Career Paths – Christian Addison ’17L

By Peter Jetton
April 17, 2017

Christian Addison ’17L, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Military Institute.  After graduation, Christian will enter the JAG Corps for the United States Air Force. After his service in the military, he hopes to pursue his dream of becoming a sports agent throughout the National Football League.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in JAG?

I have known that I wanted to join the military since I was a child.  This interest is what led me to follow in the footsteps of my great-grandfather (’24), grandfather (’54), father (’82), and brother (’11) to attend VMI for my undergraduate degree.  Throughout my time and training at VMI, I felt that I could best serve my country by representing fellow service members in a legal capacity.

Describe the application and interview process for JAG.

There are several routes by which someone can pursue a career as a JAG.  I pursued JAG through the military’s educational delay program.  Essentially, this means that the Air Force allowed me to defer my active-duty commitment for three years in order to attain my legal degree.

The application process for JAG differs slightly between each branch.  For the Air Force, you complete a written application, followed by a scheduled interview with the Staff Judge Advocate at the nearest Air Force Base.  Your written application, along with the review from your interview, are then forwarded to a selection board.  For the Air Force, this board meets every February.

I will find out where I will be stationed once I receive a passing score on any state bar exam.  In relation to the work I will be doing, I will pursue the litigation route in the JAG Corps, which will primarily focus around military justice issues.

In what ways has your experience at W&L Law prepared you for JAG? 

I benefited most from the third-year curriculum during my time here at Washington and Lee.  The various clinics and practicums I took this past year enabled me to feel comfortable in the courtroom.  In particular, the Global Corruption Practicum has afforded me, along with a few others, the opportunity to travel to Fiji at the end of April to meet with the UN to discuss the impact that corruption has throughout the world.  The experience I will gain by dealing with other countries will serve me well in my career with the military.