Judge Advocate General (JAG) CrestJudge Advocate General (JAG)

Judge Advocates have provided professional legal service to the Army for over 200 years. Since that time the Corps has grown dramatically to meet the Army’s increased need for legal expertise. Today, approximately 1500 attorneys serve on active duty while more than 3,000 Judge Advocates find rewarding part-time careers as members of the U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard. Service as an Army National Guard Judge Advocate is available to all qualified attorneys. Those who are selected have the opportunity to practice in areas as diverse as the field of law itself. For example, JAG Corps officers prosecute, defend, and judge, courts-martial, negotiate and review government contracts, act as counsel at administrative hearings, and provide legal advice in such specialized areas as international, regulatory, labor, patent, and tax law, while effectively maintaining their civilian careers.

APPOINTMENT ELIGIBILITY AND GRADE - In general, applicants must meet the following qualifications:
(1) Be at least 21 years old and for appointment as a first lieutenant be younger than 33, and for appointment to captain be younger than 39 (waivers for those exceeding age limitations are available in exceptional cases).

(2) Be a graduate of an ABA-approved law school.

(3) Be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state or federal court.

(4) Be of good moral character and possess leadership qualities.

(5) Be physically fit.

Grade of rank at the time of appointment is determined by the number of years of service credit to which an individual is entitled. As a general rule, an approved applicant receives three years constructive credit for law school attendance; plus, any prior active or reserve commissioned service. Any time period is counted only once (i.e., three years of commissioned reserve service while attending law school entitles a person to only three years constructive service credit, not six years). Once the total credit is calculated, the entry grade is awarded as follows:

3 or more but less than 7 years First Lieutenant
7 or more but less than 14 years Captain
14 or more but less than 21 years Major

An applicant who has had no previous military commissioned service; therefore, can expect to be commissioned as a first lieutenant.
PAY AND BENEFITS - Basic pay varies depending on grade, length of service, and degree of participation. Guard officers are eligible for numerous federal benefits including full-time Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance; limited access to post exchanges, commissaries, theaters and available transient billets; space-available travel on military aircraft within the continental United States, if on reserve duty; authorized survivor benefits; and generous retirement benefits. When performing active duty or active duty for training, Reserve officers may use military recreation, entertainment and other post facilities, and receive limited medical and dental care.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS - The JAG Corps Program is multifaceted, with the degree of participation determined largely by the individual. Officers are originally assigned to a Monthly Unit Training Assembly (MUTA).  Officers attend monthly training assemblies and perform two weeks of annual training a year. If mobilization occurs, they deploy with their unit and provide legal services commensurate with their duty positions.

SCHOOLING - An Army National Guard (ARNG) Judge Advocate (JA) will attend approximately sixteen and one-half weeks of initial military training.  New ARNG JAs are required to complete the Judge Advocate Officer’s Basic Course (JAOBC) and the Direct Commissioned Officer (DCO) Course within twelve months of commissioning as a condition of appointment.  JAOBC consists of a Fort Lee phase and Charlottesville Phase.
Fort Lee Phase.  New JAs report to Fort Lee, Virginia, for a twelve day military orientation course, which is known as the Fort Lee phase of Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (JAOBC). The course allows time for establishing personnel and finance records, purchasing uniforms, and receiving instruction in several basic areas of military life. These include the wear of military uniforms, military customs and courtesy, and physical fitness training.

Charlottesville Phase.  The military orientation course is followed by a ten-and-a-half week academic course at The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS) in Charlottesville, Virginia, which is known as the TJAGLCS phase of JAOBC. TJAGLCS is located on the grounds of the University of Virginia, adjacent to their law school. During this phase, new JAs receive instruction on the organization, function, and mission of the U.S. Army JAG Corps, and an overview of the practice of law in the U.S. Army. The instruction focuses on areas of law that will be particularly important to a new JA, including military criminal law, government contract and fiscal law, legal assistance, claims, administrative law, and international and operational law. Computer training and practical exercises in trial advocacy and attorney/client issues are also featured.

Direct Commissioned Officer Course (DCO).  The training continues with four weeks of the Direct Commissioned Officer Course (DCO), and may continue with an optional six-and-a-half weeks of officer leadership and soldier skills training at Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).  JAs will go to one of two locations for DCO and BOLC: Fort Benning, Georgia (https://www.infantry.army.mil/BOLC/) or Fort Sill, Oklahoma (http://sill-www.army.mil/bolc2/index.htm). The DCO will prepare JAs for success at BOLC by orienting to and focusing on BOLC tasks.  New JAs will be more than prepared for the BOLC follow-on training. BOLC’s goal is to develop competent leaders. It is a rigorous six-week course in leadership and tactics designed to challenge ALL new Army officers (West Point, ROTC, and Officer Candidates School graduates also attend) physically and mentally. The BOLC curriculum includes physical fitness training, foot marches, combat training, land navigation training (similar to orienteering), rifle marksmanship, weapons training, practical exercises in leadership, nuclear, biological and chemical operations, use of night-vision equipment, and several confidence courses featuring difficult obstacles that will challenge students to overcome personal fears.

Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).  Currently, ARNG officers are not required to attend the final six week BOLC, but may at their option attend if space and funding allow.  Beginning in October 2008, all newly commissioned RC JAs will be required to attend the six week BOLC in addition to the JAOBC and DCO course.

SERVICE OBLIGATION - In general, new appointees incur a statutory service obligation of eight years. Individuals who have previous military service do not incur an additional obligation as a result of a new appointment.

RETIREMENT BENEFITS - Eligibility for retirement pay and other benefits is granted to members who have completed 20 years of qualifying federal military service. With a few exceptions, the extent of these benefits is the same for both the Guard Officer and the service member who retires from active duty. The major difference in the two retirement programs is that the Guard Officer does not begin receiving most of the retirement benefits, including pay, until reaching age 60. The amount of monthly retirement income depends upon the grade and total number of qualifying points earned during the course of the individual’s career. Along with the pension, the retired Guard Officer is entitled to shop in military exchanges and commissaries, use most post facilities, travel space-available on military aircraft worldwide, and utilize some medical facilities.

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD INFORMATION - You can obtain further information, application forms, and instructions by calling (800) GO-GUARD. 

Washington Army National Guard
ATTN: OSM JAG Accessions
BLDG 33, Camp Murray
Tacoma, WA 98430

For more information please contact the Officer Strength Management Office at 253-581-3030 or .