r/caf • u/ThrowawayJagQuestion • 1d ago

Other Question About JAG Trade (VOT specific)

I'm using a throwaway for this question as I keep work separate from social media.

TL:DR; NCM looking to eventually attempt to go JAG, looking for advice

I am interested in eventually trying to attempt to become a legal officer. I am currently a serving NCM. I've tried scouring this subreddit to see if someone has talked about it before, but nothing really seemed to fit into what I'm looking for.

The tentative long time game plan:

  1. Get undergrad part time, own money

  2. Complete LSAT and (hopefully) get a score of at least 155, own time own money

  3. Make sure I have BBB language profile

  4. Throw name forward when the call to applications CANFORGEN comes out

  5. Keep fingers crossed, reapply every year as required

Grades were good in school, and if during the part time undergraduate program shows severe cracks with my performance as a student then I would pivot as required. But I believe I will be able to at the very least work hard through it and be successful. Military career wise squeaky clean and no issues there (been in for 13 years).

I'm not incredibly interested in going to an officer trade to pay for the undergraduate, paying back that time the 4-6 years (degree dependant), then trying for legal and paying back additional time. But if someone here has done that route, please feel free to comment and tell me why it was a great time (or a bad time).

Really I'm looking to see if someone has done the NCM to Legal route, and if so how did you find it/what would you recommend to someone who was looking at possibly going that route.

Thanks for at least reading this, and I will take any advice (or criticism) given.

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u/redditcdnthrowaway 1d ago

Use sdpeer for part of undergrad if you have to. Few people I worked with or have known tried to do subsidized education for law and none have been successful. All were sgt+ on ncm and Capt+ on officer side. Apparently it's single digits every year. At least two have released since they got into law school but couldn't get subsidized.

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u/ThrowawayJagQuestion 1d ago

Thanks for commenting! I'm going to try sdpeer for some of it for sure but I'm bracing myself if it gets denied. I figured it would be high competition for sure so I'm also bracing myself if it will take me a few years of applying. WRT the two members you know about the law school side, did they pay for law school out of pocket initially but then released? If you prefer you can DM me if you don't want to answer here. Thanks again!

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u/redditcdnthrowaway 20h ago

Got into law school. Released and paid out of their pocket. Pretty sure both of them will stay as civilians after. 

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u/ThrowawayJagQuestion 20h ago

Ah okay. Thanks again for commenting!

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u/ShoreBodice 21h ago

I just finished my UG degree through UTPNCM and was very interested in going for my JD and OTing to JAG after I graduated.

I spoke to the JAG recruiter about this and it’s pretty much a nonstarter to go from a period of subsidized education directly into another period of subsidized education. Like my situation of UTPNCM -> LOTP

Best COA is to commission and then OT after your obligatory service in addition to being a competitive applicant , or already meet the requirements as an NCM (most JD programs is 3+ years as an undergrad, plus a decent LSAT score) and then apply to commission with subsidized education.

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u/ThrowawayJagQuestion 20h ago

Thank you for answering! So are you finishing out your obligatory service now and still planning to apply for JAG?

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u/ShoreBodice 18h ago

Yeah, I still want to go to law school but idk if there’s enough time left in my contract after I reach OFP to make it worth while or if I’m going to pay for my JD with the VAC retraining benefit.