JA General Corps announces law school programs

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ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Air Force officers may apply for the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program Jan. 1-March 1, 2009. 

Interested officers can compete for these legal studies programs to become judge advocates. "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. Chuck Killion, 3rd Wing 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." 

According to Colonel Killion, 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: 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," Colonel Killion said. 

The FLEP is a paid legal studies program for active-duty Air Force officers. The FLEP is an assignment action, and participants receive full pay, allowances, and tuition. FLEP applicants must have between two and six years active-duty service (enlisted or commissioned) and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the day they begin law school. The FLEP is subject to tuition limitations, and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability. The Air Force Institute of Technology tuition limit for fiscal year 2009 is expected to be set at approximately $10,000 per year. 

The 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 10 years active-duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the first day of law school. 

Both the 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 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 approved law school, received their Law School Admissions Test results, and completed a Staff Judge Advocate interview by March 1. Officers must also provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field. 

Applications meet a selection board in early March, and selections are made based on a review of the entire application package using a "whole person" concept. 

AFI 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, contact your base legal office, or contact Capt. Afsana Ahmed, HQ USAF/JAX (afsana.ahmed@pentagon.af.mil or 1-800-JAG-USAF). 

(Information provided by 3rd Wing Legal Office)