Thought I would weigh in on this with some "been around the block" perspective. While Anon appears to be an extremely salty captain, a rough first assignment can do that to you, and some of the criticisms are valid.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
Heads up for anyone applying to AF. Want you to know a few things I learned during my first assignment:
1. The idea you get work/life harmony or balance or whatever you want to call it in the AF JAG corps is not true. You’ll be working 60-80 hour weeks consistently and be pushing 100 during trials. Don’t plan on being able to take lunch or do basic self care appointments during the week.
This is extremely base dependent and not the norm. If you are at a medium/small base that suddenly gets a ton of courts/work, and suddenly 1-2 of captains get deployed, things can indeed get real busy. Or some larger bases like a Nellis, Travis, or Ramstein just have a large workload - but, they also have way more personnel to work it.
If you were honestly working 60-80 hour weeks consistently your SJA should probably be removed. That said, I'm having a very difficult time believing these numbers. I did the base legal thing at two busy ops bases. Then ADC at two different ops bases. I then litigated for Main Justice and a USAO. At no point in that decade did we ever approach 100 hours a week pre-trial. Ever.
So there is either a massive management problem with the office/CTCs, a massive time-management problem with you, and/or some other significant X factors if there is any legitimacy here.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
2. You’ll lose most or all of your cases. We can’t get convictions on sex assaults in most instances and that’s the majority of what you try. Be prepared to work your butt off and then see the dirtbag at the next all-call with a smug smile on his face.
Article 120 litigation is a mess and will remain that way for as long as I can see down the road.
And back in my day as a first assignment we were litigating and losing naked UA Art 112a cases. The various JAG Corps take cases to trial that would never see the light of day in a civilian jurisdiction. Nature of the beast.
Trial litigation is not for everyone.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
3. Have 5k+ plus in savings when you commission because you’re not getting paid correctly for several months and no one in finance cares.
If you have not been paid in
months, it is on you to work the problem with your SJA and the CPTS/CC. Finance sucking is just one of things with military life but anyone with more than a minute of service in learns that you have to be proactive if a voucher is not being worked. You've got a LOS, DSJA, SJA, and the Shirt for WSA that all probably could put in a call on your behalf if you are actually having problems at this magnitude.
Ideal? No. But welcome to the military. BOHICA.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
4. Don’t think you’re working any kind of substantive operational law until you’ve done at least 6 years
Yeah, just like every other specialty position in the JAG Corps. First assignments aren't working as ADCs, CTCs, MLCs, or the other specialty jobs either. Would you want a first assignment working the kill chain at the CAOC?
Put in your time and get an ops law LLM if that's what you want to do in the JAG Corps.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
5. Don’t expect much mentoring. Outside of the instructors at JASOC (who I think do a solid job). Be willing to learn everything on your own.
Even as a first assignment, you are a licensed attorney and a commissioned officer - we are all big boys and big girls and it is incumbent on us as professionals to hit the ground running, learn the rules of the game, etc. Consider what the learning curve would be in BigLaw or at a busy District Attorney's office.
Despite some disappointing experiences at base legal, when I moved to ADC, my SDC and CSDC were among the best officers and mentors I've ever worked for. I'm still close with them years later. As an ADC traveling around, I interacted with some absolutely wonderful SJAs who really loved their folks, and some that probably should not have been in a leadership job. Cest la vie in the legal profession.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
6. Get ready to do a lot of data entry and document drafting you’d normally have a law clerk or paralegal do.
Yeah. And we have O-6s at the Pentagon making PowerPoint decks for the Generals they work for. The military can be different.
And having been at DOJ and a USAO - you are going to be doing a lot of data entry and doc drafting in an environment like that too. Get over it.
Anonymous User wrote: ↑Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:01 am
7. You’ll 100% feel proud every morning putting on the uniform knowing you’re serving honorably and doing your duty.
Yep.
You too.