0L JAG Forum

[redsox550]

So I read over 30 pages of the military law thread but still have a question that I was hoping someone can answer.
I am a senior in college, wanting to go JAG, I have been accepted to many T1 law schools already. What can i do during the rest of this year and the summer, to give me a better chance to get accepted as a JAG? Are there any volunteer opportunities or something that would look really good?

Secondly, when is the earliest that I can apply and get accepted in one of the programs like OYCP or GLP?

Thanks

[gobosox]

It really comes down to what you want to have the military to pay for. It's hard to get them to pay for law school upfront, but going into OCS and getting your commission after LS is much easier. Since you're a senior in College, it pinholes some of your options, as the only way to get your commission now is through OCS (the "JAG version" which is a bit easier). Talk to a recruiter to get more info-- I only know what colleagues have told me.

Be active in your community, do good things, don't do drugs. The military applications are similar to college ones-- the thing they care most about is GPA and your interview.

[northerniowan]

If you want to be able to be a Judge Advocate, apply for PLC-Law for the Marines NOW! The last review board for this summer is in February. Go talk to your officer selection officer asap. I'm also a senior in college going for the same board.
If you want to be a lawyer in the military, PLC-Law is your best bet, it is much harder near the end of your law school career. Just FYI though: Judge Advocates in the Marine Corp are unrestricted line officers.

[redsox550]

how bout if i dont want to join the marines, just the airforce? does PLC work for that?

[topper10s]

No PLC is only for the Marine Corps and Marine officer training is quite different from what you get in the AF

[redsox550]

so what can i do to potentially jumpstart a career for the AF JAG?

[topper10s]

so what can i do to potentially jumpstart a career for the AF JAG?

Not much specifically. I know someone who interned at a JAG office over a summer as an undergraduate but that was as an afrotc cadet. Probably the only thing you can do is start talking with a recruitment officer and let him know your intentions, get in physical shape, secure a recommender who can speak to your leadership qualities, and then get in to a good school and get good grades.

[northerniowan]

No PLC is only for the Marine Corps and Marine officer training is quite different from what you get in the AF

I'll drink to that.

[2LT_CPG]

so what can i do to potentially jumpstart a career for the AF JAG?

Well I'll preface this by saying that I'm an Army officer who thoroughly looked into going the Army JAG route, but turned away because of the potential pitfalls. And the Army is the branch most open to taking on new JAGs. So here.

You're thinking about joining the branch of service that currently needs JAGs the least. There is nothing wrong with the Air Force JAG program, it just doesn't need new people, and it certainly doesn't see the need to pay students' way through law school. Sure, they'll be happy to interview you 2L year, but aside from that, you're shit out of luck.

If you're reticent about becoming a Marine (a service branch that actually needs JAGs, by the way), stay the heck away.

The Army JAG program is the least competitive, but it's still pretty difficult. I did Army ROTC at a major northeastern school that traditionally sends a couple JAG branched lieutenants off to law school every year. I came close to choosing that path. Something like forty cadets per year apply for law school educational delays in ROTC, and all of them get it. So it's not highly competitive.

But the Army won't help you pay for school. And they have backed off of guaranteeing you a job at the end - largely because a lot of lieutenants were taking educational delays and going to fourth tier law schools thinking they were hot stuff, then failing the JAG course at UVA. So the situation as of now in the Army is that they have enough solid direct commissionees coming in from top ranked schools (because the civilian job market is under pressure, these job applicants are turning to the stability of the military, which they otherwise wouldn't have) that they really don't have to recruit anyone at the 1L (let alone 0L) level. Sorry.

I ended up taking a reserve commission so I can go to law school and do cool stuff before I eventually apply for JAG. I say do what I did. If you're deadest on the Air Force, join the Air National Guard and use the benefits to go free to a state school. Then apply for JAG debt free.