thedrifter
02-04-05, 09:08 AM
Marine leaders wanted
Submitted by: Marine Corps Recruiting Command
Story Identification #: 20051317541
Story by Sgt. Jimmie Perkins
MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND, QUANTICO, Va. (January 18, 2005) -- Captains Juan Navarro and Bartosz Lesniewicz are looking for a future commandant of the Marine Corps. He or she is out there somewhere, maybe on the campus of your local university. Throughout the year Navarro and Lesniewicz, along with 69 other Officer Selection Officers, visit college campuses across the nation searching for the Corps’ future leaders.
The Marine Corps has consistently made its officer accession mission since 1990. In 2005 the Marine Corps will commission more than 1,400 new 2nd lieutenants to join the ranks as leaders of Marines, making the screening work of an officer selection officer more vital in ensuring the Marine Corps attains the best candidates. These Marine Officers, seek out, screen and prepare officer candidates for the crucible of Officer Candidate School, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
“Typically my staff sergeant and I will screen more than 100 candidates through a fiscal year,” said Navarro, officer selection officer for Recruiting Station Orlando, Fla. “For every 10 candidates we contact and interview, four will be eligible for the program and out of those two will ultimately become officers.”
Just as Marine recruiters are viewed as essential to the lifeblood of the Corps, so too are the OSOs respected and expected to accomplish the mission.
"The job our OSOs do benefits more than just the Corps," said Brig. Gen. Walter Gaskin, commanding general Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "The OSOs are helping screen future Marine officers that will be called on to lead America's sons and daughters. Our OSOs are representative of the best officers in the Corps."
Daily operations of an OSO and his staff are very similar to those of their enlisted recruiting counterparts. Each day is started with early morning physical training with the candidates, they visit area universities during the morning and afternoon, and evenings are spent going to popular student activities to reach out to potential applicants. Navarro and his Officer Selection Assistant are on the road typically three to four days each week working an area of central Florida.
“We try to see each candidate in our group, or pool, weekly, plus ensure they receive training twice a week in classes ranging from Marine Corps history to basic land navigation,” said Navarro. “We are very involved with the candidates as far as their training and academic progress is concerned. We try and give them enough attention to feel like they are a part of the Marine Corps but enough flexibility to let them enjoy the college life.”
Each OSO depends on their staff, which consists of a civilian human resources assistant and OSA, who typically has prior recruiting experience. When it comes to making contacts it is a team effort.
“All three of the members of the College Station team carry a box of brochures and pamphlets in our personal vehicles, and our backpack and bags,” said Capt. Bartosz Lesniewicz, OSO at College Station, Texas. “I have a box of info in my wife’s car. The only time I don’t take my business cards is to church on Sunday.”
A great deal of personal attention is paid towards each applicant. Keeping in touch is vital to their successful completion of OCS and commissioning.
“We have all of our younger poolees check in either via email, phone or by coming to the office once a week,” said Lesniewicz. “Every time I talk to a poolee, I make an effort to write it down, and if we talk about an upcoming event, I try to make it a point to follow up with them.”
Because of the demanding training regime at OCS, the OSOs and OSAs spend a significant amount of time preparing their candidates physically. Candidates are expected to run a 1st class Marine Corps physical fitness test upon arriving at OCS. Last year the average score for incoming candidates was 265 points on a scale of 300. This is well above the 1st class minimum of 225. For OSOs to maintain this standard it requires motivating college students to become early risers.
“I run physical training before sunrise with the candidates four days a week during the school year,” said Lesniewicz. “During the spring we really increase the level and intensity of the training to prepare them for OCS.”
As if turning a pool of more than 50 college students into highly fit Marine officer candidates is not hard enough, the OSOs must also work hard at keeping candidates focused on school and encourage them to bring new candidates into the pool.
“Currently the job market for young college students is good and the economy is good, so officer selection is challenging,” said Lesniewicz. “With the wealth of information on the Internet available to college students, they are making very educated decisions about their future.”
All of the hard work by the OSO and their staff pays off in the end. For Navarro and Lesniewicz, 2004 was very rewarding as they were recognized as the officer selection officers of the year for their respective recruiting regions. On a more personal level though, they get their rewards with each candidate they send to OCS.
“The most rewarding part of my job is commissioning day,” said Navarro. “Commissioning ceremonies give me an opportunity to meet the families of the candidates and also let me reflect on the journey the candidate has made from civilian to Marine officer.”
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2005118125834/$file/OSO002LOW.jpg
Captain Juan Navarro, accepts the Officer Selection Officer of the Year Award for 2004 from Brigadier General Richard Tryon, Commanding General of Eastern Recruiting Region. Navarro is the Officer Selection Officer for Recruiting Station Orlando, Fla.
Photo by: USMC Photo
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie
Submitted by: Marine Corps Recruiting Command
Story Identification #: 20051317541
Story by Sgt. Jimmie Perkins
MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND, QUANTICO, Va. (January 18, 2005) -- Captains Juan Navarro and Bartosz Lesniewicz are looking for a future commandant of the Marine Corps. He or she is out there somewhere, maybe on the campus of your local university. Throughout the year Navarro and Lesniewicz, along with 69 other Officer Selection Officers, visit college campuses across the nation searching for the Corps’ future leaders.
The Marine Corps has consistently made its officer accession mission since 1990. In 2005 the Marine Corps will commission more than 1,400 new 2nd lieutenants to join the ranks as leaders of Marines, making the screening work of an officer selection officer more vital in ensuring the Marine Corps attains the best candidates. These Marine Officers, seek out, screen and prepare officer candidates for the crucible of Officer Candidate School, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
“Typically my staff sergeant and I will screen more than 100 candidates through a fiscal year,” said Navarro, officer selection officer for Recruiting Station Orlando, Fla. “For every 10 candidates we contact and interview, four will be eligible for the program and out of those two will ultimately become officers.”
Just as Marine recruiters are viewed as essential to the lifeblood of the Corps, so too are the OSOs respected and expected to accomplish the mission.
"The job our OSOs do benefits more than just the Corps," said Brig. Gen. Walter Gaskin, commanding general Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "The OSOs are helping screen future Marine officers that will be called on to lead America's sons and daughters. Our OSOs are representative of the best officers in the Corps."
Daily operations of an OSO and his staff are very similar to those of their enlisted recruiting counterparts. Each day is started with early morning physical training with the candidates, they visit area universities during the morning and afternoon, and evenings are spent going to popular student activities to reach out to potential applicants. Navarro and his Officer Selection Assistant are on the road typically three to four days each week working an area of central Florida.
“We try to see each candidate in our group, or pool, weekly, plus ensure they receive training twice a week in classes ranging from Marine Corps history to basic land navigation,” said Navarro. “We are very involved with the candidates as far as their training and academic progress is concerned. We try and give them enough attention to feel like they are a part of the Marine Corps but enough flexibility to let them enjoy the college life.”
Each OSO depends on their staff, which consists of a civilian human resources assistant and OSA, who typically has prior recruiting experience. When it comes to making contacts it is a team effort.
“All three of the members of the College Station team carry a box of brochures and pamphlets in our personal vehicles, and our backpack and bags,” said Capt. Bartosz Lesniewicz, OSO at College Station, Texas. “I have a box of info in my wife’s car. The only time I don’t take my business cards is to church on Sunday.”
A great deal of personal attention is paid towards each applicant. Keeping in touch is vital to their successful completion of OCS and commissioning.
“We have all of our younger poolees check in either via email, phone or by coming to the office once a week,” said Lesniewicz. “Every time I talk to a poolee, I make an effort to write it down, and if we talk about an upcoming event, I try to make it a point to follow up with them.”
Because of the demanding training regime at OCS, the OSOs and OSAs spend a significant amount of time preparing their candidates physically. Candidates are expected to run a 1st class Marine Corps physical fitness test upon arriving at OCS. Last year the average score for incoming candidates was 265 points on a scale of 300. This is well above the 1st class minimum of 225. For OSOs to maintain this standard it requires motivating college students to become early risers.
“I run physical training before sunrise with the candidates four days a week during the school year,” said Lesniewicz. “During the spring we really increase the level and intensity of the training to prepare them for OCS.”
As if turning a pool of more than 50 college students into highly fit Marine officer candidates is not hard enough, the OSOs must also work hard at keeping candidates focused on school and encourage them to bring new candidates into the pool.
“Currently the job market for young college students is good and the economy is good, so officer selection is challenging,” said Lesniewicz. “With the wealth of information on the Internet available to college students, they are making very educated decisions about their future.”
All of the hard work by the OSO and their staff pays off in the end. For Navarro and Lesniewicz, 2004 was very rewarding as they were recognized as the officer selection officers of the year for their respective recruiting regions. On a more personal level though, they get their rewards with each candidate they send to OCS.
“The most rewarding part of my job is commissioning day,” said Navarro. “Commissioning ceremonies give me an opportunity to meet the families of the candidates and also let me reflect on the journey the candidate has made from civilian to Marine officer.”
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2005118125834/$file/OSO002LOW.jpg
Captain Juan Navarro, accepts the Officer Selection Officer of the Year Award for 2004 from Brigadier General Richard Tryon, Commanding General of Eastern Recruiting Region. Navarro is the Officer Selection Officer for Recruiting Station Orlando, Fla.
Photo by: USMC Photo
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie