U.S. Army JAG Corps History

TJAGs

On 29 July 1775, the Continental Congress approved the position of "judge advocate" at Gen. George Washington’s request. Washington appointed William Tudor to the position, making him the first officer recognized as the Army’s top lawyer. In 1776, Tudor’s title was updated to Judge Advocate General. After Captain Campbell Smith served intermittently from 1794 to 1802 in a position equivalent to the Judge Advocate General, Congress abolished the position and made no provision for full-time judge advocates until the War of 1812. Once again, between 1821 and 1849 Congress made no provision for a full-time judge advocate for the Army. Beginning in 1849, the position was titled Judge Advocate of the Army. On 3 September 1862, concerned over Judge Advocate of the John Fitzgerald Lee's apparently weak commitment to the Union war effort, Congress superseded his position and created a new one – Judge Advocate General – on 17 July 1862.

The senior military lawyer in the Army only became "The Judge Advocate General" on 31 January 1924 (per War Department General Orders No. 2). This occurred because the Army's leadership decided that other positions such as Adjutant General and Provost Marshal should be “The” Adjutant General and "The" Provost Marshal, and consequently the top Army lawyer acquired “The” as well. Officers serving in this position prior to 1924 are referred to by the acronym tJAG, while those serving after are referred to as TJAG.

The first Judge Advocate General to wear stars was Brigadier General Joseph Holt, who served as the top Army lawyer from 1862 to 1875. The first tJAG to wear two stars was Major General Enoch Crowder, who had been serving as a brigadier general when, in 1917, Congress increased tJAG’s rank and pay to major general. The first TJAG to serve as a lieutenant general was Lieutenant General Scott C. Black, who received his third star as a result of legislation enacted by Congress in 2008.

Judge advocates who have served as the Army’s senior military legal officer are: