Paralegal retraining -- Are you a difference maker?

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Justin Werner
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Law Office superintendent
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Are you a difference maker that is looking a challenge?

Twelve years ago I was an aerospace ground equipment mechanic. I was okay at my job, but by the end of the day it was not very rewarding and my wife hated me coming home smelling like grease, oil and gas.

So, after nine years of being an AGE mechanic, I decided to try something new. After looking at what was available, I walked into the legal office and inquired about becoming a paralegal.

I have never regretted switching over to the exciting and diverse paralegal career field. Sound interesting? Let me tell you a little more.

Paralegals are integrally involved in many of the issues that are happening around the installation. Paralegals support all areas of the legal office to include military justice, claims, civil law, legal assistance, contracts, environmental, international and operations law.

Within these divisions, paralegals conduct legal research, interview victims and witnesses, and draft legal documents.

Still interested? To qualify you must be able to type a minimum of 25 words per minute, have a minimum general Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery score of 51, and have very little to no derogatory information in your records.

You will also have a formal interview with both the staff judge advocate and the law office superintendent. That is it.

There is one catch. The paralegal career field is a high demand job. There are very few slots available from year to year, so the quicker you act the better your chances of getting a position in this outstanding career field.

If you are selected, you will attend a six-week paralegal apprentice course at the judge advocate general school located at Maxwell AFB, Ala. After completion of your 5-level you go back to the JAG school to attend another 6-week paralegal craftsman course to gain your 7-level.

Both of these courses earn paralegal credit towards a Community College of the Air Force degree, which is accredited by the American Bar Association.

This accreditation, coupled with the skills you receive in your day-to-day duties, will give you a leg up when applying for paralegal jobs in civilian law firms once you have retired or separated from the military.

Working with attorneys on every aspect of the legal office, from drafting legal reviews to working courts-martial cases, can be a very challenging and rewarding.

So if you are looking for a change, and are a hard-charger, come see me at the legal office. For more information, call 213-7404.