in 1992, goodman was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant after completing the marine corps' officer candidate school in quantico, va. he completed the basic officer course, and the marine corps combat development command in 1996. he was certified as a judge advocate general corps from the naval justice school in newport, rhode island in 1997 and achieved the rank of major in the u.s. marine corps reserve (usmcr) in 2000 before leaving for private practice.