Military Law - Navy Jag Student Program Forum

[S. Goodman]

Does anyone have the list of potential first duty stations for Navy jags? You can only be at certain bases apparently because you have to go through kind of on the job training through the four practice areas. I can't find the list anywhere.

[JAG Hopeful]

Does anyone have the list of potential first duty stations for Navy jags? You can only be at certain bases apparently because you have to go through kind of on the job training through the four practice areas. I can't find the list anywhere.

Yeah, it's on that PDF NavyJag1 posted a few pages ago:

Bremerton, Yokuska, DC, Norfolk, Pensacola, Jax, Mayport, Groton, Naples, Pearl Harbor, Great Lakes, and San Diego.

Yokuska, Bremerton, and Naples are our top three choices. Where does everyone else want to go?

[los blancos]

Anyone know what the relative probabilities are and how it shakes out? I'm guessing you're more likely to get your top choice if it's a location that isn't particularly sought after?

[TheSpanishMain]

Anyone know what the relative probabilities are and how it shakes out? I'm guessing you're more likely to get your top choice if it's a location that isn't particularly sought after?

I'm told San Diego, Yokuska, and Pearl Harbor are considered particularly tough to get. There are always a few random people who get preferential treatment for duty stations, too. People in the Exceptional Family Program (ie they have a child or a spouse with very specialized medical needs and need to be stationed near a military hospital capable of treating that condition), dual military couples who they try to station together, etc.

[S. Goodman]

Does anyone have the list of potential first duty stations for Navy jags? You can only be at certain bases apparently because you have to go through kind of on the job training through the four practice areas. I can't find the list anywhere.

Yeah, it's on that PDF NavyJag1 posted a few pages ago:

Bremerton, Yokuska, DC, Norfolk, Pensacola, Jax, Mayport, Groton, Naples, Pearl Harbor, Great Lakes, and San Diego.

Yokuska, Bremerton, and Naples are our top three choices. Where does everyone else want to go?

Thanks, I knew I saw this list somewhere but I just couldn't place it.

To answer your question, I personally want anywhere on the east coast. No west coast, and no international bases for the first duty station.

[S. Goodman]

Anyone know what the relative probabilities are and how it shakes out? I'm guessing you're more likely to get your top choice if it's a location that isn't particularly sought after?

I've always heard this as well, makes sense. The more popular choices would be more difficult to get.

[S. Goodman]

Here it is again for posterity:

Locations.

FTJAs may receive orders to the following Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) locations:

RLSO Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia, Naples, Italy
RLSO Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
RLSO Japan, Yokosuka, Japan
RLSO Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia
RLSO Mid-Atlantic Detachment Groton, Connecticut
RLSO Midwest, Great Lakes, Illinois
RLSO Naval District Washington, D.C.
RLSO Northwest, Bremerton, Washington
RLSO Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida
RLSO Southeast Detachment Mayport, Florida
RLSO Southeast Detachment Pensacola, Florida
RLSO Southwest, San Diego, California

[usn26]

Is the process purely in the hands of the detailers once you put in your preferences?

[los blancos]

Anyone know what the relative probabilities are and how it shakes out? I'm guessing you're more likely to get your top choice if it's a location that isn't particularly sought after?

I'm told San Diego, Yokuska, and Pearl Harbor are considered particularly tough to get. There are always a few random people who get preferential treatment for duty stations, too. People in the Exceptional Family Program (ie they have a child or a spouse with very specialized medical needs and need to be stationed near a military hospital capable of treating that condition), dual military couples who they try to station together, etc.

Thanks. I'm assuming having a spouse that's a medical resident in a location wouldn't get you any special treatment, would it...

[shintopig]

Bremerton, Yokuska, DC, Norfolk, Pensacola, Jax, Mayport, Groton, Naples, Pearl Harbor, Great Lakes, and San Diego.

Yokuska, Bremerton, and Naples are our top three choices. Where does everyone else want to go?

Thanks, I knew I saw this list somewhere but I just couldn't place it.

To answer your question, I personally want anywhere on the east coast. No west coast, and no international bases for the first duty station.

Opposite for me, I've spent the last 15 years and done college & law school in the northeast/mid-atlantic; I'm done with this region. Need to get out & see the world. No assignment location within 200 miles of my comfort zones.

1) Yokosuka, 2) Naples, 3) San Diego, 4) Pearl Harbor, 5) Norfolk, 6) Great Lakes.

Is the process purely in the hands of the detailers once you put in your preferences?

I'll post once this goes through for me later this year/early next year. I've been told most people get one within their top 3 location choices.

[TheSpanishMain]

Anyone know what the relative probabilities are and how it shakes out? I'm guessing you're more likely to get your top choice if it's a location that isn't particularly sought after?

I'm told San Diego, Yokuska, and Pearl Harbor are considered particularly tough to get. There are always a few random people who get preferential treatment for duty stations, too. People in the Exceptional Family Program (ie they have a child or a spouse with very specialized medical needs and need to be stationed near a military hospital capable of treating that condition), dual military couples who they try to station together, etc.

Thanks. I'm assuming having a spouse that's a medical resident in a location wouldn't get you any special treatment, would it...

As in a military medical officer going through residency, or a civilian?

If the former, yes, quite a bit. They'd colocate if at all possible. If the latter, probably somewhat. Contrary to what a lot of people say, the military will generally TRY to work with you if possible, but if it's not a dual military thing they won't move heaven and earth.

Just to be clear, not a Navy JAG officer, this is based on my experience in the Army/being married to a Navy officer.

[S. Goodman]

Bremerton, Yokuska, DC, Norfolk, Pensacola, Jax, Mayport, Groton, Naples, Pearl Harbor, Great Lakes, and San Diego.

Yokuska, Bremerton, and Naples are our top three choices. Where does everyone else want to go?

Thanks, I knew I saw this list somewhere but I just couldn't place it.

To answer your question, I personally want anywhere on the east coast. No west coast, and no international bases for the first duty station.

Opposite for me, I've spent the last 15 years and done college & law school in the northeast/mid-atlantic; I'm done with this region. Need to get out & see the world. No assignment location within 200 miles of my comfort zones.

1) Yokosuka, 2) Naples, 3) San Diego, 4) Pearl Harbor, 5) Norfolk, 6) Great Lakes.

It is funny how peoples preferences for duty stations can vary so much! Italy would be awesome though I must admit!

[S. Goodman]

Does anyone know at which point we will know for sure what our duty station will be? Before ODS? After? Etc. Etc.

The reason I ask is because my wife and I may go ahead and move to wherever the duty station is right after I graduate LS. The only reason I would have to go back to my home state is to take the BAR.

[TheSpanishMain]

Why not wait till you have orders and the Navy will move you instead of having to pay out of pocket?

[kakaa001]

Supposedly we will know our first duty location approximately 60 days before starting NJS. It was in one of the emails/memos sent out.

[S. Goodman]

Why not wait till you have orders and the Navy will move you instead of having to pay out of pocket?

I'm going to do a DITY move, so they'll reimburse me so long as I have the weight tickets.

[S. Goodman]

Supposedly we will know our first duty location approximately 60 days before starting NJS. It was in one of the emails/memos sent out.

Oh okay thanks. Will we have already attended ODS by that point?

[Navy2015]

Supposedly we will know our first duty location approximately 60 days before starting NJS. It was in one of the emails/memos sent out.

Oh okay thanks. Will we have already attended ODS by that point?

I think it's going to depend. For the 9 DAs that commission first, 60 days before NJS would be right before we start ODS. However, the things I read said that she would call 60 days prior to NJS to discuss why we picked our choices, so while it's possible we could know as soon as we have that convo (it was phrased as "discuss the options," so she could be telling us what's left and discussing and assigning right away), it's also possible we won't know quite yet. We'd have to know by the end of ODS because that's where we go until NJS.

[S. Goodman]

Supposedly we will know our first duty location approximately 60 days before starting NJS. It was in one of the emails/memos sent out.

Oh okay thanks. Will we have already attended ODS by that point?

I think it's going to depend. For the 9 DAs that commission first, 60 days before NJS would be right before we start ODS. However, the things I read said that she would call 60 days prior to NJS to discuss why we picked our choices, so while it's possible we could know as soon as we have that convo (it was phrased as "discuss the options," so she could be telling us what's left and discussing and assigning right away), it's also possible we won't know quite yet. We'd have to know by the end of ODS because that's where we go until NJS.

Oh alright thanks.

[Navy2015]

Yeah, the different length and frequency of ODS and NJS makes the schedule really varied. The first 9 spring DAs will only have 18 days between the end of ODS and the start of NJS (Sep 25 to Oct 13), whereas the rest of the DAs who commission will have 60 days (Nov 2-Jan 19). So "60 days before NJS" would either be 7 days before ODS, or on the last day of ODS... Which I guess isn't possible since they need to know where they're going.

[ShockTop]

This is all hearsay, but I heard that the most sought-after places to go to are Italy, Japan, San Diego, and Hawaii, and the least sought-after is Groton. I don't know that for certain but that is what I heard.

[S. Goodman]

This is all hearsay, but I heard that the most sought-after places to go to are Italy, Japan, San Diego, and Hawaii, and the least sought-after is Groton. I don't know that for certain but that is what I heard.

Yeah that makes sense, the sunny tropical places are probably difficult to get. Groton is actually my wife and I's first choice. We like the idea of being close to New York and Boston.

[ShockTop]

Bremerton, Yokuska, DC, Norfolk, Pensacola, Jax, Mayport, Groton, Naples, Pearl Harbor, Great Lakes, and San Diego.

Yokuska, Bremerton, and Naples are our top three choices. Where does everyone else want to go?

Thanks, I knew I saw this list somewhere but I just couldn't place it.

To answer your question, I personally want anywhere on the east coast. No west coast, and no international bases for the first duty station.

Opposite for me, I've spent the last 15 years and done college & law school in the northeast/mid-atlantic; I'm done with this region. Need to get out & see the world. No assignment location within 200 miles of my comfort zones.

1) Yokosuka, 2) Naples, 3) San Diego, 4) Pearl Harbor, 5) Norfolk, 6) Great Lakes.

Is the process purely in the hands of the detailers once you put in your preferences?

I'll post once this goes through for me later this year/early next year. I've been told most people get one within their top 3 location choices.

Since we're listing choices, my list was 1) Great Lakes 2) San Diego 3) Pearl Harbor 4) Jacksonville 5) Mayport 6) Bremerton. Like Shinto said, having been in the east for basically all my life, I figure this is as good of an excuse as any to move someplace I've never been before.

[Navy2015]

Hah, I was afraid of putting certain places (especially Groton) at #5 or #6 on the off-chance that no one else asks for them in any position, and I would end up getting them even if there were availabilities in my #1-4.

For me... One of the draws of the military has always been getting to live in other parts of the world, but I figure I've got time, and I'm gonna wait til we have different choices to try to get an international one that matches my language skills better. Of course... it's all about what they need, so the key word is try. We'll see.

[JAG Hopeful]

This is all hearsay, but I heard that the most sought-after places to go to are Italy, Japan, San Diego, and Hawaii, and the least sought-after is Groton. I don't know that for certain but that is what I heard.

Having never even been to New England, we were thinking Groton would be fun. Why don't people want this one? Weather, lack of entertainment, something else?