Military Judge Sentencing After §539E
How §539E of the FY 2022 NDAA shifted court-martial sentencing from members to military judges in non-capital cases — and what segmented sentencing and sentencing parameters mean in practice.
· 5 min read
Military Service
Life in uniform beyond the classroom: commissioning, training, deployment, and what military service asks of the people who do it.
39 articles in this topic
Army JAG School: A Complete Guide to the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course
The Army's Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (JAOBC) at TJAGLCS in Charlottesville: schedule, curriculum, daily life, and a week-by-week firsthand account.
· 9 min read
JASOC: The Complete Guide to Air Force JAG Training
Everything you need to know about JASOC—the Air Force Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course at Maxwell AFB. Schedule, curriculum, and firsthand tips from a former JAG officer.
· 5 min read
The Army’s Direct Commission Course: A Complete Guide
Complete Army DCC guide: fitness standards, packing lists, week-by-week breakdown, and insider tips from a JAG officer who went through the course. Learn what to expect.
· 9 min read
DCC Packing List: The Complete Interactive Checklist
An interactive packing checklist for the Army's Direct Commission Course (DCC) at Fort Benning — documents, uniforms, personal items, training supplies, and prohibited items.
· 5 min read
Army Commissioning Paths Compared: DCC vs. OCS vs. ROTC vs. West Point
How to become an Army officer: compare West Point, ROTC, OCS, and DCC. Eligibility, duration, cost, and which path is right for your military career.
· 17 min read
The Complete Guide to Becoming an Army JAG Officer
A complete guide to becoming an Army JAG officer — from application and selection boards to DCC, JAG School, and your first duty station, by a JAG veteran.
· 13 min read
DCC vs. OCS: How Army Commissioning Paths Compare
A detailed comparison of the Army’s Direct Commission Course (DCC) and Officer Candidate School (OCS)—eligibility, duration, career fields, and which path fits your goals.
· 8 min read
Week 6 of JASOC: Pilot Culture
A JAG officer's critical perspective on Air Force pilot culture: examining the exclusivity of the pilot track, the impact on Air Force leadership, and what makes pilot culture insufferable yet essential.
· 7 min read
Love of Country as a Unifying Principle
Perhaps once a shared love of country bound us together, but now I fear we are fracturing between those who love this country and those who denigrate...
· 2 min read
Week 5 of JASOC: Experiencing Regret
In this post, I discuss my fifth week in JASOC and some of the regret I still have about joining the Air Force.
· 8 min read
The Military Doesn’t Trust Its Leadership
Military personnel don’t trust their leadership. A veteran’s perspective on why service members lose faith in their officers and what the USS Theodore Roosevelt incident reveals about the institution.
· 2 min read
The Strange Call for Military Justice Reform
Botched investigations, missing constitutional safeguards, and a sexual assault crisis — a JAG veteran explains why military justice reform must go further than removing commanders from prosecution decisions.
· 8 min read
The Military and the Elite
The relationship between the military and the elite has evolved significantly over the years and not for the better.
· 6 min read
The Administrative Discharge Process — JASOC Week 3
JASOC Week 3: Master military administrative discharge procedures, board processes, and insider tips from an Air Force JAG officer. Learn what to expect.
· 33 min read
Week 11: Veterans Day at Yale
A veteran's perspective on celebrating Veterans Day at Yale Divinity School, examining the gap between institutional lip service and actual military acceptance at elite universities.
· 11 min read
Using the GI Bill at Yale — A Veteran’s Guide
How I used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to attend Yale Divinity School — tuition, Yellow Ribbon, housing allowance, and what veterans should know about Ivy League graduate programs.
· 22 min read
Week 2 of JASOC
An Air Force JAG officer's firsthand account of JASOC—the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course at Maxwell AFB. Covers exercises, moot courts, military justice training, and what to expect.
· 14 min read
Week 1 of the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course
Your guide to JAOBC/JASOC Week 1: the Air Force Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course. See the schedule, military justice curriculum, and what to expect.
· 12 min read
Air Force JAG Corps: Career Guide & Honest Review
A former Air Force Captain's 2026 guide to the JAG Corps: how to apply, four entry routes, pay and rank, JASOC training, four-year commitment, and whether it's worth joining.
· 22 min read
Military Crimes
In this post, I discuss military crimes as a distinct system of criminal law and the general structure of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
· 3 min read
The Military Court System
In this post, I provide an overview of the unique characteristics of the military court system, including its trial and appellate courts.
· 4 min read
Introduction to Military Justice
From the Articles of War to the UCMJ — how the military justice system evolved from the Revolutionary War to today. Written by a JAG veteran.
· 5 min read
Week 10 of the Army JAG School
In this post, I discuss my experience during the tenth week of Army JAG School, which focused primarily on legal assistance.
· 2 min read
Welcome to the JAG Corps
In this post, I discuss my graduation from JAG School and entry into the Army JAG Corps.
· 5 min read
Ultimate Football and Week 9 of JAG School
In this post, I discuss week 9 of the Army’s JAG School and my introduction to ultimate football.
· 2 min read
Administrative Law and Week 8 of JAG School
In this post, I discuss the administrative law block and week 8 of the Army’s JAG School.
· 3 min read
International Law and Week 7 of JAG School
In this post, I discuss international law and week 7 of the Army’s JAG School.
· 3 min read
Courts-Martial, Charlottesville, and Week 4 of JAG School
Week 4 of the Army JAG School wraps up the military justice block with the graded mock trial, plus a weekend exploring Charlottesville.
· 3 min read
Military Justice and Week 3 of JAG School
Week 3 of the Army JAG School digs into pre-trial and evidentiary procedure, Article 32 investigations, and the annual Blues Reception.
· 3 min read
Week 1 of the Army JAG School
First impressions from Week 1 of the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (JAOBC) at the Army JAG School in Charlottesville, Virginia.
· 4 min read
Final Thoughts Regarding the JAG Corps Direct Commission Course (DCC)
Honest reflections after finishing the Army JAG Corps Direct Commission Course at Fort Benning — what DCC is really like and how to prepare.
· 6 min read
Judge Advocate Training During Week 6 of DCC
Week 6 of the Army Direct Commission Course wraps up judge advocate training at Fort Benning with out-processing, graduation, and the drive to Charlottesville.
· 5 min read
Convoy Operations in Week 5 of DCC
Week 5 of the Army Direct Commission Course covers convoy operations, MOUT, the record APFT, the six-mile ruck march, and Combat Water Survival Training.
· 5 min read
Rifle Marksmanship and Week 4 of DCC
Week 4 of the Army Direct Commission Course is a compressed Basic Rifle Marksmanship block on the M-16 — zero, practice, and qualification.
· 5 min read
Land Navigation and Week 3 of DCC
Week 3 of the Army Direct Commission Course focuses on land navigation and the start of basic rifle marksmanship — plus an unexpected Georgia snow day.
· 8 min read
Week 2 of the Army’s Direct Commission Course (DCC)
A JAG officer’s firsthand Week 2 guide to the Army’s Direct Commission Course (DCC) at Fort Benning: land navigation, first aid, CIF gear issue, and PT.
· 5 min read
Stay Informed
Get new writing on faith, law, and service delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.