The nation's only military law school is celebrating 60 years in Charlottesville. The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School marked its Diamond Jubilee anniversary on grounds at the University of Virginia Tuesday.
The army first set up the JAG school in Arlington after the Korean conflict to improve legal and leadership training in the military. The school partnered with UVA's School of Law for a permanent home on grounds 60 years ago.
The university celebrated that anniversary with a ceremony at the JAG school Tuesday afternoon.
UVA President Teresa Sullivan joined the Army's judge advocate general from the Pentagon, along with judge advocates and guests from posts around the world.
The school trains and teaches more than 6,000 military and civilian law students each year, sharing resources with the UVA law school next door.
"The 60-year-old relationship between UVA's law school and JAG school remains a close and beneficial one," Sullivan said.
Brigadier General Thomas Ayres, the JAG school commander, stated, "We hope to stay at least another 60 years here in the Charlottesville-Albemarle community. We've got such a great relationship with everybody here. We do hope to expand on this building and we're looking forward to opportunities to do that."
The ceremony ended with the judge advocate general and President Sullivan cutting an anniversary cake with an army sword.
The school in Charlottesville is the only military law school in the world to award a degree - a master's in military law. Judge advocates are stationed around the world, but many returned for Tuesday's ceremony and to continue their training.
