UNCLASSIFIED//

ROUTINE

R 222125Z FEB 11

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO AL NAVADMIN
NAVADMIN

INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC

BT
UNCLAS
PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
NAVADMIN 061/11

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB//

REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/1500.81/13AUG10//

REF/B/DOC/JAG/1500.2/1JUL10//

REF/C/DOC/NJS/1500/14JUL10//

SUBJ/ENLISTED EDUCATION-LEGALMAN PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM//

NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1500.81, LEGALMAN PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.  REF B 
IS JAG INSTRUCTION 1500.2, LEGALMAN PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.  REF C IS 
NAVAL JUSTICE SCHOOL NOTICE 1500, LEGALMAN PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

RMKS/1.  LEGALMAN PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (LPEP) RECOGNIZES THE INCREASING 
DEMANDS FOR LEGAL SERVICES BOTH ASHORE AND AFLOAT, AND FURTHER RECOGNIZES THAT 
TO PREPARE LEGALMEN FOR SUCCESS IN THEIR CURRENT AND EMERGING MISSION, A 
STRUCTURED PARALEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IS REQUIRED TO SUPPLEMENT EXISTING 
TRAINING.  LPEP PROVIDES A CAREER CONTINUUM OF TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND 
EXPERIENCE FOR ALL LEGALMEN, WHILE MAINTAINING MISSION READINESS.

2.  PER REFS A AND B, LPEP REQUIRES ALL LEGALMEN TO OBTAIN AN ASSOCIATE'S 
DEGREE IN PARALEGAL STUDIES FROM AN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA) ACCREDITED 
INSTITUTION.  PER REF C, LEGALMEN WHO ALREADY HAVE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR 
HIGHER IN PARALEGAL STUDIES FROM AN ABA ACCREDITED INSTITUTION, OR A PARALEGAL 
CERTIFICATE, ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENT.
LPEP EDUCATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE FUNDED TO INCLUDE RESIDENT AND 
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS.

3.  LPEP REQUIREMENTS:
    A.  PER REFS A THROUGH C, LEGALMEN WILL INCUR OBLIGATED
    SERVICE (OBLISERV) VIA
REENLISTMENT IMMEDIATELY UPON ENROLLMENT IN LPEP FOR THE PROJECTED LENGTH OF 
TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE CURRICULA, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS AFTER 
COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM.  EARLY REENLISTMENTS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY
PERS-8 TO
ENTER THE PROGRAM.
    B.  MEMBERS WHO DO NOT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM
    WITHIN THE SPECIFIED
PERIOD OF TIME VIA A VALIDATED AND APPROVED EDUCATION PLAN, AND DO NOT HAVE AN 
APPROVED WAIVER, WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LEGALMAN RATING AND ARE

SUBJECT TO
SEPARATION FROM THE NAVY FOR UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE.  PERS-8 WILL MAKE THE 
FINAL DECISION REGARDING SEPARATION, RETURN TO PREVIOUS RATING, OR CONVERSION 
TO ANY UNDERMANNED RATING FOR WHICH THE MEMBER QUALIFIES.

4.  LPEP IS MANDATORY FOR ALL LEGALMAN, BOTH ACTIVE AND RESERVE; HOWEVER, IN 
ORDER TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF MISSION READINESS AND TO ENSURE ADEQUATE 
FUNDING, THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED USING A PHASED 
APPROACH.
PHASE 1 INCLUDES ALL ACTIVE DUTY LEGALMAN AND NEW ACCESSIONS.  PHASE
2 WILL
INCLUDE RESERVISTS WHILE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT NEW ACCESSIONS.

5.  EXCEPTIONS TO THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:
    A.  LEGALMEN WHO ARE WITHIN THREE YEARS OF HIGH YEAR TENURE.
    B.  LEGALMEN IN RECEIPT OF AN APPROVED RETIREMENT DATE.

6.  PERFORM TO SERVE (PTS):
    A.  LEGALMEN WHO FINISH THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT BEFORE THE
    12-MONTH PTS
WINDOW BEGINS WILL BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT AN EARLY PTS REQUEST.  COMMAND CAREER 
COUNSELORS SHOULD ENTER THE FOLLOWING IN THE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS BOX ON THE 
PTS APPLICATION:
"MEMBER HAS COMPLETED LPEP REQUIREMENT AND IS NOW REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN 
ADDITIONAL 36 MONTH OBLISERV PER OPNAVINST 1500.81."
    B.  PTS REQUESTS FOR LEGALMEN THAT ARE ENROLLED IN LPEP MUST
    BE COORDINATED
BETWEEN NAVAL JUSTICE SCHOOL (NJS) AND THE LEGALMAN ENLISTED COMMUNITY 
MANAGERS (ECM), PERS-32, TO ENSURE THE PTS IS PRE-APPROVED.
    C.  NJS WILL PROVIDE THE LEGALMAN ENLISTED CAREER MANAGER AN
    UPDATED LIST
OF LEGALMEN ENROLLED IN LPEP AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SEMESTER AND WILL TRACK 
PTS/OBLISERV STATUS IN EACH MEMBER'S FILE.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT:  LNCS (SW/AW) JACQUELYN A. WOODALL, 401-841-3800, EXT 
124, E-MAIL:  JACQUELYN.WOODALL(AT)NAVY.MIL.

8.  RELEASED BY VADM MARK FERGUSON, N1.//

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