A JAG officer works within the military law that comprises rules and regulations for the armed forces. This is a very brief description of the law practiced by JAG officers because today in the military they practice the military law which has extended its boundaries to include the same law used by civilian attorneys. This means JAG officers have the opportunity to practice: Environmental law Estate planning Labor law Family law Government contract law The real military law that includes international laws of armed conflict is only practiced by the most senior military officers. In summary it can be said that JAG officers really practice civilian law in the military departments to which they are assigned. In addition to the civilian law practiced by the JAG officer he can also be general counsel for his assigned department. For instance, a JAG officer who practices on the Air Force base may also do labor law, criminal law and contract law as required by his division. The JAG officer can also be found consulting in accidents and criminal investigations. If the investigations involve drafting policies, procedures or treaties concerning the rules of war, the senior JAG officers always handle those cases. On a daily basis a JAG officer provides legal assistance to members of his/her department which can include drafting medical powers of attorney, divorce legal help, drafting wills doing adoptions and within all this work they cannot go into civilian court. Continuing education is available for JAG officers and graduate work can also be completed during assignment. There is a JAG school that all new graduates must attend when they enter military ranks. There are also other requirements that include exercise 3 times weekly for JAG officers and other military obligations are also given. This is what makes being a JAG officer unique as well as the environment in which he may work. It would not be unusual to find a JAG officer working in a tent in Bosnia and holding trials in the same tent. The average salary for these brave men and women who are entry level is just above $32K annually and up to $37K after 6 months. A practicing JAG officer with the military for three and a half years can earn a higher salary that ranges from $65K to $70K. One must also consider the benefits offered for housing allowance, food allowance and medical benefits which are not included in the annual salary. Where can military JAG officers work? The answer to that is they can only be employed by the government. Many Ex-JAG officers practice law which includes cases where they represent clients who have issues with the government. These civilian lawyers get paid better fees from their clients because they have the army or navy experience that gives them the edge in cases against the government. In conclusion the most rewarding aspect JAGS have for practicing military law is the idea that they are working for serving their country and fighting for freedom. This is an intrinsic value that can only be found in Military Law.

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Article ID: 5019     Article Title: A Military Lawyer (JAG Officer) is an Option for Graduates from Ivy League Law Schools Comments: As an Army Judge Advocate, I am pleased that you have attempted to provide information concerning a JAG Corps career. I must correct, however, the several incorrect or potentially misleading statements in the article. To start, I would offer two general comments. First, there is only one Judge Advocate General ("JAG") for each military department. The rest of us are entitled judge advocates. Second, our practice varies a bit depending on the service involved: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Air Force. That said, for all the services, an individual's legal practice in the JAG Corps can be very diverse, including those areas listed as well as civil litigation, criminal law, tort law, and federal administrative law. That part of our practice involving strictly military type issues, such the Law of Armed Conflict and Rules of Engagement, is a fairly small part of what we do. In regard to specific inaccuracies, I point out the following. (1) The reference to a judge advocate consulting for the government on courts-martial is tremendously misleading. Courts-Martial are the military's version of a criminal trial. They are very similar to a federal criminal practice in the US District Courts. Judge advocates serve as judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys in courts-martials. We do not merely "consult." (2) Operational military law, involving the Law of Armed Conflict, can be practiced by all judge advocates - from the brand new First Lieutenant all the way up to one of our General Officers. Your statement that it is only practiced by the most senior military officers is incorrect. (3) Similarly, your statement that only senior JAG officers handle cases involving investigations or cases dealing with policies, procedures or treaties concerning the rules of war is also incorrect. (4) Your statement that we provide legal assistance on a daily basis is incorrect. Although the services handle legal assistance differently, legal assistance is generally a specific area of law in which a judge advocate might practice and is not practiced by all or even most of us. Finally, your comment about where former judge advocates may work appears to be somewhat limited. Given our diverse civil practice and tremendous experience, former judge advocates can be found across the entire spectrum of legal practice in the country - federal and state government, law firms, law schools, and business. I do entirely agree with your last statement regarding the most fulfilling and rewarding aspect of a judge advocate's practice - we serve our country and fight for freedom. In that respect, we have the best client there is - the American people. Posted by: Mark Holycross   |   Date: 05-12-2009 Comment

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