Safeguarding the role of America’s military lawyers

Why the JAG Corps is essential to U.S. national security and what Congress can do to strengthen and protect this vital institution
JAGs meeting around a table in a conference room.

Across every service branch, teams of lawyers have long served as the military’s legal and ethical backbone. Collectively, the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps helps maintain force discipline, preserve public trust in the military, and safeguard our warfighters’ sacred honor. 

Because of recent actions by civilian leadership, the JAG Corps faces serious challenges that raise questions about its ability to provide independent, effective legal advice. The unjustified firings of top JAG officers and detailing of JAGs outside the military to prosecute civilians and serve as immigration law judges harm military readiness and civil-military relations. These challenges come amidst the broader context of domestic military deployments; the firing, resignations, and blocked promotions of senior military leaders; unauthorized U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, Eastern Pacific, Venezuela, and Iran; and the use of military bases for partisan events.

Congressional reform is necessary

Given these serious challenges and the imperative for military commanders to receive frank, unbiased counsel, Congress must act to restore JAG Corps independence and protect the readiness, integrity, and honor of the U.S. military. The reforms Congress should pursue include protecting the JAG Corps from political interference, ensuring readiness by focusing on core military legal issues, and safeguarding the integrity of our nonpartisan military.

To learn more about the history and purpose of the JAG Corps, read the full white paper — Safeguarding the Role of America’s Military Lawyers.