Duties
1. Advises the Staff Judge Advocate on all command issues on behalf of command staff, researching interpretation of federal/state statutes and regulations, and ensuring that legal guidance and support is furnished in a timely manner. Advises Wing leadership on options, which are legally permissible, or desirable, after consultation with the SJA. Prepares, researches, and drafts written legal opinions after SJA review with regard to applicable laws, regulations, instructions, directives, and policies in the area of Administrative Law including, but not limited to: Reports of Survey; Line of Duty Determinations; formal and informal investigations and commander inquiries; legal sufficiency reviews; Inspector General and Equal Employment Opportunity investigations; fiscal law; unfavorable personnel actions; standards of conduct; family advocacy; and public relations. Supports and assist with CDI investigations, reports and briefings. Conducts classes and training for commanders and unit members. Represents the SJA and Wing Commander on legal committees, working groups, and inter-disciplinary teams as well as legal conferences and meetings.
2. Provides legal assistance on a non-interference basis to members of the ANG and their dependents as authorized by AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance. As resources and expertise permit, legal assistance may also be provided to Active Component members, or other Reserve Component members, and retirees of any military service. In line with professional responsibility standards, legal assistance with respect to the following legal matters may be provided to eligible beneficiaries with the supervision of the SJA, or draft opinions/documents for the SJA to execute thereof: wills, powers of attorney, living wills and health care directives, notary services, dependent care plans, casualty affairs (death incident to the performance of military duty), employment problems arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) or a similar state statute, land-lord tenant problems specifically related to performance of military duty, tax problems specifically related to performance of military duty, matters arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), or a similar state statute, providing Special Victim's Counsel (SVC) services, or area defense counsel services, when necessary. Provides deployment legal assistance to ensure personal legal readiness of military members; participates in deployment readiness exercises, mobility lines, and Yellow Ribbon events. Facilitates and coordinates OCI Investigations. Prepares preventative law articles and products for publication and distribution and delivers preventative law briefings. Maintains currency in applicable law and completes education and training requirements, as detailed in AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance.
3. Conducts legal research of federal and state/territory code, regulations, policies, procedures, case law, legal and administrative decisions and opinions, and summarizes findings to aid the SJA in case or project resolution. Research is performed on a variety of legal subjects including, but not limited to: federal and state/territory code, legislative proposals or intent, military justice and status issues for T10 and T32 members, claims, labor relations, equal opportunity, administrative actions, contractual agreements, ethics, environmental concerns, law enforcement, bankruptcy, taxation, legal assistance, and a wide variety of miscellaneous legal issues. Provides extensive litigation support to Wing Staff Judge Advocates for cases held before the FLRA, EEOC, and MSPB. Interviews clients and potential witnesses, collects and organizes pertinent factual and research material to build case files, and prepares and organizes exhibits. Composes, prepares, and ensures accuracy of various legal or legislative documents. Drafts and edits non-legal memoranda, research reports and correspondence relating to cases. Maintains case files and identifies and corrects file deficiencies and discrepancies.
DUTIES CONTINUED UNDER EDUCATION
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. If you are not sure you are eligible for military membership, please contact a National Guard recruiter prior to applying for this position.
Compatible military grade and assignment required prior to the effective date of placement. This is an excepted service position that requires membership in a compatible military assignment in the employing state's National Guard. Applicants who are not currently a member of the National Guard must be eligible for immediate membership in the military grade listed below. Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
Military Grades: Enlisted
- Minimum Military Grade: NLT E-6/TSgt
- Maximum Military Grade: NTE E-8/SMSgt
Compatible Military Assignments: Selectee must be a member of the Arkansas Air National Guard.
IMPORTANT NOTES (AS APPLICABLE): Upon selection for this position, individual must possess or initiate a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) background investigation. A favorable determination based upon investigative results is mandatory for this position. Failure to meet these requirements will result in termination of employment. A pre-placement physical is required if not already current. Upon selection, must complete mandatory Full-Time Support (FTS) Training at the Professional Education Center (PEC) within six months of assignment (if applicable, training will be coordinated by the supervisor). Individual must meet all military requirements of the position without creating a grade inversion, as determined by the Human Resources Office (HRO). Technicians will not be militarily senior to their full-time supervisor or wage leader (Grade Inversion). Enlisted members currently at a higher grade than allowed by the position (see Military Grade Requirement above) may apply; however, they must administratively reduce prior to appointment and provide confirmation of the reduction to HRO.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ARE LISTED UNDER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Qualifications
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Experience, education or training that demonstrates the ability to analyze the legal impact of legislative developments and administrate and judicial decisions, opinions, rulings and determinations on agency programs; conduct research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the agency. Practical knowledge and use of basic legal principles and concepts to interpret and apply or explain to others the application of a body of law, regulations, precedents, and practices covering one or more recurring types of legal actions encountered in an agency.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
1-year specialized experience, education, or training equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the formal and informal rules of evidence and skill necessary to evaluate the adequacy and/or admissibility of evidence, to request additional data or further investigation, when needed, or to develop narrative or graphic exhibits to support specified legal arguments and coordinate actions with other federal agencies or state and local jurisdictions that have closely related responsibilities.
Education
DUTIES CONTINUED:
4. Provides research, analysis, guidance, and support to administer courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, administrative boards and other legal actions and administrative processes. Reviews procedures, timing criteria and documents relative to the administration of justice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and associated state/territory code. Performs research to identify factual and legal issues to uncover relevant information for summaries of precedent cases, interviews, testimony, depositions, and related case material for use by the attorneys. Performs research and preparation of notes and memoranda regarding allegations and possible charges, maintains logs and files, and files motions. Prepares and files charge sheets, disposition sheets, and other records. Maintains transcript files and exhibits. Provides assistance to serviced units concerning the administrative preparation, coordination, and implementation of documents regarding military justice.
5. Serves as the primary point of contact for ethical determinations. Screens requests for ethics opinions and gathers the applicable facts. Analyzes the specifics of each situation. Conducts legal research and applies cumulative knowledge to the factual element and recommends a course of action or refers that recommendation to the SJA. Assists the Staff Judge Advocate with implementation of the joint ethics regulatory annual reporting requirements. Manages the Preventative Law Program. Facilitates legal training for unit readiness non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and Force Support Squadron (FSS) personnel, or others by request, on a variety of topics including, but not limited to: the military justice system (both Federal and state/territory), inquiries and investigations, unlawful command influence, adverse administrative actions, administrative separations, the Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968, urinalysis testing, and other issues affecting traditional guard members and NG full-time employees.
6. Reviews changes in regulations on the Freedom of Information Act and updates and advises other legal personnel and field staff of changes. Consults and assists in formulation of NGB regulations regarding the release of information. Reviews Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Analyzes specific criteria and conducts required research for the information requested and coordinates with organization's functional managers for release of appropriate information. Provides summaries and rationale to the FOIA Officer to determine appropriate action for non-releasable information. Ensures necessary documents are prepared for release and assesses fees. Maintains statistics for annual reporting requirements and tracks collections for FOIA fees. Serves as the primary point of contact for claims. Accepts complaints, summons, documents, or inquiries; identifies the type or purpose; screens for completeness; and identifies the action to be performed. As required by the action, performs preliminary investigation and gathers pertinent information, researches legal and factual issues, interviews claimant, involved parties and potential witnesses and builds case files, and recommends disposition of claim.
7. Performs other duties as assigned.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.