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Legal education applications accepted through March

  • Published
  • By Capt. Megan Mallone
  • 82nd Training Wing Judge Advocate
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Applications for the fiscal year 2010 Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program are being accepted now through March 1. Interested Airmen are encouraged to compete.

FLEP

· Is a paid legal studies program for active-duty Air Force commissioned officers.
· Is an assignment action and participants receive full pay, allowances and tuition.
· Is for applicants that have between two and six years of 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.
· Is subject to tuition limitations and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability.

ELP

· Is an unpaid legal studies program for Air Force officers.
· Participants do not receive pay and allowances, but remain on active-duty for retirement eligibility and benefits purposes.
· Applicants must have between two and 10 years active-duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the first day of law school.

Both the FLEP and ELP programs require attendance at an American Bar Association accredited law school. Upon graduation and admission to practice law in the highest court of any state, territory of the United States or a federal court, candidates are eligible for designation as judge advocates.

To be considered for FLEP or ELP, applicants must have completed all application forms, applied (acceptance is not required at the time of application for FLEP/ELP) to at least one ABA accredited law school, received their Law School Admissions test results and completed a Staff Judge Advocate interview by March 1.

Airmen must also provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field. Selection for both programs is competitive.

Air Force Instruction 51-101, Judge Advocate Accession Program, Chapters 2-3, discuss the FLEP and ELP.

For more information and application materials, visit http://www.airforce.com/jag, contact your base legal office or Capt. Afsana Ahmed, Headquarters Air Force JA at afsana.ahmed@pentagon.af.mil or 1-800-JAG-USAF.