Photo By Sgt. Dalton Payne | U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School Applicant Thomas Carlon, patent attorney,...... read more read more
CHICAGO, Ill. – The desire and drive to earn the title of Marine can be found across the Nation, from coast to coast, city to city. Over the last couple of years Marine Corps Recruiting Command has put a strong emphasis on finding well qualified and motivated individuals to become not only Marine Corps Officers, but Judge Advocates.
“The first step in the process of becoming a Marine Corps Judge Advocate is to pass Officer Candidates School, the ultimate test of physical fitness, academics and leadership,” said Capt. Jonathan Watkins, Marine Corps Recruiting Station Chicago, Officer Selection Officer. “Only after completing the rigorous training required of all Marine Officers do attorneys continue their law education at Naval Justice School.”
Marine Corps Judge Advocates as we know them today began in the ‘60s. They were used for military justice prosecution, defense, judging and review of court-martial. Over time as the Marine Corps has been shaped into a more physically, morally, and mentally fit, force as we know today, the job of a Judge Advocate has adapted. Today there is a need for Judge Advocates at all levels of command, to serve in various fields in both national and international law. Those field include criminal litigation, institutional compliance, government ethics, administrative law, and operational law.
As a Judge Advocate you are a Marine Corps Officer first, an attorney second. For one practicing attorney in Chicago, that’s always been an idea in his head. Thomas Carlon, an Illinois native and Syracuse University College of Law graduate, is on his way to seeing that idea fulfilled. Carlon has spent the last seven years as a practicing patent attorney, but recently, wanted to do more.
“Mr. Carlon brings years of experience as an attorney,” said Watkins. “Most importantly he has the courage, integrity and the grit that it takes to lead Marines in an ever-changing environment”
“I think a big takeaway in already being a practicing attorney is being disciplined and self-aware,” said Thomas Carlon, practicing attorney and Judge Advocate applicant. “Moving that into the ethos and core values of the Marine Corps, you have to be able to have integrity with yourself and be able to commit yourself not just to your responsibility as an officer but in overseeing the Marines in your charge”
Judge Advocates are Marine Corps Officers first and attorneys second. Being able to navigate that mentality is the first step for every Judge Advocate. Judge Advocates can serve, not only roles in the legal field, but also as Executive Officers, Operations Officers, and even Commanding Officers. They can Marines in a much larger scale.
“Outside of the honor and privilege of becoming a Marine Corps Officer, I hope to gain that sense of community, the brotherhood and sisterhood within the Marine Corps,” said Carlon. “Being able to lead Marines that are in my charge and making sure they have all the tools that they need to be successful as well.”
Marines that serve as Judge Advocates uphold the law, codes and core values of the Marine Corps. Those values being: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These highly trained professionals work in roles where they represent both individual Marines and the Corps as a whole to fight and win battles at every court level in the nation and in some cases, internationally.
Editor’s Note: If you’re interested in learning more about the Judge Advocate Program visit https://rmi.marines.com/request-information and fill out the form to be connected to the Officer Selection Officer near you; or visit your nears Officer Selection Station or Recruiting Substation.
| Date Taken: | 01.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2025 13:24 |
| Story ID: | 489214 |
| Location: | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, RS Chicago: Civilian Attorney to Marine Corps Officer and Judge Advocate, by Sgt Dalton Payne, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
