United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps | |
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Active | 29 July 1775 – 1 June 1802 2 March 1849 – present[1] |
Country | United States of America |
Branch | United States Army |
Role | Military law |
Motto(s) | "Soldier first, lawyer always" |
Colors | Dark Blue and White |
Engagements | Revolutionary War American Civil War Spanish–American War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Website | Official Website |
Commanders | |
TJAG | LTG Joseph B. Berger III |
DJAG | MG Robert A. Borcherding |
Notable commanders | LTC William Tudor BG Joseph Holt MG Enoch H. Crowder MG Blanton C. Winship MG Kenneth J. Hodson MG John L. Fugh LTG Scott C. Black LTG Charles N. Pede |
Insignia | |
Branch Insignia |
The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army, also known as the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is the legal arm of the United States Army. It is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers ("judge advocates"), who provide legal services to the Army at all levels of command, and also includes legal administrator warrant officers, paralegal noncommissioned officers and junior enlisted personnel, and civilian employees.
The Judge Advocate General of the United States Army (TJAG)—the commanding general of the Army JAG Corps—is a lieutenant general. All military officers are appointed by the U.S. president subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, but the Judge Advocate General is one of the few positions in the Army explicitly provided for by law in Title 10 of the United States Code, and requiring a distinct appointment. When officers who have already been appointed to another branch of the Army join the JAG Corps, rather than merely transferring branches, they are administratively dismissed and simultaneously recommissioned anew as judge advocates.