After completing high school, Alex Butler from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, joined the 3rd Army Ranger Battalion. Using his GI Bill benefits, he later enrolled at the University of Montana (UM) but was initially unsure about his future career.
While studying at UM, Butler stayed active on campus and continued serving in the National Guard. He also served as president of the Associated Students of UM Senate.
“I was really busy in undergrad,” Butler said. “But that was from everything else I was doing outside of the classroom.”
Butler majored in philosophy and built a close connection with Professor Soazig Le Bihan, who manages UM’s Pre-Law Program.
“Soazig and I would meet all the time to discuss philosophy,” Butler said. “I joined Pre-Law because I enjoyed my time with her and wanted to learn as much as I could.”
Despite his father being an attorney, Butler did not originally plan to pursue law.
“I spent most of my time engaging with her about how I didn’t want to become a lawyer,” he said. “I thought I would end up going for my doctorate in philosophy.”
However, conversations with Dr. Le Bihan encouraged him to consider public service through a legal career. The Pre-Law Program supported him as he prepared for the Law School Admission Test and completed applications. He eventually attended UM’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law.
“It was nice to fully put my attention toward being a student,” he said. “But I still wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after graduating. The idea of being a regular lawyer in a private firm felt limiting. I wanted adventure.”
After earning his law degree and passing the bar exam, Butler worked as a clerk for a judge in Helena. Toward the end of this role, he reached out to attorneys about their careers and spoke with officers from the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) through the U.S. Navy.
“Every JAG officer I spoke with loved what they did,” Butler said. “That’s when I knew joining back up was for me.”
Now based in Gulfport, Mississippi, Butler serves as a JAG officer advising his commander and others on base legal matters.
“It’s very different than being a lawyer in a big firm,” he said. “I get to help people out with my legal knowledge, but I don’t have to work crazy hours or prepare to go in front of a judge.”
He describes his current work as both challenging and rewarding and recommends similar paths for others considering military legal service.
“If someone is on the fence about doing this type of service, pick up the phone and start calling people who are already doing it,” he said. “I think you’ll find that the lifestyle is great and people want to help you succeed.”
The views expressed by Butler are personal and do not represent those of any government department or military branch.
