171956Z APR 24 MID120001032234U
ALCGPSC 058/24
SUBJ: AY25 SOLICITATION FOR JURIS DOCTOR (JD) POSTGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES - OFFICER AND ENLISTED
ALCOAST 096/24 COAST GUARD ADVANCED EDUCATION PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS AY 2025
ALCGPSC 054/24 OFFICER POSTGRADUATE AND ADVANCED EDUCATION APPLICATION
PROCESS FOR ASSIGNMENT YEAR 2025 (AY25)
CG PERFORMANCE, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION MANUAL, COMDTINST
M1500.10 (Series)
COAST GUARD MEDICAL MANUAL, COMDTINST M6000.1 (SERIES)
This message solicits for high performing officers and enlisted members
to apply for the Coast Guard Legal Program (CGJAG). CGJAG supports the
Coast Guard across the full spectrum of operations and mission support.
Judge advocates serve in various roles, such as advisors, counselors,
and advocates. They administer military justice by advising leaders,
and serving as prosecutors, defense counsel, and special victims' counsel
in courts martial. Legal assignments also include maritime, international,
national security, cyber, intelligence, information, regulatory, environmental,
disability, and general law. Judge advocates have the opportunity to
practice in multiple areas of the law and to compete for nonlegal, out-of-specialty
assignments. Active-duty personnel whose performance and judgment demonstrate
exceptional ability, dedication to mission and their shipmates, and
commitment to excellence are ideal candidates to apply for the Juris
Doctor program.
Selectees for the AY25 Law JD program, as allocated in reference (a),
should anticipate beginning school in the fall of 2025 and graduating
in spring 2028. During law school, all selectees remain on active duty
and follow normal promotion or advancement schedules. Selectees will
accrue obligated service per reference (c), which normally results in
a five-year service obligation. During their summers, selectees are
required to complete internships at a Coast Guard legal office.
Upon graduation, selectees must take the bar exam and complete the Basic
Lawyer Course at the Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, RI.
Enlisted members are eligible to apply and shall adhere to the deadlines
prescribed in this message and in reference (b). Enlisted members shall
meet commissioning standards, as prescribed in reference (d), prior
to the panel and maintain commissioning standards throughout school.
Those enlisted members selected for this opportunity will receive an
enlistment, or extension to their current enlistment, for the duration
of their studies. Enlisted members participating in this program should
anticipate commissioning as an O-3 or O-3E, as applicable, upon graduation
in the spring of 2028. Upon commissioning, enlisted selectees will prepare
for and take the bar exam, attend the Basic Lawyer Course at NJS, and
complete Direct Commission Officer (DCO) training.
The following deadlines will apply and will be strictly adhered to:
Direct Access (DA) application submission deadline: 20 May 2024
(Officers Use Code LAWJDO/ Enlisted use code LAWJDE)
DA waiver submission deadline: 20 May 2024 (use code PGWAIV)
PDF application submission deadline: 24 May 2024
OER submission to OPM-3: 20 May 2024
EER marked final in DA: 24 May 2024
LSAT scores entered in DA: 24 May 2024
OMPF updated in iPERMS: 31 May 2024
Applying to this program includes multiple steps to validate candidate
pools and adjudicate eligibility. All interested candidates shall apply
in DA using "My Panel Submission" under the code LAWJDO (current officer applicants)
or LAWJDE (current enlisted candidates) no later than 20 May 2024, to
include a command endorsement. No comments should be included in the
member comments or command endorsements as neither will be viewed by
the panel. Commands should endorse the applicant's Panel Submission
only if they positively endorse the applicant for this program. This
initial DA My Panel Submission is to establish the endorsed candidate
pool for officers and enlisted members. Applicants should separately
submit a PDF application by the deadline prescribed above and in accordance
with paragraph 9 below no later than 24 May 2024.
Additional eligibility requirements not listed in reference (b):
Officers: Fewer than 6 years of commissioned service and fewer than
10 years of total service at the time of the panel.
Enlisted:
i. Fewer than 10 years of total active-duty service at the time of the panel.
ii. Be eligible for a Secret security clearance.
iii. Meet commissioning standards, including a physical examination.
Refer to reference (d) and submit a completed DD-2808 (Report of Medical Examination).
If a physical examination cannot be completed before the application
due date, notify the Law JD Program Manager & OPM-1 Shared Inbox listed in paragraph 14.
iv. Hold U.S. citizenship.
Eligibility Waivers: Waiver requests are required for any items listed
in paragraph 6 or as outlined in reference (b). Waiver requests shall
be submitted using the My Panel Submission application with DA Code PGWAIV.
The nature of the waiver should be included in the member comments of
the DA submission, which requires a separate command endorsement in DA.
Refer to reference (e) for more information on this process. Tour completion
waivers will not be granted for officer applicants unless "in play"
for assignment under normal OPM Business Rules, as defined in the forthcoming
Officer Assignment Year 2025 (AY25) Preliminary Shopping List Release
message. Refer to reference (b) for non-tour complete circumstances
that do not require a waiver. Officer aviators are not eligible to apply
for this opportunity.
OMPF Materials: Applicants are required to enter the following information
into their Official Military Personnel File (OPMF) by 24 May 2024:
LSAT scores are required to compete for this opportunity and must be
current within the last 5 years. All applicants should have their LSAT
scores entered into DA. A step-by-step process can be found in reference (e).
Competitive applicants normally obtain a score of at least 155.
All transcripts for degrees conferred by a regional or nationally accredited
institution. ETQC enters degree conferral data into DA and a member's OMPF.
Instructions for reporting conferred degrees to ETQC can be found here:
https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/forcecom_spo/ETQC/SitePages/Degree-Reporting.aspx
Application Packages: Submit applications directly to OPM-1 at the email
listed in paragraph 14 below no later than 24 May 2024. Applications
shall be combined into one PDF document in the order prescribed below.
Portfolio PDFs will not be accepted and will be returned.
Application packages shall contain:
Officer
i. Personal narrative - not to exceed one page, use template provided.
ii. Command endorsement - not to exceed one page, use template provided.
iii. Letters of recommendation - maximum of two, not to exceed one page each,
use template provided.
iv. Proof of LSAT score
v. Transcripts for any educational degrees in-progress
Enlisted
i. Personal narrative - not to exceed one page, use template provided.
ii. Command endorsement - not to exceed one page, use template provided.
iii. Letters of recommendation - maximum of two, not to exceed one page each,
use template provided.
iv. Officer Interview Form (CG-5527L) - the interview should be coordinated
through the applicant's servicing ESO and include at least one attorney.
The interview panel shall conduct an administrative review of the application
package and resolve any information the panel would likely need clarified
on page four of the CG-5527L.
v. Professional resume - not to exceed two pages, use template provided.
vi. Proof of LSAT score.
vii. Transcripts for any educational degrees in-progress.
Templates: Refer to the OPM-1 SharePoint site for templates and more
information on the Law JD program. PDF applications submitted without
using the prescribed templates will be returned. Link:
https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/psc_spo/psc-opm/1/a/SitePages/Post-Grad.aspx
Panel Materials: Each applicant shall ensure their record is up to date
and accurate while adhering to the deadlines outlined in paragraph 4
of this message. The panel will view the following items while in session:
Official Military Personnel File in iPERMS
Employee Summary Sheet (in Board View)
Application package
OER comparison scale data
Enlisted evaluations for current enlisted members.
OER Submission: Applicants intending to submit an annual or semi-annual
OER ahead of the panel shall adhere to the OER submission deadline of
19 May 2024. LT Applicants are authorized an adjusted EOP of 30 April 2024
for the annual OER with delivery to OPM-3 no later than 19 May 2024.
LTJG applicants are authorized a Boards and Panels OER with an EOP no
earlier than 03 May 2024 with delivery to OPM-3 no later than 19 May 2024.
EER Submission: Enlisted applicants are encouraged to ensure their annual
or semiannual evaluations are completed and marked final in Direct Access
by the submission deadlines outlined in this solicitation.
POC and References:
Law JD Program Manager: CDR Brian Sattler, Brian.G.Sattler@uscg.mil
OPM Submission Inbox: HQS-SMB-CGPSC-opm-1-PGPanels@uscg.mil
OPM Post Grad/Adv Ed Coordinator: LT Briana Biagas, Briana.L.Biagas@uscg.mil
OPM Post Grad/Adv Ed Sharepoint Site:
https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/psc_spo/psc-opm/1/a/SitePages/Post-Grad.aspx
RDML R. E. Batson, Judge Advocate General, endorses. RDML R. E. Dash, Commander,
Personnel Service Center, sends.
Internet release is authorized.