PDA

View Full Version : SMP (or ROTC), Law School, JAG School, how does it all work?


RaiderInBlue47
June 28th, 2009, 12:00 PM
Forgive me if this has been asked before, I tried searching and couldn't find anything.

A current Air Force JAG told me a while back (on a different forum) that there's a way to do ROTC for your 4 years, but delay your service until you complete law school to become a JAG. Is this true? And can anybody do it? I'm really interested in serving my country and I'm also interested in going to law school and becoming a lawyer.

I'm still debating between National Guard and Active Duty. On one hand, I get to join a law firm and work as a JAG on the side. On the other hand, I'm a JAG full time, which has its host of cool advantages. If that program exists for active duty, can I also do it for the National Guard?

If any JAGs can chime in or anyone that knows about how this works, that would be a big help. I'd like to do ROTC to help pay for college, but if I can't, I can still sign up as a JAG after law school anyways.

That's another question I have: Can I get some (or all, I'm not picky :D) of law school paid for by the military too?

Thanks for any answers.
matthew.ritchie
June 29th, 2009, 01:13 AM
I can't tell you what road to get on if you can't tell me where you're going. I have different recommendations for you, depending on whether your goal is active duty or National Guard service. I can recommend a plan that allows you to hedge your bets, but it is far more advantageous to you to decide ahead of time.
RaiderInBlue47
June 29th, 2009, 07:26 PM
Well, I'm kinda leaning towards active duty (no offense), because it would be a great way to start off in law and would be really nice on a resume when looking for a law firm that's big time. And who knows, I could stay all 20 years or longer and make the military my career. Can you tell me about that?
matthew.ritchie
June 30th, 2009, 05:26 AM
Well, I'm kinda leaning towards active duty (no offense), because it would be a great way to start off in law and would be really nice on a resume when looking for a law firm that's big time. And who knows, I could stay all 20 years or longer and make the military my career. Can you tell me about that?

You've got to decide where to accept risk. If you take the ROTC scholarship for undergrad, you can request release to go to law school immediately or later. No guarantee that'll happen, or when. You'll also likely pay for it all out of your hide, because TA of $4500/year won't pay for it.

You could also serve in the Guard enlisted while in college to pay for that, and save the ROTC scholarship for law school (which is probably far more expensive). Note that ROTC only pays two years for grad school, so save up for that first year. Then, after law school, commission JAG and go active duty.

PM or email with me, so we can work through the details.
Chaplain4me
July 6th, 2009, 08:07 PM
The Maj, is so genius. I would have never thought of use the ROTC schalorship for Graduate school.

Maj, would it be for two years? or Three? Since he would already be an MSIII?
matthew.ritchie
July 7th, 2009, 08:44 AM
You're very kind. It's not that I'm so smart, but that everyone else is so dull. :)

Anyway, enough self-congratulation.

ROTC scholarships are limited to two-year awards for grad school. I always recommend enlisting first in these cases, because (1) that allows the Soldier to draw other benefits for the first year of law school, and (2) Basic and AIT count for the first two years of ROTC, meaning that the Soldier must only complete the last two years of the four-year program.
RedLeg
July 7th, 2009, 09:49 AM
Not to take away from matthew.ritchie posted but if you're looking at Active Duty, I'd suggest you go to www.armyocs.com. One of the mods is a lawyer and posted the list of problems trying to complete law school and ROTC.
Chaplain4me
July 7th, 2009, 10:10 AM
No matter how you do it, once you become JAG, you can easily pay off any student loans, really a mute point.
ARNGJAG
July 7th, 2009, 05:40 PM
No matter how you do it, once you become JAG, you can easily pay off any student loans, really a mute point.


In actuality, law school loans can be very difficult to pay off, even on a private practice salary. I certainly encourage you to (i) take advantage of any opportunity to reduce your undergraduate and/or law school expense via scholarships and/or military benefits, and (ii) do your best to not borrow more than you need (to the extent that you need to borrow anything).

A large debt load can severly limit your ability to consider other career paths (e.g., public interest) if, for example, you determine that private practice is not for you.

Good luck...
matthew.ritchie
July 8th, 2009, 06:56 AM
Not to take away from matthew.ritchie posted but if you're looking at Active Duty, I'd suggest you go to www.armyocs.com. One of the mods is a lawyer and posted the list of problems trying to complete law school and ROTC.

Law school is quite time-consuming, so adding ROTC on top of all that will create challenges. It's a sacrifice, so count the cost before you get knee-deep into it and realize that you can't hack it. If you can stand not having a life for two or three years, then you'll graduate with far less debt than your colleagues.
Chaplain4me
August 12th, 2009, 07:53 PM
Expensive?

Have you seen what an 0-5 with twenty makes? Look up military pay calculator. Do your own calculation. Even a Cpt with 4 ain't bad.

Sure if you went to a private law school that would be an issue, if you came out with over 100K in student loans.

Plenty of state law schools are in the 15K-25K range. Having 45-60K in debt, isn't that bad when you're making 85K to start off with.

Of'course you would want the least amount of debt as possible, that's a no brainer.

When your making 4,000 a month, 500 a month student loans payments aren't that bad.

Go look up what an 0-6 with 30 makes. :eek: It's mind blowing, I'm sure they deserve every penny. LOL, seriously. military pay calculator.

Then look up the on the retirement calculator what they would make. LOL. 60,000 will seem like an ant, even 100k would be worth it if you stuck it out.

However, if you went deep into debt, and then didn't become JAG that would be like a Greek tragedy.

I don't know how JAG in the national guard is, you're right it might not be worth it.
RedLeg
August 12th, 2009, 09:33 PM
Plenty of state law schools are in the 15K-25K range. Having 45-60K in debt, isn't that bad when you're making 85K to start off with.

Plus the thousands in the undergrad degree.

When your making 4,000 a month, 500 a month student loans payments aren't that bad.


Except when you take taxes, health insurance, retirement out, you quickly find out that's not a lot of money.

RE pretty much none of your numbers really add up.