Air Force offers path to legal degree

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Rufus Gorkhali
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Legal Office
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The Air Force has a constant need for legal advisors with an understanding of how the military works.

We get these advisors from two sources. One way is turn lawyers into Air Force officers. The other is to turn Air Force officers into lawyers.

The Air Force offers two programs to achieve that second option -- the Funded Legal Education Program and the Excess Leave Program. The application deadline for both programs is March 1, 2015.

"Our Air Force missions are constantly changing, and commanders deserve to have access to legal advisors with a broad background of military experiences," said Capt. Megan Schmid, the 71st Flying Training Wing deputy staff judge advocate. "The FLEP and ELP will ensure that we can continue to maintain a corps of officers whose military experience complements their legal training, providing commanders with the highest caliber of legal support."

Air Force JAGs do more than just provide legal assistance, she said. In addition to prosecuting and defending clients brought before courts-martial, JAG officers routinely participate in nearly every facet of the Air Force mission.

They develop and acquire weapons systems, ensure availability of airspace and ranges where those systems are tested and operated, consult with commanders about how those systems are employed in armed conflict and assist 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 Schmid.

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 of active-duty service and be a captain or below the day they begin law school.

FLEP is subject to tuition limitations, and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability. The tuition limits are set by Air Force Institute of Technology on an annual basis and vary from year to year based on available funding.

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.

Applicants must have between two and 10 years active-duty service and be a captain or below the first day of law school.

Schmid joined the JAG Corps through FLEP. Prior to law school, she was a contracting officer and an executive officer at the group and wing level.

"FLEP helped me fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer and maintain my focus on my studies without worrying about job prospects after law school," said Schmid. "Best of all, it helped me continue to serve in the Air Force."

Both FLEP and ELP require attendance at an American Bar Association approved law school. Upon graduation and admission to practice law in the highest court of any state, territory of the United States or a federal court, candidates are eligible to become judge advocates.

To be considered for FLEP or ELP, applicants must have completed all application forms, applied to at least one approved law school, received their Law School Admissions Test results, complete a Staff Judge Advocate interview by March 1 and provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field.
Local applicants should schedule their interview before Feb. 15, said Schmid.

Applicants meet a selection board in early March 2015, and selections are based on a review of the entire package using a whole person concept. The total number of applicants selected for any academic year is based on the needs of the Air Force. Air Force Instruction 51-101, Judge Advocate Accession Program, Chapters 2 and 3, discuss the FLEP and ELP.

For more information and application materials, visit www.airforce.com/jag, call the Vance Legal Office at 213-7404, contact Maj. Jeremy de Roxas, the Headquarters Air Force Judge Advocate General accessions branch chief, at jeremy.d.deroxas.mil@mail.mil, or 800-JAG-USAF (800-524-8723).