Excess Leave Program (ELP) for Law School

Air Force Reserve: Retired

Benefit Fact Sheet

Summary

The Excess Leave Program (ELP) for Law School provides commissioned Airmen and Guardians and/or USAF Academy cadets the opportunity to apply to attend law school and become judge advocates. Through the ELP, officers are responsible for all application expenses, tuition, and fees, and they do not receive pay or allowances. However, service members participating in the ELP continue to accrue time for promotion and retirement purposes and remain eligible for other active duty benefits (i.e. medical). The active duty service commitment (ADSC) for the ELP is four years active duty and four years inactive reserve.

Eligibility

Retired Air Force Reserve Service members are not eligible for the Excess Leave Program.

Additional Information

Department of Air Force Instructions 51-101
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_ja/publication/dafi51-101/dafi51-101.pdf

The Judge Advocate General’s Corps
https://www.afjag.af.mil

U.S. Air Force Careers
https://www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/jag

Air Force Institute of Technology
https://www.afit.edu/CIP/page.cfm?page=1638

U.S. Air Force Academy Education and Leave Programs
https://www.usafa.edu/education-leave-programs/

Document Review Date: 09 June 2026