New JAG program streamlines legal readiness

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The JAG Corps has fielded theWarfighter Legal Readiness Program, a modern capability that replaces a Department of the Army form to ensure Soldiers are legally clear and mission-ready faster than ever.
Colin Long, Fort Leonard Wood Office of the Staff Judge Advocate client services chief, said with this new program the days of standing in queues to fill out a DA Form 7425, the Army’s readiness and deployment checklist, are over.
“This program replaces the outdated model of having Soldiers wait in line in a gym to answer a few questions and then make an appointment with our office,” Long said.
In May 2026, U.S. Army Deputy Judge Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Robert Borcherding, noted the WLRP will become the “primary mechanism to execute the legal section of DA Form 7425.”
Fort Leonard Wood Special Victims’ Counsel and Immigration Law Attorney, Capt. Rudra Shukla, said WLRP will help Soldiers easily identify what problems they may have and provide clear guidance on the best next steps to address the issues.
“This program will streamline the Soldier Readiness Program process. Most importantly, it will give peace of mind to Soldiers who are deploying in that they will not have to worry about legal or non-legal issues while in stressful conditions,” Shukla said.
According to Long, the WLRP automated questionnaire walks users through a flow of questions to determine their legal readiness, “starting with estate planning and beneficiary designations, all the way through military administration and immigration concerns.”
“At the end of the program, based on the user’s input, the program generates a personalized checklist that they can and should take to our office for an appointment to discuss and execute the listed items,” Long said.
The link to the [WLRP](https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/Home/legal-services/legal-page.html) online questionnaire may be found on the [U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps website](https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/Home/index.html).
“We will now use this questionnaire any time we are tasked with ensuring the legal readiness of Soldiers, pragmatically in the context of Soldier Readiness Program or Pre-deployment Program,” Long said.
To make an appointment or receive more information, visit Fort Leonard Wood’s [Office of the Staff Judge Advocate](https://home.army.mil/wood/Garrison/sja) in Bldg. 315 on Missouri Avenue, or call 573.596.0629.