Judge Advocate General's Corps announces law school programs

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
  • 90th Missile Wing judge advocate
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Applications for the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program will be accepted from Jan. 1 through March 1, 2011. Interested officers are encouraged to take actions now that will allow them to compete.

"Our Air Force missions are constantly changing, and commanders deserve to have access to legal advisors with a broad background of military experiences," said Major T. Shane Heavener, Chief of the Accessions Branch, Professional Development Directorate, Office of the Judge Advocate General. "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 Major Heavener, 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, including 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," Major Heavener said.

The FLEP is a paid legal studies program for active duty Air Force commissioned officers. The FLEP is an assignment action. 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 of captain or below as of the day they begin law school. The FLEP is subject to tuition limitations. Positions may be limited due to overall funding availability.

The Air Force Institute of Technology establishes the tuition limit. Academic Year 2010 was set at approximately $16,000 per year, but this amount may change year to year.

The ELP is an unpaid legal studies program for active duty 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 ten years of active duty service and must be in the pay grade of captain or below as of the first day of law school.

FLEP and ELP applications for Fiscal Year 2011 will be accepted from Jan. 1 through March 1, 2011. Both the FLEP and ELP programs require attendance at an American Bar Association accredited 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, have applied to at least one ABA accredited law school, received their Law School Admissions Test results, and completed a Staff Judge Advocate interview by Feb. 15, 2011.

For more information and application materials, contact Lt. Col. Catherine Fahling, 90th Missile Wing Staff Judge Advocate, at 773-2329.