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Hey all, this information is probably out there somewhere on this forum, but since there are way too many pages of comments in the military law/navy jag/related threads, I'm creating this thread to ask specifically about the process for joining JAG reserve in any of the branches (with no interest in full-time JAG as a career), and the best timing to join the reserve given the 6-week office candidate school and subsequent obligations (i.e., before, between, or after clerkship(s); during firm life -- assuming no interest in making partner; or after firm life -- presumably age might be an issue at this point?). There's some fairly sparse information available on the military websites themselves, most of which discuss ancillary benefits and then quickly direct you to contact a recruiter, which is definitely not the stage I'm at yet in terms of thinking about the role.

My OCS/CDO doesn't seem to have much advice on how to approach seeking out the role. If at all relevant: 2/3L at YHS, LR board, recent/upcoming elite lit boutique gig, and 2/9/DC Cir. clerkship after graduation.

Any and all insight/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I'm a JA in the ARNG, going to DCC/JAOBC this summer. I was already in the ARNG as an officer in a non-JAG branch, but my application timeline tracked with people who got selected from the street. My official process took something like 6 months (July to January), being from when I dropped a full packet to when I swore in, but I had been talking with the JAG recruiter in my target state for about six months beforehand.

I interviewed with a high-ranking JA in mid-2016, then heard nothing until February 2017 when I heard I had been chosen to go through the application process - my state had a weird policy of only submitting packets to the national board for candidates they were 99% sure would be selected. I had a selection board packet submitted in July 2017, and I found out I was selected in late October 2017. Once selected, I had a federal recognition board (like a sit-down interview) in November and found out I was approved immediately. I had to submit some additional paperwork after that, and finally I swore in in January 2018, and as I mentioned before, I'm going for training over this summer.

So all in all, it took a little over a year from when I first sent an email to a JAG recruiter to when I'll start driving to Fort Benning for DCC. Also just FYI, for the Army it's a roughly 16-week initial entry training period, 6 weeks at Benning for Direct Commission Course, followed by 10 weeks in Charlottesville for JAOBC.

FWIW, I'd contact the recruiter ASAP to just get the ball rolling and to make sure you aren't missing important milestones, as they'll be the ones who can steer you in the right direction.