Judge Advocate General Corps announces law school programs

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Washington
  • 2d Bomb Wing Staff Judge Advocate
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Applications for the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program are being accepted from Jan. 1 through March 1, 2010. Officers interested in becoming Judge Advocates are encouraged to compete for these programs.

"Our Air Force missions are constantly changing, and commanders deserve to have access to legal advisors with a broad background of military experiences," said Lt. Col. Steve Dubriske, Staff Judge Advocate for the 2d Bomb Wing. "These two programs will ensure that we can continue to maintain a group of legal officers whose military experience complements their legal training, thereby providing commanders with the highest caliber of legal support."

According to Colonel Dubriske, Air Force JAGs do more than just provide legal assistance. In addition to prosecuting and defending clients brought before courts-martial, JAG officers routinely participate in nearly every facet of the Air Force mission, including developing and acquiring weapons systems, ensuring availability of airspace and ranges where those systems are tested and operated, consulting with commanders about how those systems are employed in armed conflict, and assisting commanders in the day-to-day running of military installations around the world. "Every facet of every Air Force mission is bound by elements of the law," said Colonel Dubriske said.

FLEP is a paid legal studies program for active-duty Air Force commissioned officers. It is an assignment action, and participants receive full pay, allowances, and tuition. FLEP applicants must have between two and six years active duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the day they begin law school. FLEP is subject to tuition limitations, and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability. The Air Force Institute of Technology establishes the tuition limit, which is set at approximately $16,000 per year for academic year 2010.

ELP is an unpaid legal studies program for Air Force officers. ELP participants do not receive pay and allowances, but remain on active duty for retirement eligibility and benefits purposes. ELP applicants must have between two and ten years active duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the first day of law school.

Both programs require attendance at an American Bar Association accredited law school. Upon graduation and admission to practice law in the highest court of any state, territory of the United States, or federal court, candidates are eligible for designation as Judge Advocates. To be considered for FLEP or ELP, applicants must have completed all application forms, applied (acceptance is not required at the time of application for FLEP/ELP) to at least one ABA accredited law school, received their Law School Admissions Test results, and completed a Staff Judge Advocate interview by March 1, 2010. Officers must also provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field. Selection for both programs is very competitive.

Applications meet a selection board in early March, and selections are made based on a review of the application package using a "whole person" concept. AFI 51-101, Judge Advocate Accession Program, Chapters 2 and 3, discuss FLEP and ELP. For more information and application materials, visit http://www.airforce.com/jag, contact your base legal office, or contact Capt Afsana Ahmed, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General office (afsana.ahmed@pentagon.af.mil or 1-800-JAG-USAF).