Uniform Justice? Examining the Role of the Judge Advocate General\u27s Corps and the Military Justice System

While many citizens of the U.S. have a basic understanding of the civilian justice system, those not in the armed forces have a less apparent understanding of the military justice system. However, the military is a distinct social institution that has a direct impact in society from an individual, national, and global level. The objective of this thesis is to demonstrate and explain why it is both necessary and important that the military have a separate system of justice. I analyze and discuss the role of the Judge Advocate General\u27s Corps and the military justice system through quantitative interviews with two current judge advocates and an examination of the U.S. Air Force trial docket. My results and findings suggest that the distinct nature of the military and its functions require an equally distinct system of justice and legal profession