R 291409Z MAY 24
MARADMIN 249/24
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FY25 ENLISTED TO JUDGE ADVOCATE SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/STATUTE: 20210101//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/MM/YMD: 20190530//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/MM/YMD: 20151029//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/SECNAVINST/YMD: 20190122//
REF/E/MSGID: DOC/DODD/YMD: 20040412//
REF/F/MSGID: DOC/MCRCO 1100.2A G-3/YMD: 20160111//
REF/G/MSGID: DOC/MPP-56/YMD: 20210510//
REF/H/MSGID: DOC/STATUTE:20200808//
REF/I/MSGID: MSG/MARADMIN 620/23: 20231211//
NARR/REF A IS SECTION 2004 OF TITLE 10, U.S. CODE, DETAIL AS STUDENTS AT LAW SCHOOLS; COMMISSIONED OFFICERS; CERTAIN ENLISTED MEMBERS. REF B IS MCO 1524.1, MARINE CORPS GRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM. REF C IS MCO 1040.43B, ENLISTED TO OFFICER COMMISSIONING PROGRAMS. REF D IS SECNAVINST 1520.7G, LAW EDUCATION PROGRAM. REF E IS DOD DIRECTIVE 1322.12, FUNDED LEGAL EDUCATION. REF F IS MCRCO 1100.2A, MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND COMMISSIONING MANUAL. REF G IS 1300.8 W/CH 1, MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY. REF H IS CHAPTER 33 OF TITLE 38, U.S. CODE, POST 9/11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE. REFERENCE I IS MARADMIN 620/23, CY 24 MCRC ENLISTED TO OFFICER SELECTION BOARDS ANNOUNCEMENT//
POC/A. R. MASON/CAPT/MCRC/USMC/TEL: 703-432-9685/ EMAIL: AMOS.MASON@MARINES.USMC.MIL//
POC/J. J. MORALES NAJERA/CAPT/MCRC/USMC/TEL: 703-432-9262/ EMAIL: JHONATHAN.MORALESNAJERA@MARINES.USMC.MIL//
POC/J. M. ORTIZ/JAD/USMC/TEL: 703-614-2847/ EMAIL: JOSE.M.ORTIZ@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. This message announces the Academic Year (AY) 2025-2026 Enlisted to Judge Advocate (E to JA) program and interim guidance for E to JA execution.
2. Background.
2.a. The E to JA program has been created to offer enlisted Marines a funded opportunity to obtain a law degree and serve as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps. Marines selected for the program must complete a 10-week training course at Officer Candidate School (OCS) and accept a permanent appointment as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Regular Component. After commissioning, selected Marines will return to their units. Upon admission to a qualifying
law school, selected Marines will be issued Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders to a unit near their law school. Upon law school graduation and completion of the bar exam, selected Marines will attend The Basic School (TBS) and then complete the Basic Lawyer Course at Naval Justice School (NJS). Marines will be certified as Judge Advocates and be awarded the Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS) of 4402 upon completion of NJS.
2.b. Interim Guidance for E to JA Program Execution.
2.b.1. Reference (a) provides the legal authority to detail both officer and enlisted personnel of the Marine Corps as students at accredited law schools with a goal of accession into the regular Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate.
2.b.2. In preparation for these modifications, this MARADMIN provides interim guidance for the execution of an E to JA accession program as a component of the existing Enlisted to Officer selection boards. Marines interested in applying shall follow established Enlisted to Officer application procedures contained in reference (i). The additional law-specific requirements contained herein shall be included in their applications.
2.b.2.a. Personnel administration and preparation for TBS will be coordinated by Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) for enlisted members accepted to and executing the program.
2.b.2.b. Marines accepted to the E to JA program should plan to attend a January Officer Candidate School (OCS) class prior to beginning law school and will complete TBS after law school graduation and taking the bar exam.
2.b.2.c. Marines accepted to the E to JA program will be placed on Temporary Duty (TDY) on-the-job-training with a Law Center or OSJA during their law school summers and prior to reporting to TBS, as well as conduct other officer development training.
2.b.2.d. Accepted Marines will continue to receive full active duty pay and benefits.
3. Eligibility.
3.a. General eligibility criteria. Refer to references (c) and (f) and the MCRC website for program requirements, eligibility criteria, and general qualifications.
3.b. Additional E to JA eligibility criteria.
3.b.1. Marine must be in the grade of E-5 to E-7.
3.b.2. Marine must have a minimum of four years but not more than eight years total active-duty time when the Marine begins law school.
3.b.3 Marines must have at least twelve months remaining on their current enlistment or extension from the date of the selection board
convening.
3.b.4. Marines must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, at the time of the application deadline.
3.b.5. Be of good moral character with no record of disciplinary action.
3.b.6. CG MCRC will consider waivers on a case by case basis for items 3.b.1 through 3.b.5.
4. School criteria.
4.a. The Marine Corps will only reimburse law education expenses for the E to JA program at a level commensurate with reference (b). As a result, those accepted to the E to JA program will be personally responsible for any educational expenses over that amount.
4.b. The law school must be an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited school.
4.c. Tuition paid by Department of Defense will be capped at the same state levels referenced in U.S.C 38, Chapter 33 Post 9/11 Educational Assistance. Students may request to attend a school who’s tuition exceeds that cap, but they will incur any additional financial responsibility over the capped tuition rate. MCRC in conjunction with Judge Advocate Division (JAD) will adjudicate such requests.
5. Application process.
5.a. The basic application requirements found in MARADMIN 620/23, reference (i), will be required for all E to JA applicants. The application deadline for Enlisted to Judge Advocate packages will be 9 August 2024. Board convene dates will remain the same.
5.b. In addition, Marines applying to the E to JA program must contain the following in their package:
5.b.1. An official LSAT score obtained within the last four years and with a score of 150 or higher.
5.b.1.a. If an LSAT score is not yet available, applicants may register for the August LSAT and submit their scores to MCRC no
later than 1 October 2024. Applicants without LSAT scores will not be considered by the board.
5.b.2. A list of the law schools accredited by the ABA to which the applicant plans to apply, has applied to, and/or been accepted, in priority order.
5.b.3. Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, with credits and letter grades, and degree obtained.
5.b.4. A statement of acceptance of the service obligation must be included in the application. Upon successful completion of the E to
JA program and awarding of the 4402 PMOS, Marines incur two years (24 months) obligated active service, post-NJS, for each year (12 months), or any part thereof, spent in law school.
6. The POCs for this MARADMIN are Capt Amos Mason, Capt Jhonathan Morales, and Capt Ortiz. Please refer to the POC information at the beginning of this MARADMIN.
7. This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
8. Release authorized by Major General William J. Bowers, Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruiting Command.//