I want to become an officer...

[GearheadJLM]

I have been in the DEP since August 29, 05. I am due to ship out on July 17, 06, and got Intel as my MOS. I am extremely motivated to ship, and will do what I have to do in order to serve, and earn the title. However, with having several goals to achieve, I have been thinking that I really should get the most out of this as I can, and take advantage of everything offered and available to me. When looking more into becoming an officer I realized how much I am attracted to the idea. I want to earn a degree some how and at some point in my life. I thought that this sounds like it goes hand in hand with becoming an officer. My recruiter turned the idea down, and basically cares nothing but getting me shipped out, which I understand why, and the stress on him to make his quota, but it’s my future I’m thinking about, not his. Now, I am about to graduate, I have not taken the ACT or SAT, and did not score well enough on the ASVAB yet. However, I know I could easily get the required 74 on the ASVAB, and required SAT and ACT scores. I want to become an officer, I am determined, and am ready to make a commitment. I thought that the PLC sounded like a good program. However, all I have read so far is that I need to me at least a freshman in college. Will I be a reservist, and still get to go to PI? Then go to college and OCC during the summers? The thing I like about just going enlisted is that it gets me guarantee security and stability, some income, and a hell of an experience. However, it leaves a lot of open ends, and I am putting a lot at risk. Now, if this is the option I have to do, then I will do it, I will do what ever it takes and whatever I have to do, to just at least serve my time, and earn the title. But I feel I could benefit in my overall future by coming up with a plan and a way to incorporate things together. So, standing were I stand now, I need advice on what steps I need to take to become an officer and/or any other advice anyone may have. Thank you for you time and comments,

~Joe

[arnoldyG/2/5]

There are many avenues for achieving your goal of becoming an officer. You can enlist in the reserves, go to college and apply for the PLC program. Another option is to follow through with your enlistment and look into the Meritorious Enlisted Commission option. As of 1998 you had to be at least a Corporal to apply in addition to other requirements. Take a step back and look at all of your options. Let me know if you have any other questions or contact the Officer Selection Officer in your area.

[Worsham]

You say you have not yet scored well on the ASVAB...

If that is true, please advise how you were able to obtain Intel as your MOS?

[LivinSoFree]

OK here's a rundown of the options, all of which involve going to college at one point or another:

NROTC-MO(Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps- Marine Option)- Get into a 4-year civilian college, get into the NROTC program on a Marine Option contract, possibly pick up the scholarship at one point or another. You'll take Naval Science/Leadership classes throughout your time there, have extracurricular committments, attend CORTRAMID (Corps Training for Midshipmen, a summer overview of the different areas of the Corps), possibly Mountain Warfare School, and Bulldog, a 6 week OCS course. Upon graduation you will be commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and have a minimum 4-year committment on active duty for the Corps (5-years on aviation contracts).

PLC (Platoon Leaders Class)- Get into a 4-year civilian college, then go talk to the Officer Selection officer in your area. He'll screen you after you get all your paperwork together, then contract you if you don't have any showstoppers (must have a 2.0GPA, a 225PFT, no major legal issues, etc.), and then your package will go up to a selection board. Assuming you get selected, you will attend 6 weeks of OCS ("Juniors") the summer after the year you get selected, then 6 weeks ("Seniors") the summer after your Junior year of college. Upon graduation you will be commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and have a minimum 4-year committment on active duty for the Corps (5-years on aviation contracts). The thing with PLC is that, while it doesn't offer a full scholarship program, you can draw assistance through a PLC stipend and MCTAP, which your OSO will tell you about. ALSO, since PLC isn't a fulltime committment like NROTC is, it's possible to do it as a Reservist (which is what I'm doing). To do this, you must first enlist on a 92-day (IIADT) contract with an enlisted recruiter, complete Recruit Training, then return to school. You MUST be able to produce a verification of enrollment for your 4-year college before they'll sign you on a 92-day contract. Then, once you're in school, go talk to the OSO about PLC (see the above process). After your next year of college, that summer, depending on your year in school, you may do a PLC increment, or MCT/MOS school. During the school year, you will drill with a reserve unit, and may be required to do an AT as well, depending on your summer orders and the whims of the Marine Corps. The benefits to this are many: first, being a prior enlisted Marine not only tends to help you have a better handle on being an officer once you get there, but it also SKYROCKETS your chances of getting selected. The last number I heard was a 97% selection rate for priors who are reservists. You also will draw pay for your drill weekends, and are eligible for the reserve GI Bill (currently at $297.00/mo, 9 months a year, up to 36 months, while enrolled with at least 12 credit hours a semester), in addition to the MCTAP/PLC cash. The only other addendum here is that if you contract w/PLC during your Junior year, you'll do a 10-week straight shot at OCS instead of the two 6 week increments.

OCC (Officer Commissioning Class)- Go to college, graduate with your degree, go see the OSO and go through the same process as applying for PLC. Selection rates are lower here, but you still can be a prior enlisted Marine, including out of the reserves. No stipends or anything here, but you get commissioned upon graduation from OCS, and go straight to TBS.

MECP- Marine Enlisted Commissioning Program- Active duty Marines only. Must be at least a Corporal to apply. The Corps sends you to a 4-year college, where you are a member of the college's ROTC unit. After 4-years of college/NROTC, you're commissioned on graduation day.

RECP- Reserve Enlisted Commissioning Program- Reservists with a college degree seeking a commission in the reserves only. Reservist Marines selected will be detached from their current unit and ordered to OCS. Following successful completion of OCS, they'll be commissioned as 2ndLTs, and ordered to TBS, then MOS school, after which they will return to their reserve units and a regular drill/AT schedule.

That was a quick rundown just from memory of what I know. You'll definitely want to research it yourself online and with an OSO/other individuals who've been there/done that.

Good luck.

-Meyer