Wipfelder]

Question about health insurance related the GI Bill / YR Program - when a school says that students are required to have health insurance does that mean the GI Bill / YR Program covers that insurance for the student in conjunction with the school? What is the policy on health insurance with the GI Bill? Also, if you have a family, how are they to be covered while your in school full time?

The school I attend covers my personal health insurance under YR, and I think that is the norm. Also, you should be eligible for VA Health Care.

-Family, OTOH, is most likely out of pocket at y'alls expense.

[Wipfelder]

Has anyone ever deferred and waited another year to attend law school to stay active duty an extra year?

This is a pretty common move, even outside the military. I got stuck in the army and had to do another year, my school had no problems deferring if I committed to attending.

[KPUSN07]

How friendly is William and Mary, UVA, or Wash Lee to Military - officer / academy graduate (with GPA below 25% and LSAT above 25% but slightly below median)?