ROTC to JAG corps?

Jarhead713

Jarhead713

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Hey all, so I've pretty much decided I'd prefer ROTC over a SA. Nothing against them, ROTC just sounds more appealing to me.

But I'm also pretty sure I'd want to become a JAG. I've heard some people say that I'd need to get an educational delay...? Uh... how exactly does that work?

Also, could I not just commission into the reserves then go to law school? How would that work?

Thanks for y'all's advice! Sorry if these questions have obvious answers, lol
 
This applies to primarily the Navy. Not sure about the other branches. The Navy gets all the lawyers it needs from civilian grads right out of law school, who go to a brief course, I believe in Newport Rhode Island, and then get commissioned as staff officers in JAG. The Navy has no need or real interest in sending commissioned unrestricted line officers who it has spent a lot of time and money to train to drive ships, etc. to go to law school. From what I have heard, it is very rare these days that the Navy would grant educational delay to allow you to go to law school, much less pay for law school. Not impossible, but the odds are against you. So I would say NROTC is NOT the way to go if you want to be a Navy Lawyer in JAG, although you could always go to law school after your active duty is completed and then apply to JAG. I could stand corrected, but that is my understanding.
 
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I believe it can be done. Our DS was thinking along your lines and after interviewing and speaking with the Cadre at his preferred university (that had its own Law School) we were basically told that if you are on scholarship, graduate and Commission into the Guard or Reserves that you can go directly to Grad school, but the military will not pay your salary or for school. DS was going to use the National 4yr scholarship to Commission, then go Reserve and use his state scholarship and private scholarship money to pay for law school. He decided not to do that as he felt he really wanted AD, and was willing to wait until possible selection to Grad School as an O-2 or O-3. He was told by more informed people that something like 75% of all JAG attorney's across the services are Direct Commission after passing the BAR Exam. Saves the military tons of money and lost manpower time..:)
 
Jarhead713 said:
Hey all, so I've pretty much decided I'd prefer ROTC over a SA. Nothing against them, ROTC just sounds more appealing to me.

But I'm also pretty sure I'd want to become a JAG. I've heard some people say that I'd need to get an educational delay...? Uh... how exactly does that work?

Also, could I not just commission into the reserves then go to law school? How would that work?

Thanks for y'all's advice! Sorry if these questions have obvious answers, lol
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What service are you most interested in? On the Navy or Marine Corps side you will not get Ed delay for JAG. You will go active duty and serve then can apply for the various law programs the Navy or Marine Corps has. The Navy has the Law Education Program for active duty officers. Each year group it can vary how many spots they have, but it is possible. I know about 10 officers who have done this program and enjoy their careers. They were all URLs first then went to Law School through LEP. The Marine Corps also has its own programs. They have PLC and OCC Law programs; essentially get a contract with the USMC with JAG guaranteed after completing OCS and TBS. The USMC also has similar programs like the Navy for those who commission, serve and then apply for law school. They are called the Funded Law Education Program and the Excess Leave Program. Each program has its nuances and each program has its benefits. I had friends go both paths, but ultimately you commission, serve, then apply when eligible for the programs. This can vary but it’s usually somewhere around the 3-6 year mark when most apply. The specific orders can be googled for details.

I also had friends who served, left advice duty then went to law school. They then chose to apply for JAG options and came back active duty that way too. Some remained in the reserves during law school. There are tons of ways to get to the destination... it’s a matter of what your goals are and what programs exist.
 
Impulsive said:
we were basically told that if you are on scholarship, graduate and Commission into the Guard or Reserves that you can go directly to Grad school, but the military will not pay your salary or for school
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Sorry, kinda dumb question. They won't pay salary?
 
We were told that if you go AROTC, Commission into the Guard or Reserves, since you are a Guardsman or Reservist Grad school is not paid for, nor do you get any type of AD salary, only normal reserve pay while in Grad School. If you get paid a salary and school costs, "generally" you will owe the service additional AD time. Again, this is usually at the senior O-2 or O-3 level and is VERY selective.

If you want school and an Officer's salary, go AROTC, Commission as an AD 2LT and put in your time and try for Grad School on the Army's dime, but understand you will owe them more time. Or as @NavyHoops says, you can graduate, Commission, serve, get out go to Law School and re-enter as a JAG Direct Commission wise.

Lots of options out there, check and see which one fits you, but as far as I have heard on these forums not many AD Commissioned Officers go to Law School, especially directly after Commissioning. Your best bet is to investigate with the Academy, or ROTC Program and get specifics. Anything here is just recommendations and possibilities, if you are serious get the info first hand, it is your life and career do it right.
 
Impulsive said:
We were told that if you go AROTC, Commission into the Guard or Reserves, since you are a Guardsman or Reservist Grad school is not paid for, nor do you get any type of AD salary, only normal reserve pay while in Grad School. If you get paid a salary and school costs, "generally" you will owe the service additional AD time. Again, this is usually at the senior O-2 or O-3 level and is VERY selective.

If you want school and an Officer's salary, go AROTC, Commission as an AD 2LT and put in your time and try for Grad School on the Army's dime, but understand you will owe them more time. Or as @NavyHoops says, you can graduate, Commission, serve, get out go to Law School and re-enter as a JAG Direct Commission wise.

Lots of options out there, check and see which one fits you, but as far as I have heard on these forums not many AD Commissioned Officers go to Law School, especially directly after Commissioning. Your best bet is to investigate with the Academy, or ROTC Program and get specifics. Anything here is just recommendations and possibilities, if you are serious get the info first hand, it is your life and career do it right.
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Thank you! This has been very helpful!
 
Impulsive said:
not many AD Commissioned Officers go to Law School, especially directly after Commissioning.
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Be careful with old board information. We operate in a dynamic environment and offers/options can change drastically within a year.
 
My father was an Army JAG.....went undergrad, then Law School and Direct Commissioned after a (what he remembered as a 10 week military law school at Fort Belvoir). Not sure where the individual service Law Indoc Programs are but even if you are Active Duty, go to Law School on the governments dime, you still have to attend (for lack of better knowledge "JAG School"). Bama is right, things are fluid in the military, and if they find they need more JAG's then there is much greater chance that one can get to Law School and JAG quicker after graduating from SA/ROTC.

Right now, since our DS wanted to follow in grandfather's footsteps he really dug into the different options (even spoke with current Army JAG's) and found that by far the majority are "Direct Commission" JAG's at least Army, CG, and Air Force. His choice was to serve and take his chances on grad school later on rather than take the full scholarship, graduate, and go directly to Law School (on state scholarship and academic scholarship) then Commission. Would not have cost him anything, but he did not want to want to be thought of as DC and not truly a soldier/sailor. IMHO, it is everyone's personal choice, but if you want nothing other than being a JAG (not other "operational experience"), then go Pre-Law or Political Science, graduate, finish Law School, pass the bar and "instant O-2 or O-3". Many Universities with Law Schools now offer 5 and 6yr programs with JD's. Half the time it takes for most AD personnel.
 
@Impulsive Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard lawyers attend Naval Justice School at Newport, RI.

The Marine Corps doesn’t have a JAG Corps but a Judge Advocate Division. Marine lawyers are known as Judge Advocates.
 
Dadof2 said:
"Jarhead" wants to join the Army? :yikes:
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I'm ngl, I've just realized my mistake :confused:

I'd always wanted to join the USMC, but decided I'd rather join the army since all 3 of my grandfathers served in the Army ;)
 
So Ed Delay is something you request during your senior year when you go through the branching process. You have to have taken your tests (LSAT) and have applied to Law school to be considered for Ed Delay. If your request is granted then we commission you and send you off to earn your law degree. When you finish law school you come back to the Army. In most cases you will come back as a JAG. If you don’t get ed delay you still have the option of choosing National Guard or Army Reserves and earning your law degree on your own time while you serve part time. My advice is give Army ROTC a try. You may think you want to be a lawyer some day, but three years is a long time and you will be exposed to a lot of options.
 
clarksonarmy said:
My advice is give Army ROTC a try. You may think you want to be a lawyer some day, but three years is a long time and you will be exposed to a lot of options.
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You're right, I've got lots of time to think this over. Thank you!!
 
Jarhead713 said:
Hey all, so I've pretty much decided I'd prefer ROTC over a SA. Nothing against them, ROTC just sounds more appealing to me.

But I'm also pretty sure I'd want to become a JAG. I've heard some people say that I'd need to get an educational delay...? Uh... how exactly does that work?

Also, could I not just commission into the reserves then go to law school? How would that work?

Thanks for y'all's advice! Sorry if these questions have obvious answers, lol
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Not a direct answer to your question, but some related information is in this article:

https://abovethelaw.com/2018/11/mor...oin-rotc-to-help-minimize-their-student-debt/

And this:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-path-between-Army-ROTC-and-the-JAG-Corps

And this:

https://www.goarmy.com/jag/funded-legal-education-program.html
 
Navy ROTC to JAG is not a direct pathway. The Navy Law Education Program takes 5-10 active duty --typically "stellar"--officers each year with between 2 and 6 (weighted toward 6) years of active duty experience and pays for their law school. This is similar to FLEP, discussed above. This results in another commitment of 2x per year of service. So someone that transitions with 5 years of active service does 3 years at law school + 6 year payback cannot resign until 14 years of commissioned service; the majority stay on until 20 at that point although some may leave and join the Reserves. Historically, the only onramp into Navy JAG Reserve was to be an active duty JAG, but recently the window opened to a couple "free LEPs" each year---typically, Navy officers that earned a law degree on their own nickel. The majority of Navy JAGs come through the Direct Commissioning Program--near the start of law school, they apply to join the Navy and become a JAG. They go from Ensign to Lieutenant in about 6 months, I think, which helps increase the starting salary for a lawyer. But generally, if you want to be a Navy JAG (and why wouldn't you?), going NROTC undergrad is a very indirect, low-probability pathway to get there.
 
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