CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Applications for the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program are being accepted Jan. 1 to March 1, 2010, through the 437th Airlift Wing Staff Judge Advocate Office.
The FLEP is a paid legal studies program for active-duty Air Force officers, and the ELP is an unpaid legal studies program for Air Force officers. All interested officers are encouraged to compete.
Both the FLEP and ELP programs require attendance at an American Bar Association accredited law school. Upon an applicant's graduation and legal practice admission in the highest court of any state or territory of the United States, or federal court, candidates are eligible for designation as judge advocates.
"Our Air Force missions are constantly changing and commanders deserve to have access to legal advisors with a broad background of military experiences," said Lt. Col. Barbara Shestko, 437th Airlift Wing staff judge advocate. "The FLEP and ELP will ensure we can continue to maintain a corps of officers whose military experience complements their legal training, providing commanders with the highest caliber of legal support."
According to Colonel Shestko, Air Force judge advocates do more than just provide legal assistance.
In addition to prosecuting and defending clients brought before courts-martial, judge advocate officers routinely participate in nearly every facet of the Air Force mission, including developing and acquiring weapons systems, ensuring availability of airspace and ranges where systems are tested and operated, consulting with commanders on how systems are employed in armed conflict and assisting commanders in day-to-day running of military installations around the world.
"Every facet of every Air Force mission is bound by elements of the law," Colonel Shestko said.
The FLEP is an assignment action, and participants receive full pay, allowances and tuition. FLEP applicants must have between two and six years active-duty service, enlisted or commissioned, and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the day they begin law school. The FLEP is subject to tuition limitations, and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability. The Air Force Institute of Technology establishes the tuition limit, and the Academic Year 2010 is set at approximately $16,000 per year. This amount may change year to year.
ELP participants do not receive pay and allowances, but remain on active duty for retirement eligibility and benefits purposes. ELP applicants must have between two and ten years active duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the first day of law school.
To be considered for FLEP or ELP, applicants must have completed all application forms, applied to at least one ABA accredited law school, although acceptance is not required at the time of application for FLEP/ELP, and have received their Law School Admissions Test results and completed a staff judge advocate interview by March 1.
Officers must also provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field. Selection for both programs is competitive.
Applications meet a selection board in early March, and selections are made based on a review of the application package using a "whole person" concept. Air Force Instruction 51-101, Judge Advocate Accession Program, chapters two and three, discuss the FLEP and ELP.
For application materials and more information, visit http://www.airforce.com/jag, or contact Capt. Erin Dixon at 963-5502 or Capt. Afsana Ahmed, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate Office, at 800-JAG-USAF or afsana.ahmed@pentagon.af.mil.