Judge Advocate General of the Navy

Judge Advocate General of the Department of the Navy JAG
Seal of the Office of the Judge Advocate General
Incumbent Vice Admiral James W. Crawford, III, JAGC, USN since 26 June 2015
Department of the Navy Office of the Secretary
Reports to	Secretary of the Navy Chief of Naval Operations
Seat	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	Four years
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 5148
Formation	1880
First holder	Colonel William Butler Remey, USMC
Deputy	Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy
Website	Official Website

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG) is the highest-ranking uniformed lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on legal matters pertaining to the Navy. The Judge Advocate General also performs other duties prescribed to him (or her) under 10 U.S.C. § 5148 and those prescribed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy, according to the United States Navy Regulations, has three principal roles: Staff Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, commanding the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG), and is Chief of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

The Judge Advocate General maintains a close working relationship with the General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, the senior civilian lawyer in the Department of the Navy.

The Judge Advocate General:

The principal deputy to the JAG is the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy who is dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Legal Service Command (NLSC).

The Judge Advocate General is nominated for appointment by the President with the advice and/or suggestion of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. The Judge Advocate General is appointed to a four-year term of office but they historically serve for three. The Judge Advocate General has also historically been a naval officer, however, statute states that a Marine officer can be appointed to the position as long as they meet the requirements stated in the section.