Army Paralegal Specialists (MOS 27D) are required to assist judges, Judge Advocates, and unit commanders in a wide variety of legal areas and expertise.
These specialists provide legal and administrative support and are required to be knowledgeable about a wide range of topics.
This position requires accuracy and clerical proficiency.
Education, Qualifications, Training, and Duty Stations
This is an entry-level position that requires a Secret clearance.
To enter into this position, recruits must obtain a score of 105 on the Clerical (CL) portion of the ASVAB test.
They must also demonstrate the ability to type a minimum of 25 words per minute.
After passing all physical, medical, security, and entry testing requirements, recruits will attend Basic Military Training for 10 weeks at one of four Army posts in the U.S.
Upon successful completion of Basic Military Training, Paralegal Specialists will attend 10 weeks and 3 days of Advanced Individual Training (AIT).
This training will be completed with on-the-job instruction at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia.
During training, recruits will learn the skills necessary to provide legal support to the many judicial members they will be working with.
Helpful skills in a Paralegal Specialist position include:
- Ability to monitor and review actions for accuracy
- Supervision duties for those in command
- Ability to provide technical guidance to subordinates
- Maintain law/administrative library
Related Article –12 Best Military Jobs by Branch
Duty Stations
Those serving in the Army in MOS 27D can expect to be potentially based at one of the following duty stations:
Inside the Continental US (CONUS)
- Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
- Eglin AFB, FL
- Fort Belvoir, VA
- Fort Bliss, TX
- Fort Campbell, KY
- Fort Carson, CO
- Fort Cavazos, TX
- Fort Detrick, MD
- Fort Drum, NY
- Fort Eustis, VA
- Fort Gregg-Adams, VA
- Fort Huachuca, AZ
- Fort Hunter Liggett, CA
- Fort Irwin, CA
- Fort Johnson, LA
- Fort Knox, KY
- Fort Leavenworth, KS
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO
- Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
- Fort Liberty, NC
- Fort Meade, MD
- Fort Moore, GA
- Fort Novosel, AL
- Fort Riley, KS
- Fort Sill, OK
- Fort Stewart, GA
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
- Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, VA
- Joint Base San Antonio, TX
- Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, VA
- Naval Support Activity Bethesda, MD
- The Presidio of Monterey, CA
Outside the Continental US (OCONUS)
- Camp Zama, Japan
- Fort Greely, AK
- Fort Wainwright, AK
- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
- Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, HI
- Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany
- Osan AB, South Korea
- Ramstein AB, Germany
- Sembach Kaserne, Germany
- USAG Ansbach, Germany
- USAG Bavaria, Germany
- USAG Daegu, South Korea
- USAG Hawaii
- USAG Humphreys, South Korea
- USAG Italy
- USAG Japan
- USAG Okinawa
- USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
- USAG Stuttgart, Germany
- USAG Wiesbaden
- USAG Yongsan-Casey, South Korea
See a complete list of Army jobs here.
What Does a Paralegal Specialist (27D) Do?
A Paralegal Specialist is required to know information in a wide variety of fields and provide administrative support.
This position is more complex, and so requires more training and more knowledge than a typical clerical position.
A MOS 27D specialist provides support in criminal law, civil/administrative law, fiscal law, contract law, and international law.
Paralegal Specialists are required to know legal terminology and research techniques.
If the specialist is unfamiliar with a topic, they should know how to quickly and efficiently research the topic and provide advice that can be legally binding for the client or professional.
Specialists in this MOS will be required to prepare and review legal documents.
They will also need to learn and become familiar with the Army’s judicial process.
There may be times when the paralegal will be required to interview witnesses and create appropriate documentation/statement information from the interview.
Paralegals support unit commanders and the Office of Judge Advocate.
They often carry a heavy workload and can be working on supplying information to multiple agencies or personnel at one time.
Some of the documents that they provide with be used in a courts martial, Article 15 actions, and other justice matters.
Administrative law matters that paralegals can be involved with include:
- Line of duty determinations
- AR 15-6 investigations
- Separation board proceedings
- Powers of attorney
- Wills
- Separation decrees
They will participate in pre-trial investigations and proceedings.
Related Article – Army Information Technology Specialist (MOS 25B): Career Details
The specialist can be a prosecuting attorney’s assistant, they can set up a courtroom for a trial, notify witnesses of pending cases, work for a defense counsel, and review charges and trial documents.
Some specialists are assigned to brigade operational law teams or to a division headquarter.
Individuals will work towards earning a National Paralegal Certificate.
This position is mostly in an office environment, and while the hours can be long, they are more dependable than other Army positions.
Recruits in this MOS are still required to deploy and may be required to support legal functions in a deployment scenario.
They may be stationed in areas all around the U.S. when not deployed.
The Army recruiting video below gives an inside look into what training and job duties as a Paralegal Specialist in the Army is like.
What Does a Paralegal Specialist Get Paid?
All personnel in the Army receive a base pay that factors in such rank and time of service.
As a fresh recruit, you can generally expect to be paid around $23,000 a year.
This income can be slightly lower during the first four months and does not factor in the Army’s benefits.
The base pay table below includes the pay scale for each rank.
| Insignia | Pay Grade | Rank | Abbreviation | Minimum Monthly Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 +4 months | Private | PVT | $1,917.60 | |
 | E-2 | Private Second Class | PV2 | $2,149.20 |
 | E-3 | Private First Class | PFC | $2,259.90 |
 | E-4 | Specialist | SPC | $2,503.50 |
 | E-4 | Corporal | CPL | $2,503.50 |
 | E-5 | Sergeant | SGT | $2,730.30 |
 | E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSG | $2,980.50 |
 | E-7 | Sergeant First Class | SFC | $3,445.80 |
 | E-8 | Master Sergeant | MSG | $4,957.20 |
 | E-8 | First Sergeant | 1SG | $4,957.20 |
 | E-9 | Sergeant Major | SGM | $6,055.50 |
 | E-9 | Command Sergeant Major | CSM | $6,055.50 |
 | E-9 | Sergeant Major of the Army | SMA | $6,055.50 |
Benefits
The Army offers many benefits that add to the base salary explained above.
Not only does the Army cover housing expenses, but they also provide food and uniform allowances.
Insurance that includes free to low-cost medical and dental are also provided.
Army recruits receive paid sick time, 30 days of paid vacation per year, and low-cost life insurance.
The Army will provide tuition assistance opportunities that generally allow soldiers to advance their education for little to no cost.
There are bonus and compensation opportunities that vary based on certain recruiting and service situations.
Related Article – Army Ranks and Pay
Job Reviews
Working as a paralegal can be very demanding.
The position requires you to be responsive to requests and set priorities for your work.
Soldiers who have held the Paralegal Specialist position state that they enjoyed the work being performed.
They also note that the skills learned are applicable outside of the Army.
There are many reviews that discuss the high level of influence a supervisor can have on your work, meaning the people above you can request that the same task be completed in different ways.
This is not something that is specific to Army life, but it can have an impact on job satisfaction.
The review below discusses the development opportunities as being positive and family separation as a negative.
This review gives a great look at all of the job functions that Paralegals are required to perform on any given day.
Overall, previous Paralegal Specialists tend to be satisfied in the position and recommend it to others.
Related Article: 15 Best States For Military Retirees And Veterans
Civilian Career Opportunities
Working in the MOS 27D position prepares individuals for similar legal work as a civilian.
Opportunities in areas such as paralegal, court clerk, court reporter, judge assistant, legal secretary, and legal assistant directly relate to the job functions of an Army Paralegal Specialist.
While in this position, the Army will help provide the training and funding to receive the CORE Registered Paralegal (CRP) from the National Federation of Paralegals Association.
Not only will this help advance your career in the military, but it can also be used to gain a paralegal position as a civilian and may help with wage negotiations.
Paralegal positions can vary in wage depending on where you work.
Most positions will be similar to an Army paralegal salary, depending on the rank.
This position is available for the PAYS program, which is a recruiting program that guarantees a job interview with military-friendly employers.
Summary
Army Paralegal Specialists (MOS 27D) are responsible for providing legal and administrative duties in a variety of subject areas.
They are required to be knowledgeable and support key legal proceedings in the military.
This is an entry-level position that requires a Secret security clearance, in addition to both Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training.
This MOS follows the Army base pay, and recruits are offered Army benefits.
Previous soldiers in this MOS like the work that they perform and would recommend the position.
This career choice directly relates to legal administrative and paralegal positions as a civilian.
Related Article – Air Force Paralegals: Career Details
References
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
- Replacing Dog Tags: 6 Things You Need to Know - June 28, 2024
- Navy OAR Test Study Guide - June 24, 2024
- 10 Best Sniper Movies of all Time - June 20, 2024
General FAQ
Do Paralegals in the Army get deployed?
All Army personnel are subject to deployment, and Army paralegals may serve in the U.S. or overseas. Generally, they’re assigned to battalion level units. However, if you are attached to a combat unit, you will likely deploy with that unit.
How long is AIT for Army paralegals?
After 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training (BCT), you’ll receive 10 weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia.
How much does a Paralegal Specialist make in the Army?
Army paralegals (MOS 27D) make the same pay as other soldiers with the same rank and time in service. Currently, a new recruit can expect to make a monthly base salary of $1,733 per month.
What ASVAB score do you need to be a paralegal?
To qualify as an Army Paralegal, you’ll need to score a minimum of 105 on the Clerical portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
Are Army paralegals as qualified as civilians in the same career?
The Army provides training and funding for Army paralegals to become certified as CORE Registered Paralegals (CRP) from the National Federation of Paralegals Association.
