Louisville, Ky –
An Army legal officer recently returned to his alma mater to talk with Army ROTC cadets about opportunities as an Army officer and a lawyer.
Kentucky native Capt. Tyler Fleck is a 2012 graduate of the University of Louisville’s Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. He also attended Army ROTC while in law school which helped him relate to his audience.
“It was nice to return to the place where I drilled and talk to them about the importance of helping put some people in the military,” Fleck said. “I was just briefing them on the benefits and talked about the JAG corps and the Army in general.”
Fleck grew up in the St. Matthews area of Louisville. He later moved to Florida where he graduated from high school.
It was then Fleck returned to the Bluegrass State to attend the University of Kentucky. He later graduated from UK with a political science major.
“I’m a Kentucky guy through and through,” he joked.
Before going to law school, Fleck worked for the late Kentucky U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning. He then was with the Department of Justice before once again returning to Kentucky to attend law school.
Upon completing ROTC and law school, Fleck worked as a prosecutor at Fort Jackson, SC, and later as a Trial Defense attorney at Fort Sill, Okla. He’s worked more than 40 contested trials to verdict in his Army career.
Fleck now serves as the Brigade Judge Advocate at 3rd U.S. Army Recruiting Brigade at nearby Fort Knox, Ky. He was asked to visit his alma mater by Lt. Col. Rick Frank who commands the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Nashville that covers the Louisville area.
“It felt great,” Fleck said. “It felt good to be able to get back and connect with the cadets.
“I told them I sat where you sit right now. It was really neat to be able to see where my Army career started,” he added.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Emmons, an Army recruiter from the Louisville East Station, joined Fleck at his presentation. He said Fleck’s status as a lawyer and an officer with a local background impressed the ROTC cadets.
“He’s from there, and he’s living proof about the quality of the Army ROTC program at Louisville,” Emmons said. “He’s helping us build a relationship between faculty and the recruiting team.”
Many in the audience are still deciding what line of work they ultimately pursue. While others were faculty members who remembered Fleck from his time as a law student and ROTC cadet.
“(Fleck) was definitely a huge asset,” Emmons said. “People want to be doctors and lawyers, and now we have someone who is from here and is readily available to help them out.”
Fleck said he enjoyed fielding questions about the role of Army lawyers. The cadets challenged him and he said he enjoyed the interaction.
“A lot of the cadets asked about the JAG Corps,” Fleck said. “The JAG corps is a really unique practice of law. It’s very rewarding, and you have to be willing to help others.”
No matter how one chooses to utilize a juris doctorate degree, Fleck said the study of law is worthwhile. He challenged ROTC cadets to have a heart for service.
“At its core, that is what it’s all about is helping people, and helping soldiers” Fleck said. “If you’re really interested in helping people and making the difference, knowing the law will never hurt you. Having a law degree will serve you in many aspects.”
For more information on Army opportunities, contact Emmons at the Louisville East Army Recruiting Station at 4644 Hendrik Drive or call 502 491-5858. You can talk to an Army recruiter any time online at www.GoArmy.com. The Army is also on most social media platforms.