Who Should Write the Letter

[swagger]

So this is my dilemma for the day.

I have seen multiple sources recommend that for military service, one of the letters should be from a superior officer who can evaluate my skills for law school.

Problems with this are:
1.  Most of my superior officers can not accurately assess my ability for law school.
2.  On the same note, most cannot write worth a crap.
3.  Many see going to law school as either somehow backstabbing the military or entering a bad profession, and are more likely to write something negative.
4.  I have pissed off my superiors at various times because I am a little outspoken about controversial issues.

I have two professors from undergrad writing glowing recommendations.  Will the lack of a military endorsement look suspicious in my application?

[swagger]

First Lieutenant, USMC

[nathanielmark]

swagger you are a smart cat.  what schools are you looking at?  I bet you could get into a top 10 and maybe top 6 with your numbers + military and a convincing personal statement.  just my opinion.

First Lieutenant, USMC

[nathanielmark]

I say this because i just dont see very many people applying to these schools with competitive numbers and experience in the war.  you would at a lot to diversity, IMO.

[dta]

swagger - ask your military supervisor, flat out, if he/she will write you a good LOR. It's totally legit to ask that. Hopefully, you can count on an honest response that you can trust (i'm hoping that even if they might not like you none of them would lie to you and go out of their way to screw you).

Also, don't worry about whether or not they can say you are good for law school. Adcoms just want to see that your supervisor had great things to say about your performance in relation to the work you did. Now, if they can't write worth a darn that is a concern. But i'm gonna assume that adcoms know that the LOR is coming from a military supervisor and thus are expecting less in terms of eloquence.

[swagger]

Yeah, I see your point, but I still think I am better off just letting my resume and personal statement tell the story of my service.  I will think about it...

appagain, what battalion were you with?

[swagger]

Also, I have NOT told anyone in my command that I am planning on getting out and going to law school, and do not plan on telling them until the last minute. 

[swagger]

No *&^%.  My roommate is XO of Tango 5/11.

[swagger]

When did you leave tango?

[swagger]

Oh, never mind then, I wasn't commissioned until 2001.  Either way, Semper Fi.