JAG mentor

[gatormatt]

I will be attending PLC juniors over the summer. After completing my undergraduate degree, I will decide whether or not to accept my comission. I will then attend law school. I'm hearing mixed theories on whether serving in the Marines as a lawyer will be beneficial or not to my career. In my opinion I will have more experience during my 3.5 years with the Marines than most people will gain in their first years out of law school. However, other people have told me that the Marines would probable place me a little behind my peers.

Monetarily I realize that I will be sacrificing by joining the Marines, but I'm convinced that the experience and gratification I get from serving my country will be worth it.

I was hoping there are some current/former JAG officers out there that could offer me some advice, and possibly express some pros/cons they have experienced during their service. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Feel free to repsond on this forum, but I'd prefer if you sent your answers to my email ( gatormatt00@yahoo.com ) as I check that more often.

Thanks for your time
Matt

[thedrifter]

If you have the Heart and Soul to become a Marine, you will be way ahead of your peers. The experience of being Marine will better prepare you for your civilian career. So if it is in you to become a Marine.............Go for it.........And become one of the Brotherhood/Sisterhood that will be with you all your life.

The Drifter

[firstsgtmike]

Reject the Commission.

[gatormatt]

why should i reject it. i think the experience will be more than worth it. do you have any reasons/experience for your opinion.

[MAJMike]

Take the commission. In the "real world' of the law biz, having been a Marine officer will stand you in good stead.

However, I'm sure that you realize that JAG lawyers practice "military law" - a system of law based on the UCMJ and other military rules and regs. These rules/regs have little if any application in the real world of civilain law. There's no "Article 32" in the real world. You will get "practice" at investigating, trying and defending cases, etc., but JAG is a whole different law basis and culture than that in the real world. Depending on your dutyh station, you might get experience in family law and doing legal work such as writing wills and entering probate motions.

Should you decide that a civilian legal career is your ultimate goal, you may find yourself competing with recent law school graduates much younger than yourself for associate positions in civilian law firms. Although you have "experience," it may or may not be apropos to your civilian legal career. It all depends on the firm, the position and the situation. You may or may not be at a disadvantage in competing for associate positions. Only very senior JAG lawyers with an area of specialization that is needed by a civilain firms can expect to join at a partner level.

I would suggest that you qualify for the state bar in the state where you are assigned a duty station. Also, qualify for the federal court system. Off duty pro-bono work with civilian organizations that provide family law services can also be a civilian career builder.

HOWEVER, do not expect real JAG law to be like the popular TV show of the same name. I hope that you have spent some time with more than one real JAG lawyer(s) getting a realistic perspective of the JAG Corps.

Mike Ventura
MAJ USMCR 1968-75
Woodrow Wilson School of Law - 1978

[firstsgtmike]

gatormatt,

Reject the Commission.

Why?

Because I'd prefer NOT to have you in MY Marine Corps.

Now, ask yourself Why?

[greensideout]

firstsgtmike,

You are so hard on this kid!

gatormatt only used I, I'm, my or me 24 times in two posts.

You're such a hardas*! LMAO

[greensideout]

gatormatt,

Unless you really have it in your heart to become a Marine, just plain and simple a Marine first then forget it.

Riding the reputation of the world's best fighting forces to futher your career makes me want to puke.

If you want to be a Marine and work in JAG, great.

If you want to work in JAG and be a Marine, forget it.

What are you looking for? A name, "I was a Marine", or just someone to pay the way?

I'm not the right guy to give advice on this I suppose, as I feel that you should consider an honorable career instead.

[gatormatt]

Firstsgtmike, i supposed you'd rather have people in "YOUR" Marines (i think other Marines on this board would have appreciated "OUR") that don't know how to apply logical reasoning. Not to sound too arrogant, as i realize arrogance isn't taken too lightly around here, but i think i'm exactly what the Marine Corps needs. I scored a 296 on my first pft after only training for 2 weeks, i scored a 96 on the asvab (3 years ago), i've held many leadership positions, and i want to serve my country.

As for greenside out, although "this recruit" found your posts rather slanted towards an attacking tone, "this recruit" aprreciates your honesty and time. However "this recruit" would like to respond. First, what was your reason for becoming a Marine. regardless of your answer it can be made to sound selfish. if it wasn't you probably would have joined the Air Force. Also, I guess you should puke because many of the people who join the Marinesdo so to help pay for college, learn a trade, or get a career (all to further their careers). Secondly, I believe it is inherently obvious that I want to be a Marine first and work in JAG. If this was not the cause I would have followed my classmate to the USAF recruiting office and then cashed my signing bonus check off at the bank on the drive home. Also, i hope that was sarcasm in your final reference to getting "an honorable career instead". I can see very few opportunities in this world that would be as honorable as being part of the Corps.

And finally, I'm not looking for a name, i'm looking for a life changing experience. and when i part with the Marine Corps I hope my experiences with soldiers like you don't lead me to say "I was a Marine". Instead i hope the positive experiences i have with people like thedrifter and MAJmike lead me to proudly say "I AM a Marine".

[gatormatt]

also i'd jsut like to make clear that my first post was merely an attempt to get feedback. in no way was i insinuating that i only want to join to help my career. the pros i have for joining greatly outweigh the cons. i just figured i already know about the many positive aspects of becoming a Marine. by stating this single con, i was hoping to get information on it; the information that my OSO is at times reluctant to tell me. Sorry about the misunderstanding

[wrbones]

I tried to warn ya gatormatt! LMAO.

Be careful goin' after that First Sergeant. Any First Sergeant for that matter. As an officer to B, yer only gonna learn the hard way.

You can't see it, but the 'tone' of yer first post is what brought this on.

Basically, you seemed to be concerned about you and only you. We know it's not like that in the Corps. Whenever one of us talks about "My Marine Corps." the rest of us know what is being said. It's a Marine thing. Yer not gonna understand until you've earned the title. You can tell me different when yer wearing that Eagle, Globe and Anchor sometime in yer future.

The Marine Corps is a life changing experience. You'll never be the same.

You're not a Marine as yet and I'd advise an abrubt change in attitude and some reading of many things posted on this site.

You need your life changed. Join my ****ing Marine Corps.

I dare ya.

In the meantime, read, learn and listen. We've been there. We know. You might need an attitude adjustment.

BTW. The Major told ya what the others did. He was just a bit more tactful about it.

There's a lot of info posted on the site that you and others like you can take advantage of, from OCS to military science to small arms tactics to Sun T'zu's The Art of War.

It's all there for your perusal.

[greensideout]

Did you say something to me gatormatt or did you just fart?
It all seemed rather foul.

You may try again.

[MAJMike]

At ease, gentlemen.

Major Mike

[gatormatt]

i'm sorry greensideout, i completely misunderstood the idea of this forum (mentor). you haven't provided me any information to any of the questions i asked, and from your profile i can see that you probably don't have any information about JAG to offer me. however i do appreciate your time and maybe you could recommend somewhere where i could find more useful info (although this is one of the bigger/better forums i have seen).

And yes, i did fart.

[eddief]

All this macho bull**** is so funny. This is better than 'Seinfeld'.