San Diego Native Finds JAG Corps a Way to Fulfill Navy Dream
Syracuse Law Students Pursing JAG Careers Explain Paths to Four Different Military Branches
What initially sparked your interest in a military career as a JAG?
Growing up in San Diego, which has a large military community, was a big influence on me. I always wanted to be in the military, particularly the U.S. Navy. I loved “Top Gun,” and always saw myself flying fighter jets, but at 6-feet, 5-inches, I was too tall. Still, I wanted to find a way to serve.
How did you discover the JAG Corps?
As an undergraduate, I took a philosophy class on ethics in national security, which was where I first learned about the JAG Corps. I immediately knew this was perfect for me. My background was in international security, policymaking, and military history, and the JAG Corps offered me a way to combine all of these interests through both law and military service.
Why did you decide to attend Syracuse Law?
Through my research, I found there was no better place than Syracuse University College of Law to pursue the U.S. Navy’s Active Duty Collegiate Program. Not only does it have a reputation for supporting active duty military and veterans, but it also offers the Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL) and the Betty and Michale D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, where I’ve had real hands-on experience helping veterans in the community. And, of course, the opportunity to learn from military veterans and esteemed faculty like Marine Corps veteran infantry officer the Hon. James Baker, director of SPL, and retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Murrett, deputy director of SPL, is amazing.
What are the benefits of the Navy’s Active Duty Collegiate Program?
The Navy’s Active Duty Collegiate Program is brand new, so I’m one of the guinea pigs, but currently I’m an active duty officer candidate, petty officer first class, and I’ve been officially on active duty since June 2026. Instead of receiving a scholarship, you receive a Navy salary to use as you see fit. We don’t receive military training while in law school, but going to Officer Candidate School (OCS) makes us more credible than under the previous JAG program, which sent incoming judge advocates to the shorter and more condensed Officer Development School. After completing my law degree, I’ll attend OCS and Naval Justice School. Once I complete OCS training and pass the bar, I’m guaranteed a job, and I’ll begin serving as a Navy judge advocate right away.
What appeals to you about practicing law as a Navy judge advocate?
The service component is a big reason, as are the opportunities that a judge advocate has to do things unlike anything in the civilian legal world. Every Navy Air Wing has a judge advocate who handles legal issues in an aviation setting. Some deploy at sea or with the Marines, while others provide legal assistance to service members. I hope to practice operations law, and I can see myself serving as a staff judge advocate or working with senior military leaders. There are so many options that make it exciting. I know I don’t want to be in an office my whole life, so being on the ground or on a ship is so interesting to me.
The program requires four years of active duty and four years of reserve service, or some combination of eight years. I’m not sure whether I’ll remain a judge advocate after my commitment to the Navy is met, but I know that it will be a great experience that will translate well into a policy position in the defense world one day.
What advice would you give law students considering the Navy JAG Corps?
Definitely apply for an internship during law school. In summer 2025, I had a Navy judge advocate internship in San Diego, which helps current students get hands-on experience with military law. The experience really showed me what kind of law is practiced and what military life is like on a daily basis, while helping me to learn all the customs and courtesies on a base. It also gave me the opportunity to talk directly to other judge advocates about their careers. The JAG Corps offers so many ways to serve and so many different legal problems to tackle — something you won’t get from a traditional corporate law job.