I'm in college getting very good grades (unlike highschool) and I decided to go to law school when I graduate because I'm very good at law and government. On the other hand I don't know what i'd do with a nice shiney law degree. I'm not going to go into "big law" as most of the other prelaw wannabees that I know dream of. I want to serve others and do some good. Then I learned about JAG very recently. JAG is exactly what I'm looking for. When I was looking at the branched Marines seemed best for me because
1. As i've heard Marine JAG is unrestricted line officers and If I join the military I don't want to spend all my time behind a desk. It wouldn't feel right. I love the idea of being a marine first and lawyer second.
2. Marines have an outstanding code and honor. From what i've heard they have a great history and hold themselves to a highstandard
3. Marines are the best. They train the hardest and have immense courage and mental toughness.
So my questions are
1. How often do JAG Marines get combat experience and what do they usually do as officers in combat?
2. How do I join Marine JAG. I want to do the Junoir-Senoirs program. Will they let meet be on inactive duty for three years of law school and join after?
3. Of any of you know any guys in JAG and what is it like for them/what are they like?
Originally posted by intrested747: I'm in college getting very good grades (unlike highschool) and I decided to go to law school when I graduate because I'm very good at law and government. On the other hand I don't know what i'd do with a nice shiney law degree. I'm not going to go into "big law" as most of the other prelaw wannabees that I know dream of. I want to serve others and do some good. Then I learned about JAG very recently. JAG is exactly what I'm looking for. When I was looking at the branched Marines seemed best for me because
1. As i've heard Marine JAG is unrestricted line officers and If I join the military I don't want to spend all my time behind a desk. It wouldn't feel right. I love the idea of being a marine first and lawyer second.
2. Marines have an outstanding code and honor. From what i've heard they have a great history and hold themselves to a highstandard
3. Marines are the best. They train the hardest and have immense courage and mental toughness.
So my questions are
1. How often do JAG Marines get combat experience and what do they usually do as officers in combat?
2. How do I join Marine JAG. I want to do the Junoir-Senoirs program. Will they let meet be on inactive duty for three years of law school and join after?
3. Of any of you know any guys in JAG and what is it like for them/what are they like?
Any information would be awesome. Thank you.
Oh Zhit! Walks away shaking head. Some of our Officers will be along shortly to answer your questions.
JAG officers don't see combat except in military court rooms or dealing with foreign nationals on legal issues.
There's lawyers in the infantry but they're infantry officers who have nothing to do with military law except for enforcing regulations as they command their Marines.
It's up to you and the needs of the Corps as to what you eventually end up doing.
Call your local Marine Recruiting Officer Selection Office (OSO) for further details.
Thanks for the information so far. Thats a little disheartening that JAG officers don't see combat. I had heard that in the Marine's they sometimes did and could request it. Thank you the information. I will contact a OSO. Thanks.
Just remember, JAG was a TV show and the real life JAG may not be what you think it is. I do know one of our Pilots in 231 was a non-practicing Lawyer.....
You're most welcome. Just be careful about wanting combat because it will most probably be different than anything you can imagine. Once you're in it there's no walking away so do be careful what you wish for because you just may get it.
Thank for the advice about combat and don't worry i've never seen the show JAG (maybe once or twice but i don't remember the plot). This website is very useful.
For question number 2, yes you can do the PLC juniors and seniors. If you make it through that then you will be commissioned as a 2nd Lt. once you graduate from college. Then you go to law school for how ever long that takes. You get some tuition assistance but it won't cover all of it. You are getting time in service while you're in law school which is a good thing for pay when you finish up. All law contracts are 1st Lt.'s by the time they get to TBS. All Marine officers go to TBS then you will go to your JAG training; followed by your first duty assignment. I've seen a couple lawyers and they're pretty chill.
I think you might be confusing your definition of combat.
JAG officers can be attached to combat units and usually are for deployments. One of their duties is to provide legal advice to the CO in matters dealing with the local populace, rules of engagement, law of land.
The possibility is always there that they could get caught up in an engagement but they are usually not put in that position.
There will always be a desk not matter what youir job is. Some jobs just require you to spend more time at a desk.
If you want to be a Marine first then enlist and go be a grunt.
While all Marines are trained to fight, keep in mind that we have grunts and then you have the rest of us that support the grunts. If your calling is to be a lawyer, and you want to be a Marine, then provide the best legal advice for your CO so his Marines can do their jobs and come home without a courtsmartial hanging over them.
Go see an OSO...If you want to talk to a Marine who went through boot camp, got his degree, went Navy JAG, then moved to Marine JAG.... then shoot me an email at my .mil and I'll see if he'll talk to you.
