Qualified civilians, enlisted personnel, and Reserve officers may apply for direct appointment for duty as an Air Force judge advocate. Attorneys and students who have completed their second year of law school or have completed two-thirds of their degree requirements may apply. Applicants must be citizens of the United States and commissioned by the age of 40. Selection is contingent upon graduation from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to practice law in the highest court of any state, territory of the United States, or a federal court.

Selection boards for DAP are held in April, August, and November. Applications are due by the 10th of the month prior to the month of the board they wish to meet. For all our accession programs, applicants must schedule an appointment for a hiring interview with the Staff Judge Advocate at any active Air Force base. Applicants must schedule their interview appointment as early as possible. Applicants should endeavor to have their interview scheduled (i.e., be on the Staff Judge Advocate's calendar) by the 20th of the month prior to the month of the board that they wish to meet; the Staff Judge Advocate's report is due by the 1st of the month that the board meets, so the interview should actually occur at least a few days before the 1st of the month.

ROTC cadets in the last year of undergraduate studies who will be commissioned through Air Force ROTC may apply to delay their entry on extended active duty to study law. Applicants in this program are NOT guaranteed positions as Air Force Judge Advocates and must compete for selection both for entry into the program (Ed Delay-In) and for entry into The Judge Advocate General's Corps at the end of the program (Ed Delay-Out). Students must attend an ABA-accredited law school and maintain good academic standing.

• Educational Delay Programs - ROTC cadets in the last year of undergraduate studies who will be commissioned through Air Force ROTC may apply to delay their entry on extended active duty to study law. Applicants in this program are NOT guaranteed positions as Air Force Judge Advocates and must compete for selection both for entry into the program (Ed Delay-In) and for entry into The Judge Advocate General's Corps at the end of the program (Ed Delay-Out). Students must attend an ABA-accredited law school and maintain good academic standing.
• Graduate Law Program (GLP) - Law students in their first year of law school may apply for this two-year ROTC commissioning program. Applicants must be attending an ABA-accredited law school that has, or is located near a ROTC detachment; be in good academic standing; and meet ROTC entry standards. Selectees attend an ROTC field training encampment at an Air Force base during the summer before either their second or third year of law school.
  
• One-Year College Program (OYCP) - Law students in their second year of law school may apply to enter the ROTC commissioning program. Applicants must be attending an ABA-accredited law school, which has or is located near a ROTC detachment; be in good academic standing; and meet ROTC entry standards. Selectees attend an ROTC field training encampment at an Air Force base during the summer before their third year of law school.

The ROTC board is held once a year in February. For all our accession programs, applicants must schedule an appointment for a hiring interview with the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) at any active duty Air Force base. Applicants must schedule their interview appointment as early as possible, but before the 20th of the month prior to the month of the board that they wish to meet.

The Judge Advocate General's Corp selects a limited number of active duty officers each year to attend law school.

• FLEP - Active duty officers in the pay grade of captain or below with more than two years but less than six years of total active military service may apply to attend an ABA-accredited law school at Air Force expense. Officers participating in this program receive their tuition from the Air Force while continuing to serve on active duty, thus also receiving full pay, allowances, and other benefits while attending law school. The FLEP tuition limits are set by the Air Force Institute of Technology on an annual basis and vary from year to year based on available funding.
• ELP - Active duty officers in the pay grade of captain or below with more than two years but less than 10 years of total active military service may apply to attend an ABA-accredited law school. Applicants must have less than three years in the grade of captain as of the first day of classes. Officers in the ELP do not receive pay and allowances and must personally fund their law school education. However, ELP participants continue to accrue time for promotion and retirement purposes and remain eligible for other active duty benefits such as Base Exchange, commissary, and medical services.

The FLEP/ELP board is held annually in February. For all our accession programs, applicants must schedule an appointment for a hiring interview with the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) at any active duty Air Force base. Applicants must schedule their interview appointment as early as possible, but before the 20th of the month prior to the month of the board that they wish to meet.

In addition to the full-time active duty positions described above, the Air Force JAG Corps offers a part-time program for licensed attorneys, in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard (over 900 ARC attorneys). Together, these programs are called the Air Reserve Component, or "ARC." Licensed attorneys, even those with no prior military experience, may apply for a judge advocate appointment in the ARC. However, these judge advocate positions, however, are intended for attorneys who have amassed significant practical experience as licensed attorneys. Applicants must be graduates of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be active members of the bar of the highest court of any state or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia. United States citizenship is required. Applicants who have not previously served as commissioned officers must be commissioned by the age of 40. Selection for ARC judge advocate positions is also conditioned on meeting medical and other qualification criteria for appointment in the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard. Applications for ARC judge advocate positions are accepted on a rolling basis.

There are no application deadlines or selection boards. Upon receipt of an application, HQ USAF/JAR will contact the applicant to arrange for an interview with an active duty SJA.