In 1775, George Washington requested that the Continental Congress appoint William Tudor to serve as the Judge Advocate General. Judge Advocate General Tudor’s position was created to address the backlog of courts martial (trials), though Washington’s vision extended outside of military justice also. Since the Revolution, the American Army has lawyers who assist commanders in enforcing Army standards and reinforcing Army values.

No. Each military service branch has their own judge advocates and each service requires a separate application process.

“Discipline is the soul of an army.” - George Washington. New Judge Advocates attend the Direct Commission Course (DCC), a leadership course that will prepare you to serve as an Army Officer by teaching you basic Soldiering skills and physical and mental readiness. After completing the DCC, you will attend the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (JAOBC) in Charlottesville, Virginia with other new judge advocates. Through a combination of classroom instruction and practical exercises, you’ll be immersed in military law and learn the JAG Corps’ organization, function, and strategic mission.

After completing the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (JAOBC), Judge Advocates report to their assigned Army military base, known as your duty station.

No. All Army officers must meet the Army’s physical fitness, height and weight standards. Being physically fit is necessary to support our warfighting mission. To learn more about how the Army fitness test and height/weight qualifications, click on this link.

Anyone who has completed law school can apply to the Army JAG Corps. If you have attended and graduated from an ABA-accredited law school and possess an active license to practice law, you can apply 365 days a year to our monthly Lateral Attorney Accessions Board (LAAB). There are two parts to the application: first, submit a completed application; and second, schedule an interview with a Judge Advocate Field Screening Officer (FSO).

To learn more about the process and find a list of FSOs, click on APPLY

No, attending a military school is not a requirement. While some Judge Advocates graduate from a military school, the majority of judge advocates are directly commissioned. A direct commission happens after graduating law school and passing the bar examination. You will take an oath of office, and this changes your status from a civilian to a direct commission Army officer. The Army educates all new judge advocates with an 8 week direct commission course that teaches you officer and Soldiers skills, followed by a 12 week education course at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia. Learn more about the type of training new lawyers receive.

A traditional law school curriculum takes three years or six semesters to complete. Some law schools offer alternate programs such as a reduction to five semesters or an expansion to eight semesters. To apply to law school, you should review the information available on the Law School Admissions Council website, www.lsac.org.

Yes. The Army offers an Educational Delay Program for cadets attending law school. While in this program, your service obligation is suspended while you attend in law school. Educational Delay Program members apply for the Army JAG Corps during their final year of law school in the regular active duty application cycle.

No, but you must be in law school to apply. You may apply for a Direct Commission during your final year of law school. Because an Army officer commission happens after you become a licensed attorney, you will not become a servicemember until after the bar exam results are released and you are licensed to practice law. Many candidates use the time between the bar exam and licensure to develop and execute a physical fitness plan to prepare for officer training.

Additionally, we encourage 1L and 2L students to apply for our paid summer internships, which provide an opportunity to work side by side with practicing judge advocates. Many summer interns then apply for early decision into the Army JAG Corps! If you are either a law student or ROTC cadet, you may apply for summer internship or externship opportunities. Here is more information about opportunities for students.

The Army JAG Corps provides tuition repayment incentives for Army Judge Advocates. Currently, Judge Advocates are eligible for a $65,000 tuition repayment incentive. Tuition programs and incentives are subject to change.

Additionally, those who are already Army Soldiers can apply to attend law school and receive law school tuition assistance from the Army. A highly competitive program, the Funded Legal Education Program (“FLEP”) provides candidates with law school tuition in exchange for an active duty service obligation. Please see the most recent MILPER for information on both the FLEP and Unfunded FLEP (“UFLEP”) options. For Soldiers with Post-9/11 G.I. Bill funds available, you can elect to have those funds cover all or part of your law school tuition, depending on if the school is public or private.

You can find our compensation breakdown HERE. Other incentives may be available as your career advances, such as retention bonuses or student loan repayment incentives. If you are in law school, an Army Judge Advocate will come to campus and provide information about application windows, service obligations, and pay. We encourage interest law students to attend that session, even if you aren’t ready to apply that day.

Yes. As a law student Summer Intern or Summer Associate, you are a compensated temporary civilian employee. 1Ls and 2Ls are paid at different rates, and more information about applying for the internship can be found HERE.

The Army JAG Corps offers a Summer Associate Program for law students interested in civilian careers with the federal government, and more information about that program can be found HERE. Externships are also available, which are uncompensated but may qualify for academic credit through your law school’s experiential learning curriculum.

Every year, Field Screening Officers (FSOs) visit ABA-accredited law schools across the country. These officers are Judge Advocates who have special training to present relevant recruiting materials to law students. To find the FSO assigned to your law school, visit the APPLY tab and search the Active Duty FSO list for your school.

Because Army Judge Advocates are warfighters, they must remain physically fit according to the Army’s standards. While we don’t use the term “boot camp” to describe the training camp for new Judge Advocates, there will be intense training at the beginning of your career. The Army expects all Soldiers, including new Judge Advocates, to be physically fit, healthy, and within height and weight standards. Judge Advocates will attend a Direct Commission Course that includes a rigorous physical fitness regimen. Once at their first assignment, Judge Advocates will continue to engage in group and individual physical training, also known as “PT.” Throughout a Judge Advocate’s career, they will be evaluated using a five-part physical fitness test called the Army Fitness Test. Learn more about physical fitness requirements HERE.

Yes, an Army Judge Advocate can be deployed with their unit. The U.S. Army decides which units deploy. Deployment is the temporary movement of a Soldier away from their assigned duty station for a specific overseas mission. Deployed Judge Advocates practice national security law, defend soldiers accused of crimes, practice administrative law, engage in contract and fiscal cases, provide legal advice to leaders, and prosecute crimes. All legal disciplines can be practiced in a deployed environment.

We do not supply a list of disqualifying medical conditions because each applicant’s medical status is unique. We encourage you to apply and allow your application to go through the medical screening process. There is also a medical waiver process if it is determined that you have a medically disqualifying condition.

Yes, for spouses who are licensed attorneys, we offer a Military Attorney Spouse Program. Career opportunities with the Army JAG Corps are also available for civilian attorneys. These positions are listed on www.USAJobs.gov. Visit the CIVILIAN tab to view tips for finding Army JAG Corps civilian jobs on USAjobs.gov. Spouse attorneys are also welcome to volunteer with the legal assistance office at their post, and is a great opportunity to support the legal needs of Soldiers at every level.

Thank you for supporting our mission to recruit the best talent. For specific information on hiring timelines, benefits and compensation information, and hiring criteria, please direct them to our website. Judge Advocate Recruiting Office team members are just a phone call away. Visit the CONTACT tab to locate our recruiting team roster.