a. Major duties.
Paralegal specialists administer and supervise the provision of legal services to unit commanders and staff and assist judge advocates/attorneys in providing professional legal services in diverse legal disciplines, including: organizational legal services (military justice, legal assistance, claims, administrative law, international law, operational law, and contract law); defense legal services; and judicial legal services.
Duties for MOS 27D at each level of skill are:
(1) MOSC 27D1O.
Provides preliminary legal and administrative support to unit commanders and staff and coordinates legal actions with supervising legal office.
Prepares and processes legal documents in support of courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, and other military justice matters; line of duty determinations, separation board proceedings, and other administrative law matters; legal assistance services; claims processing and investigations.
(2) MOSC 27D2O.
Supervises the operation of a section in a command or installation legal office.
Provides technical guidance to subordinates.
Maintains law/administrative library and section files and records.
Monitors and reviews actions to ensure accuracy and timely dispatch or disposition.
(3) MOSC 27D3O.
Supervises the operation of a command legal office.
Trains and provides guidance to subordinates on complex legal administrative issues.
Coordinates with units concerning taskings and training of paralegal specialist and noncommissioned officers.
Conducts extensive legal research.
Adjudicates personal property claims.
(4) MOSC 27D4O.
Supervises the operation of an installation legal office or section of a major command legal office.
Plans, task-organizes, and provides logistical support to subsections.
Coordinates the requisition and assignment of installation paralegal specialists/NCOs.
Develops and implements installation training of paralegal specialists/NCOs.
(5) MOSC 27D5O.
Supervises the operation of a major command legal office.
Provides technical and professional guidance to and coordinates the requisition and assignment of all command-wide paralegal specialists/NCOs.
Advises the senior judge advocate on all matters affecting legal specialists/NCOs.
Inspects command legal support activities and recommends actions to correct deficiencies and improve legal support operations.
In formations with a 27D60, the 27D50 manages the military justice operations of a Staff Judge Advocate Office in Division, Corps and ASCC formations.
(6) MOSC 27D6O.
Supervises the operation of a Division, Corps, or ASCC legal office.
Provides technical and professional guidance to and coordinates the requisition and assignment of all command-wide paralegal specialists/NCOs.
Advises the senior judge advocate on all matters affecting paralegal specialists/NCOs.
Inspects command legal support activities and recommends actions to correct deficiencies and improve legal support operations.
b. Physical demands rating and qualification for award of MOS.
(Qualifications in subparagraphs 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 below are required for award or retention of MOS).
Paralegal specialists must possess the following qualifications:
(1) A physical demands rating of light.
(2) A physical profile of 222121.
(3) Qualifying scores.
(a)
A minimum score of 110 in aptitude area CL in Armed Services Vocational aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests administered prior to 2 January 2002.
(b)
A minimum score of 107 in aptitude area CL on ASVAB tests administered on and after 2 January 2002 and prior to 1 July 2004.
(c)
A minimum score of 105 in aptitude area CL on ASVAB tests administered on and after 1 July 2004.
(4) Successful display of typing a minimum of 25 words per minute (WPM) or with a typing test administered with industry-standard computer software (e.g. Mavis Beacon).
(5) Must have, at a minimum, a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
(6) A security eligibility of SECRET is required for the initial award and to maintain the MOS.
(a)
Requirements for a SECRET eligibility is effective 1 June 2005 for all new accessions into MOS 27D.
(b)
Requirement for a SECRET eligibility is effective 1 October 2008 for all Soldiers holding MOS 27D who entered service prior to 1 June 2005.
(7) The Soldier must be a U.S. citizen.
(a)
Requirements to be a U.S. citizen is effective 1 June 2005 for all new accessions into MOS 27D.
(b)
Requirement to be a U.S. citizen is effective 1 October 2008 for all Soldiers holding MOS 27D who entered service prior to 1 June 2005.
(8) No court-martial conviction or punishment under formal Article 15 proceedings.
(Formal Article 15 waivable by HQDA (AHRC-EPM-A) with OTJAG approval).
(9) No record of civil conviction other than minor traffic offenses.
(Minor non-traffic offense civil conviction waivable by HQDA (AHRC-EPM-A), with OTJAG approval.)
(10) No record of lost time under 10 U.S.C. 972, see appendix 3, MCM.
(Waivable by HQDA (AHRC-EPM-A) with OTJAG approval.)
(11) No pattern of undesirable behavior as evidenced by civilian or military record.
(12) No record of conviction by special or general courts-martial or civilian courts of offenses listed in AR 27-10 (Military Justice), chapter 24 or otherwise required to register as a sexual offender under AR 27-10, chapter 24.
(13) Formal training (completion of full 10 week, 3 day, MOS 27D course, 512-27D10, conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School, Paralegal Specialist Course) mandatory for all Soldiers.
Prior service as a paralegal in sister services does not meet required Army paralegal qualifications.
Active Component: available only to SPC(P) and below.
Those promoted after the day of reenlistment/reservation will be trained.
For Active Component only, waivers may be granted for SGTs through SSG non-promotable.
Army Reserve and National Guard: Available only to SGT and below.
For Army Reserve and National Guard only, waivers may be granted for SSG through MSG.
All requests for waiver may be submitted to OTJAG, Regimental Command Sergeant Major, ATTN: DAJA-RCSM.
(14) Paralegal certification by The Judge Advocate General (TJAG), per Army Regulation (AR) 27-1, Judge Advocate Legal Services.
c. Additional skill identifiers.
(Note: Refer to table 12-8 for (Listing of universal ASI’s associated with enlisted MOS)).
C5–Court Reporter (skill level 1-4 only).
d. Physical requirements and standards of grade.
Physical requirements and SG relating to each skill level are listed in the following tables:
(1) Table 10-27D-1. Physical requirements.
(2) Table 10-27D-2. Standards of grade TOE/MTOE.
(3) Table 10-27D-3. Standards of grade TDA.