ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
Today's Airmen have plenty of opportunities for training. One of these opportunities is to become an Air Force paralegal.
Air Force paralegals assist attorneys in providing superior legal counsel to commanders, first sergeants and other key personnel on a broad spectrum of legal and quasi-legal matters.
Paralegals, under the supervision of attorneys, also provide assistance to eligible clients. Paralegals support all work products created in a legal office including documents relating to claims, military justice, civil law, legal assistance, contracts, environmental, international and operations law. Most paralegals start out working in base-level legal offices.
As paralegals gain experience and attend advanced training, their opportunities increase to include managing criminal defense offices, judicial circuit offices, and medical law consultant offices. Experienced paralegals progress to work in support or leadership positions at higher headquarters, including numbered Air Force and major command law offices. Others may find teaching the next generation of paralegals rewarding and take on positions at the Air Force Judge Advocate General School.
Up until just a few years ago the only way for Airmen to become paralegals was through the Air Force retraining program.
The paralegal career field recently opened its doors to non-prior service students, and although the non-prior service students have been quite successful at completing the 6-week long Paralegal Apprentice Course, the bulk of its students are still sought through retraining.
Whether a non-prior service student, or a talented career Airman selected for retraining, prospective paralegals can expect an interesting, yet very rewarding position that will continue to challenge them throughout their careers.
For additional information on the paralegal career field, or a tour of the Andrews AFB Legal office, please contact Senior Master Sgt. James Howard, Law Office superintendent at (301) 981-9275.