Active duty and full-time support officers interested in a challenging career change can apply for scholarships via the FY-19 Law Education Program (LEP) announced April 4 in Naval Administrative Message (NAVADMIN) 082/18.

The program affords selected Navy officers the opportunity to earn Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degrees and to serve the Navy as career members of the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps.

Capt. Gary Sharp, currently the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Operations and Management and Chief of Staff for the Region Legal Service Offices, came to the JAG Corps via the LEP.

"We rely on the Law Education Program to bring unique and valued perspectives to our community as most judge advocates come into the Navy through our Student Program," said Sharp. "The LEP allows us to bring perspectives and experiences from multiple line communities (e.g., SWO, Aviation, Submarine, Intel) and integrate those perspectives and experiences into our wardrooms. LEPs often become peer leaders during their initial judge advocate assignments and support the professional development of our junior officers, just as our student program lawyers often support the professional development of our law education program officers; as ultimately all of our judge advocates must develop into exemplary lawyers and naval officers."

The Navy typically selects seven officers to attend law school each year. Candidates must be serving on active duty as a commissioned officer in pay grades O-1 to O-3 and have no more than six years of active duty service, including enlisted time, as of their law school class convening date, not later than Septeptember 2019. LEP students have up to 36 months to complete their degree program.

"The Law Education Program (LEP) is the perfect pathway for officers desiring a career change, interested in the law, and still desiring to serve the Navy in a different capacity," said Lt. Cmdr. Holly Higgins Didawick, the JAG Corps accessions detailer at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn. "While the program remains competitive, the incredible opportunity to get a fully-funded legal education while receiving full pay and benefits as a student is definitely worth the time to apply."

Upon graduation and admission to the practice of law, which in most jurisdictions includes passing the bar exam, Navy officers will be designated as judge advocates. Upon completion of the Basic Lawyer Course at the Naval Justice School, they are certified as qualified and competent to perform duties as trial and defense counsel of general courts-martial. They are then normally detailed to one of several large Naval Legal Service or Region Legal Service Offices where they will be exposed to the many legal areas found in today's Navy, including: criminal, international, administrative and tort law; legal assistance; maritime law and environmental law.

Lt. Cmdr. Eric Carlson is the Command Services Department Head for the Region Legal Service Office Mid Atlantic in Norfolk, Va. Previously a Cryptology Warfare Officer and U.S. Naval Academy graduate, he attended the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School while in the LEP.

"One of my favorite classes at the Naval Academy was NL400 (Naval Law for the Junior Officer) and I really enjoyed serving as a collateral-duty legal officer, but I was not ready to get out of the Navy to go to law school," said Carlson. "LEP offered me the best of both worlds - an exciting legal career in the JAGC. The JAGC offers so many opportunities for judge advocates to serve and make a difference in all areas of the Fleet. The work we are entrusted to do as judge advocates is both challenging and rewarding because of its vital importance to Sailors, their families, and to senior leaders in the Navy. There is never a dull day. I have really enjoyed my time so far in the JAGC, and I rely on my operational experiences to help me give better advice to my clients. I absolutely recommend the Law Education Program to any officer interested in a legal career in the Navy."

Eligible participants who desire to apply for the FY-19 program must submit a letter request and application package prior to Sept. 21, 2018 via their commanding officer to: Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center, Voluntary Education Detachment, Attn: Code N221B OSEP-LEP, 6490 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL, 32509-52044. Letters must include the applicant's current work mailing and e-mail addresses and contact numbers.

In addition, all applicants must ensure official college transcripts from each school attended are forwarded to NETPDC. Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores must be received prior to the FY-19 selection board convening in February 2019 but may be submitted by separate correspondence.

For specific guidance on the Law Education Program and application requirements, see SECNAVINST 1520.7F and NAVADMIN 082/18. Questions about the application process should be directed to Elise McGuire, Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center, by phone at 850-452-6064 (DSN 753) or by e-mail at elise.mcguire(at)navy.mil. All other program questions should be directed to the Navy JAG Corps accessions Office at navyaccessions(at)navy.mil or (202)685-5273 (DSN 325)

For additional information about careers in the Judge Advocate General's Corps visit www.jag.navy.mil/.

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For more news from Naval Education And Training Professional Development And Technology Center, visit www.navy.mil/.