Judge Advocates (JA) have provided professional legal service to the Army for over 230 years.  During that time the Corps has grown dramatically to meet the Army’s increased need for legal expertise.  Today, approximately 1500 JA serve on active duty while more than 3,000 find rewarding part-time careers as members of the U.S. Army Reserve.  Service as a Reserve Component (RC) JA is available to all qualified attorneys.  Those selected have the opportunity to practice in areas as diverse as the field of law itself.  For example, JAG Corps officers prosecute, defend and judge at courts-martial, negotiate and review government contracts, act as counsel at administrative hearings, and provide legal advice in such specialized areas as international, regulatory, labor, patent and tax law, while effectively maintaining their civilian careers.

 In general, applicants must meet the following qualifications:

1. Be at least 21 years old and for appointment as a First Lieutenant be younger than 33; for appointment to Captain be younger than 39 (waivers for those exceeding age limitations are available on a case by case basis).
2. Be a graduate of an ABA-approved law school.
3. Be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state or federal court.
4. Be of good moral character and possess leadership qualities.
5. Be physically fit.

Grade of rank at time of appointment is determined by the number of years of service credit to which an individual is entitled.  As a general rule, an approved applicant receives three years constructive credit for law school attendance, plus any prior active or reserve commissioned service.  Any time period is counted only once (i.e., three years of commissioned reserve service while attending law school entitles a person to only three years of constructive service credit, not six).  Once the total credit is calculated, the entry grade is awarded as follows:

• 3 or more but less than 7 years - First Lieutenant
• 7 or more but less than 14 years - Captain
• 14 or more but less than 21 years - Major

An applicant who has no previous military commissioned service, therefore, can expect to be commissioned as a First Lieutenant.

Basic pay varies depending on grade, length of service, and degree of participation.  Reserve officers are eligible for numerous federal benefits including full-time Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance; limited access to post exchanges, commissaries, theaters and available transient billets; space-available travel on military aircraft within the continental United States, if on Reserve duty; authorized survivor benefits; and generous retirement benefits.  When performing active duty or active duty for training, Reserve officers may use military recreation, entertainment and other post facilities and receive limited medical and dental care.

RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Eligibility for retirement pay and other benefits is granted to members who have completed 20 years of qualifying federal military service.  With a few exceptions, the extent of these benefits is the same for both the Reserve Officer and the service member who retires from active duty.  The major difference in the two retirement programs is that the Reserve Officer does not begin receiving most of the retirement benefits, including pay, until reaching age 60.  The amount of monthly retirement income depends upon the grade and total number of qualifying points earned during the course of the individual’s career.  In addition to the pay, the retired Reserve Officer is entitled to shop in military exchanges and commissaries, use most post facilities, travel space-available on military aircraft worldwide and use some medical facilities.

The JAG Corps Reserve Program is multifaceted, with the degree of participation determined largely by the individual.  Officers are initially assigned to a Troop Program Unit (TPU).  Follow on assignments may include service as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA).  TPU officers attend monthly training assemblies and perform two weeks of annual training a year.  Upon mobilization, they deploy with a unit and provide legal services commensurate with their duty positions.

IMA officers are assigned to active duty agencies or installations where they perform two weeks of on-the-job training each year.  During the remainder of the year, they perform legal assistance, take correspondence courses or do project work at their own convenience to earn credit toward retirement.  Upon mobilization, these officers go to their assigned positions and augment the legal services provided by that office.  Officers may also transfer from one unit to another or between units and IMA positions depending upon the availability of vacancies. This flexibility permits the Reserve Judge Advocate to tailor his or her participation to meet personal and professional needs.  Newly appointed officers will usually serve in TPU assignments.

SERVICE OBLIGATION
In general, new appointees incur a statutory service obligation of eight years.  Individuals who have previous military service do not incur an additional obligation as a result of a new appointment.

New RC JA will attend approximately sixteen and one-half weeks of initial military training.  They are required to complete the Judge Advocate Officer’s Basic Course (JAOBC) and the Direct Commissioned Officer (DCO) Course within twelve months of commissioning as a condition of appointment.  JAOBC consists of a Fort Lee, Virginia, phase and a Charlottesville, Virginia, Phase.

Fort Lee Phase.  New JAs report to Fort Lee for a twelve-day military orientation course.  The course allows time for establishing personnel and finance records, purchasing uniforms and receiving instruction in several basic areas of military life.  These include the wear of military uniforms, military customs and courtesy and physical fitness training.

Charlottesville Phase.  Next is a ten-and-a-half week academic course at The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS) in Charlottesville, known as the TJAGLCS phase of JAOBC.  TJAGLCS is located on the grounds of the University of Virginia, adjacent to its law school.  During this phase, new JAs receive instruction on the organization, function and mission of the U.S. Army JAG Corps and an overview of the practice of law in the U.S. Army. The instruction focuses on areas of law that will be particularly important to a new JA, including military criminal law, government contract and fiscal law, legal assistance, claims, administrative law and international and operational law.  Computer training and practical exercises in trial advocacy and attorney/client issues are also featured.

Direct Commissioned Officer Course (DCO).  The training continues with four weeks of DCO, and may include an optional six-and-a-half weeks of officer leadership and Soldier skills training at Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).  JAs will go to one of two locations for DCO and BOLC: Fort Benning, Georgia https://www.infantry.army.mil/BOLC/ or Fort Sill, Oklahoma http://sill-www.army.mil/bolc2/index.htm.  DCO will prepare JAs for success at BOLC by orienting to and focusing on BOLC tasks.  New JAs will be more than prepared for the BOLC follow-on training.  Beginning in October 2008, all newly commissioned RC JAs will be required to attend the six week BOLC in addition to the JAOBC and DCO course.

Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC).  Currently, RC officers are not required to attend the final six week BOLC, but may attend at their option if space and funding allow.  BOLC’s goal is to develop competent leaders.  It is a rigorous six-week course in leadership and tactics designed to challenge ALL new Army officers (West Point, ROTC and Officer Candidate School graduates also attend) physically and mentally.  The BOLC curriculum includes physical fitness training, foot marches, combat training, land navigation training (similar to orienteering), rifle marksmanship, weapons training, practical exercises in leadership, nuclear, biological and chemical operations, use of night-vision equipment and several confidence courses featuring difficult obstacles that will challenge students to overcome personal fears.