Marine Officer Programs

[jdfairman]

Yes.... you can be an 0311 in the Reserves. Whether you join the Reserves or not is completely up to you. I found it to be very rewarding, and I think I am a better officer for having done it. However, if you only have three years left in college and you are CERTAIN that you want to make becoming a Marine Officer your goal, then it may not be the most direct route.Also, switching to active duty from the Reserves is not that easy. You don't just walk into admin and tell them you want to go active duty. Most of the time its a long difficult process, and theres no guarantee you'll get it. If I were you, I would seek out the Officer Selection Officer in my area and tell them I was interested in becoming a Marine Officer. They will give you information on the best way to go about achieving this goal.

[acts837]

Am I to understand that you are a Junior? If so my advice would be PLC; hence, contact the Officer Selection Officer in your area. What college do you attend?

[MAJMike]

Soooo many questions! Here's a few answers:

1) YES, you can have an 0311 MOS in the reserves, BUT - you have to belong to a unit that has 0311s. In other words, you have to join a reserve unit with infantry line companies. If your reserve unit is a comm unit or an engineering unit or part of the air wing, then there will not be any 0311 MOSs available. Even in an infantry unit, there are "slots" for the various necessary MOSs. When you enlist in that unit, you enlist in that slot - so unless you are enlisting for an 0311 slot, your aren't going to get it.

2) Commissioning - As stated elesewhere in this thread, PLC (Platoon Leader's Class) is probably the best way to earn a a commission out of college. You get OCS "out of the way" while an undergraduate and receive your commission upon graduation.

3. Two six week vs one 10 week PLC summer program. First of all, check your school schedule to see if you can fit in a 10 week PLC course between the end of spring semester or quarter and the beginning of fall semester or quarter. Understand that the Corps schedules PLC courses on THEIR schedule, not yours. For instance, a PLC class may not begin until 15 June - could you do a ten week course and be back on campus for the beginning of your fall semester? Personally, I like the two six week courses (not an option when I did it more than 30 years ago!). It fits into your summer "break" better AND you get paid for both summers and are also eligible for a monthly stipend during the school year. You can make upwards of $13,000 from the summer of your sophomore year through graduation if you qualify for all the stipends and max your summer pay. Probably more than you would make during the typical "summer job" over two summers.

4). As LT. Fairman accurately points out, it is NOT a seamless transition from the reserves to regulars in the officer corps. "Regular" slots depend on a combination of a lot of variables - retention of current regular officers in the MOS field; the CORPS need for regular officers in the MOS field; where YOU rank among reserve officers attempting to become regular officers. And, as a regular officer, there will be a point in your career wheree you may need to decide if you want to stay in your MOS or move into the admin side of the Corps. The further you get up the MOS pyramid, the fewer slots available for promotion and retention and the more competitive it becomes.

5) Like virtually every school in the Corps, including Recruit Training, there are a limited number of slots. PLC is no different. An OSO may "guide" you to a ten week PLC course because there is a need to fill those slots as demand for the 6 week course may be greater. OSOs are like enlisted recruiters in that they have slots to fill - slots that are specific positions in specific classes.

6) The Ball - whether a "formal" ball in dress/mess or a more casual environment, you can ALWAYS find a Marine Corps Birthday celebration with former Marines. This year I did NOT attend a formal ball, although the local (Atlanta) Marine Unit (MAG 42) extends an invitation to all former Marines ( I was out of town on business on that date) and opted for a well-known annual celebration at a local watering hole a few days before November 10. I was dressed casually, although I wore my old CWU-45 flight jacket with appropriate Marine Corps aviation patches. There were several officer and enlisted (active duty, reserve and retired) Marines in dress blues and some in Alphas. I spent an enjoyable evening (perhaps the best "ball" I've ever had!) at the bar swapping sea stories with two other "former" aviators - one in civvies, a retired LtCol, and the other in his Alphas - with two stars on his collar - MajGen Larry Taylor. The "youngest-oldest" cake ceremony was observed and all the other traditions of a more formal ball. I've been to formal $75 a ticket balls and less formal celebrations. It's not the type of "ball" - it's the Marines attending that make it worthwhile.

7) You do not need ROTC training to be eligible for PLC.

8) The BEST scoop on PLC and any other officer programs come from you local or regional OSO (Officer Selection Officer). Look it up on the net, or contact a local recruiter for the name and location of the nearest OSO. Many are located in college towns near the larger universities.

MR Ventura
MAJ USMCR
1968-1975

[gatormatt]

Caesar Augustus, I'm going the JAG route as well. Last summer I attended PLC Juniors. If you want to get PLC law contract you first need to get accepted into an ABA accreditted law school. Until then you just attended OCS under a ground contract. There is also a minimal LSAT score requirement. I was a junior last summer and was still allowed to attend the PLC 2 6 week option rather than the 10. My OSO recommended this option because the fallout rate is much less. With the 10 week program injuries tend to add up.

As for money, the first year after you complete any training you receive $300 per month. Each year in school thereafter, you monthly stipend increases $50. This adds additional time to your contract but I believe it is only 6 months. While in law school I will apply for CTAP (college tuition assistance program) which will pay $5200 a year.

For the gentleman who have attended OCS, is the blue knowledge that was used for PLC Juniors the same as is used for Seniors. We did not cover all the chapters and I was thinking I could save some sleep by answering questions in the chapters we did not cover, before I head back next summer.

I appreciate all the information that is being shared.

Matt

[Caesar Augustus]

Gator-I'm going to do the 2 six week courses during my fresh and soph year. Mainly because of the money and fewer injuries. What was the first incriment of OCS like. Don't you receive 7000 for tuition after the first incriment?

[gatormatt]

Caesar- I believe you can get the CTAP while you are in undergrad, but by doing that you cannot get it when you go to law school. Since I only have one more year in undergrad, it makes more since to postpone it for law school and get it for three years instead of one. Also, I believe if you accept CTAP as an undergrad, your time in service resets to the date of your graduation, rather than the date you first attended OCS.

As far as the 2 six week courses go. Most people that do that attend the PLC juniors as a fresh. or soph and then attend seniors as a senior.

I went to first increment for Juniors. It started May 25th and ended July 3. It rained probably 80% of the days I was there, which is supposedly very unusual. I would recommend attended first increment because the weather is cooler, not much, but every bit helps. Many candidates complained about the humidity, I from Florida though so it wasn't really that bad. The main problem I had was on the humps. I'm only 5'8'' so I was always in the rear with the rest of the "little ones". Also being from Florida I've never really hiked much in the hills so that was difficult. Lately I've been doing 30 minutes on a treadmill at max incline after I workout.

Another thing that I wish I would have learned before I went was some close order drill. I was the second candidate in teh platoon to be candidate platoon sergeant and I did not have a clue what foot to call anything on.

Basically it was the best experience of my life. Hated it while I was there but i can't wait to go back to seniors. July 4th was a lot different after I got back and I can see why the men and women on this board are so proud to be Marines. Can't wait until I can join them.

If you have anymore questions just let me know.

Matt

[Caesar Augustus]

I will be areservist by then so hopefully the physical part wont be near as bad. I'd rather get it over with my first two years. Drill and humping shouldn't be a problem since I will have been done with boot camp for about a year and a month by the time I'd attend the first incriment. I was under the impression that you only started getting TIS once you were commisioned not once you finished OCS. Then in law school you get TIS and may finish TBS as a Captain

[jdfairman]

Thanks Gatormatt for the info. Its good to have someone aboard who is in the know about the JAG side of the house.

[gatormatt]

Ceasar Augustus, I'm not really sure what TIS is so i can't really comment on that part. As far as finishing TBS as a Captain, my OSO said it possible but not real likely. He said that you might get Captain within your first year after TBS. Some officers I know that are in law school now made 1st Lt. just before they began their 3rd year.

Your welcome for the info Sir (jdfairman). I don't know everything, but I've been trying to learn all there is about JAG. Are you stationed in Pensacola or is that where you are from?

Matt

[acts837]

TIS = time in service
TIG = time in grade

In my TBS class we had a PLC Lawyer pin on Capt.

[jdfairman]

I'm actually in Corpus Christi, TX for Primary. Was in P-cola for API. Guess I need to change my profile.

[gemntx]

Welcome Back to Texas!

Good Luck in Primary. I hope you have time to enjoy the beach, from sea level instead of 1500'.

Glenn

[jdfairman]

Yeah right sir. With all this studying, about the most I see of the beach is when I'm 1/2 wingtip distance off of it and headed to the training area. Primary is a blast. I still can't believe I get paid to do this. My onwing is also an instructor for the OCF (Out of Control Flight) portion of the IP course. I can always tell there's something fun in store when he says, "Hey, wanna see something kinda crazy?" The other day, he put the plane in a cross-controlled departure. I think it was accelerated as well. It was pretty wild. He followed that with a couple of loops and a barrel roll. About 15 minutes later, I was feeling a little weird. I guess it takes that long for your stomach to realize things aren't as they should be. But, I still managed to retain my cookies, and it was worth every bit of it. Its gonna be quite a while, but I can't wait to start Aerobatics.

[gatormatt]

Sir (jdfairman), some of my friends are interested in a flight contract, but they don't have perfect vision. Do you know what surgeries if any they are accepting these days, and if so are these just for helos or can you also fly jets? Also, while at OCS our CO told us that in Pensacola there is a doctor known as Doctor Doom that denies the physicals on a lot of the flight contracts, mainly for vision problems. What do these officers end up doing?
Thanks in advance
Matt

[gemntx]

jdfairman

Here's three sayings thay my crewchiefs hated to hear:

"Let me see if I remember how to do this."
"OOPS!"
"Oh Sh**!"

Remember these, as you may hear your instructors use them.

Good Luck.

Glenn