The DCC Survival Guide: Succeeding at the Army's Direct Commission Course

The DCC Survival Guide

Succeeding at the Army’s Direct Commission Course

Garrett Ham

Becoming an Army JAG Officer: Book 1

Copyright © 2014 Garrett Ham

All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s own and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Army, the National Guard Bureau, the Arkansas National Guard, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government.

DEDICATION

To my wife, who played single mother to two small children during my absence.

PREFACE

The mystique surrounding the JAG Corps has permeated popular culture for years. Media depictions of the military attorney—from the dramatic courtroom maneuvers of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men to the campy depictions of military justice in the television show JAG—have further compounded the public fascination with military law and order. The large number of applications that the Army receives every year from aspiring judge advocates further evidences the high level of interest this career field garners.

Upon becoming a JAG officer in March 2013, I found that, while I was able to find an abundance of material about the JAG Corps itself, I could find very little about the initial training process every new judge advocate must undergo. The Army’s complete reformatting of the training program in 2013 made it nearly impossible to find accurate, up-to-date information. With my report date for the Direct Commission Course quickly approaching, I found myself wanting for information to help me prepare for the experience that lay before me. So, disappointed by the scarcity of material available, I decided to keep a weekly journal of my experiences to share with future JAG officers. If you have purchased this book, I suspect you fit this description, and I therefore hope that my work will help you begin training better prepared than I was.

This short volume is intended to serve as a quick reference guide for both those preparing for and those already undergoing Army JAG training. I am currently working on a more expansive volume that provides much greater detail about my experience and a more expanded exposition of my thoughts and advice regarding the process. (If you would like to be notified when I release future books, you can subscribe to my mailing list here.) This shorter volume, however, is meant to serve those who need a quick reference to understand their training obligations. Consequently, I have divided this book into brief week-by-week chapters, which are further segregated into a description of my experiences and my tips to remember as you undergo your own training.

Be aware that the Army is always tinkering with its training processes, so it is likely that your experience will differ somewhat from my own.

About Me

I currently serve as a JAG officer in the National Guard, meaning that I serve part-time—one weekend per month, two weeks per year. This book, however, is meant to provide guidance to every Army JAG officer, whether active duty, Reserve, or National Guard. Since all JAG officers attend the same initial training and must meet the same standards, there is no need to draw distinctions between the different components in this volume.