Protecting the U.S. Constitution Published Sept. 18, 2009 By Lt. Col. Vincent Buquicchio 30th Space Wing Judge Advocate VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- "The Constitution ... must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties." - Abraham Lincoln On Sept. 17, the U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia's Independence Hall. In honor of this historic event, Congress requested in 1956 that each year the President of the United States declare the week of Sept. 17-23, as Constitution Week. In this simple way, we try to keep in the forefront of our minds, the enduring legacy our Founding Fathers established so many years ago, one that has withstood the test of time, and stands as a beacon of hope around the world and the example to be emulated when other nations put their ideals and the rule of law to the written word. As warriors, we who wear the uniform of any of the US Armed Forces swear to uphold and defend our Constitution and, in fact, dedicate ourselves to that aim in very real and tangible ways. As attorneys, Judge Advocates have added perspective regarding that promise, and special training to insure that the Constitution and its Bill of Rights are followed, always and absolutely, regardless of whether the results in any given circumstances meet with our personal approval. The Air Force recruits its new Judge Advocates in several ways. Two of those ways are available to currently-serving Air Force officers, through the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program, applications for which are being accepted from Jan. 1 - March 1. Interested and eligible Team Vandenberg officers are encouraged to compete! Our Air Force missions are constantly changing, and commanders deserve to have access to legal advisors with a broad background of military experiences--the FLEP and ELP will ensure that we can continue to maintain a corps of officers, whose military experience complements their legal training, providing commanders with the highest caliber of legal support. Every facet of every Air Force mission is bound by elements of the law, and by our ever-enduring adherence to the living principles embodied by our Constitution--nobody has a more direct, significant impact in assuring the Air Force's furthering of these principles than the men and women of the Air Force JAG Corps! Air Force JAGs do more than just provide legal assistance. In addition to prosecuting and defending clients brought before courts-martial, JAG officers routinely participate in nearly every facet of the Air Force mission, including developing and acquiring weapons systems, ensuring availability of airspace and ranges where those systems are tested and operated, consulting with commanders about how those systems are employed in armed conflict, and assisting commanders in the day-to-day running of military installations around the world. The FLEP is a paid legal studies program for active-duty Air Force commissioned officers. The FLEP is an assignment action, and participants receive full pay, allowances, and tuition. FLEP applicants must have between two and six years 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. The FLEP is subject to tuition limitations, and positions may be limited due to overall funding availability. The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) establishes the tuition limit, and the Academic Year 2010 is set at approximately $16,000 per year. This amount may change year to year. The ELP is an unpaid legal studies program for Air Force officers. ELP participants do not receive pay and allowances, but remain on active duty for retirement eligibility and benefits purposes. ELP applicants must have between two and ten years active duty service and must be in the pay grade O-3 or below as of the first day of law school. Applications for FY10 FLEP and ELP will be accepted from Jan. 1 - March 30. 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. Officers must also provide a letter of conditional release from their current career field. Selection for both programs is competitive. Applications meet a selection board in early March, and selections are made based on a review of the application package using a "whole person" concept. AFI 51-101, Judge Advocate Accession Program, Chapters 2 and 3, discuss the FLEP and ELP. For more information and application materials, visit http://www.airforce.com/jag, or contact us at the 30th Space Wing Legal Office, at 605-6207.