Enlisting after not selected for OCS

[rshockey]

I understand I will probably get chewed up for this post as most people who ask this question have. However, any actual insight will be helpful.

I am 24 years old and just quit my finance job because I have always wanted to be a Marine. I figured I would use my bachelors degree to go to OCS but my OSO just told me I would most likely not be selected for the next class in September...thats not going to stop me from becoming a Marine.

Has anyone here gone in as Enlisted with a bachelors degree or know someone who has? What is the process for ECP and how often are Enlisted Marines accepted to this program? My OSO recommended MECEP but it seems as though you end up in reserves after completion.

Thank you all for your service and any help you may be able to provide.

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[USMC 2571]

TONS of people have gone the enlisted route with a college degree, and nowadays it is much more common than years ago. So no worries there about doing something unusual or unheard of. As to the other part of your question, I'll have to leave it to others to answer who are more in the know. But keep us posted here on this same thread re your efforts and how things turn out, please. Good luck to you.

[Zulu 36]

Yes, people have gone enlisted with degrees, sometimes grad degrees. The Corps doesn't care if you have a bachelors or a PhD. As long as you have at least a HS diploma or a GED plus 15-college credit hours, education-wise, you're golden. You do need to understand that most of your enlisted colleagues will not have college degrees, at least in the junior ranks. You don't want to go around rubbing that in their faces. Rude at best, dangerous at worst.

Going officer from enlisted is tough, regardless of your degree. Probably the ECP MECEP are even more competitive than OCS.

I went to boot camp with a guy with a bachelor's degree, which in 1971 was rather rare. He was the platoon scribe, but got fired because he was an "educated idiot." They hired a HS grad to replace him (me).

I know this isn't about a Marine, but my #1 daughter is working on her master's now and she is an E-6 in the USAF Reserves. She will not be an outlier either when she gets her diploma, nor will she try for a commission. She likes being an NCO, which is cool, so did I.

[rshockey]

Thank you for your reply. That is good to know. A lot of people tell me that I would be wasting my time going in as Enlisted with a bachelors degree. I couldn't disagree more and think it is unfortunate they think serving your country and becoming a Marine no matter what your background is would be a waste of time.

[rshockey]

Thank you Zulu. I couldn't imagine bragging about my bachelors degree. Although I am proud of it I realize once I enlist we are all one in the same.

Do you have any insight into why becoming an officer from enlisted is harder than getting into OCS? I would imagine they would want someone with prior experience over a recent college grad. I guess more people like me take this route than go right for OCS.

Perhaps I was meant to be an NCO if OCS didnt work out. I am fully prepared to put in the work to make my way up the ranks.

[crazymjb]

I don't think you'd be wasting your time, but if I were you I'd certainly swing at OCS for another year or so.

It's not uncommon, but the USMC specifically is a young branch of service. Most of your fellow junior enlisted will not be your peers from the civilian side, some will of course. That said, you'll adjust. At first it'll probably be hard, but by the time your an NCO especially I think it will have made little difference.

On the reserve side while most junior enlistees have not yet completed college, in my experience (outside Boston) most were in college. I was starting grad school when I got out, we had a couple guys who joined with ivy league degrees or working on ivy league degrees. My guess is the average age is a little older as well. Although as I think about it at least a handful guys in my platoon in the reserves joined after having completed college, many more went on to complete it.

All that said, if you have the degree, try to make OCS work. Not because being enlisted is a waste, but because there are many benefits to being an officer, especially if you decide to make it a career and retire (and some drawbacks).

Mike

[USMC 2571]

I agree with Mike, I would go officer first choice, if I had the choice. But what I was saying is that it's not like you'll be the only one in the Corps who enlisted with a B.A. or B.S. But yes, try the officer route first, and if that doesn't work out, then enlisted. You won't feel completely out of place.

[rshockey]

Thank you Mike. I had my mind set on full-time but I should definitely look into the reserves side. I believe my OSO was telling me I wouldn't be selected because of some medical history. I have eczema (very minor), have had surgery on my hand (years ago), had two concussions from hockey and had ADD as a kid (I think most kids have it and I have outgrown it, I wish I had never been tested). It had nothing to do with my PFT or any qualifications he simply said that OCS is extremely competitive and most applicants don't have eczema, a concussion history, ADD diagnosis as a kid or previous surgeries. Maybe I shouldn't count myself out just yet but considering my OSO told me this today I want to be proactive and figure out my next step.

[USMC 2571]

Just as an aside, there are many threads about people who for some reason are reluctant to go the officer route, because they think that they would be better officers if they went enlisted first. I think that is a fallacy, but that's just my opinion, one of many opinions on the subject. But anyway, I for one would like to know how this turns out, so as I mentioned before, please keep us posted on this thread.

[rshockey]

I see the argument there. It makes sense that having experienced the same things as the people you will be leading you are able to adapt your leadership style. However I agree with you in that it is a fallacy. One of my friends went through OCS for the Marines right out of school and I know his men respect and follow him. He is a good leader as I believe I will be some day. I will certainly keep you all posted as things come to fruition. Thank you all for your help and your interest with my situation.

[crazymjb]

As a junior officer 2nd Lt, for example, there will be a nugget of respect your junior guys have for you as prior enlisted. HOWEVER, that gets destroyed by a ****-up as easily as it gets earned by a non-prior enlisted officer who is worth a ****. It certainly doesn't hurt to have your 4 years in first, but it's not "worth" those 4 years as far as being a good officer goes. Great and terrible officers were and weren't prior enlisted.

If none of those things disqualify you at MEPS, I don't see why they'd be a go for enlisted and not for officer. I've said this before on this site. In the Marine Corps, maybe even more so as an officer, the only one who cares about your career is you. You need to be your own advocate and do what you can to figure out exactly what is needed to get you where you want to be. Don't take your "all knowing" recruiter's word for ****. I'm in a similar position right now with the guard. I did 90% of the research and leg work myself. I utilize the recruiters when I need them, and apply pressure when necessary. Some recruiters are rock stars, but the truth is even if they all wanted to help every single candidate to the best of their abilities, there isn't enough time in the world.

Your a college grad, you know how to study. Do you homework, do your research, figure out who you need to talk to and what they need to do to make things happen, and make it happen. If your GPA, PT, and interview skills are good, unless you are totally disqualified from the military I'd be shocked if this **** causes a problem for you on the officer but not enlisted side.

Mike

[Mongoose]

There are several of us here on LN, that used our BMF degree to get into the Corps. And, as promised we were given a job that suited what we majored in. Within 6 months we were getting on the job training in a foreign Country. The experience tested our ability to adjust to a different and often disabling environment, under interesting circumstances. We were exposed to people who was bitter and resented our presence. Many of those belligerent people choose death over assimilation. What I'm saying is....if you want to extend your education and work toward a BMF degree......insist on being a Grunt Good Luck

[Tennessee Top]

Will add my two cents in regards to why it's so difficult to get selected for an officers program as an enlisted Marine in the fleet.

First. The numbers/odds are way against you. The USMC will promulgate a bulletin annually soliciting applications from eligible enlisted Marines. Let's say they have a quota of 500. They will get as many as 3 times (on average) that number of applications from qualified personnel. So, let's say one has a one-in-three chance of getting selected, all things being equal, just looking at the numbers - not good odds.

Second. The competition. An average Marine will not meet the eligibility criteria to even apply to a commissioning program (the required EL score of at least 110 automatically eliminates 75% of them). An above average Marine will not receive a favorable forwarding endorsement on their application from their commanding officer. If your CO's forwarding endorsement does not say "forwarded with enthusiasm", and ranks you #1 out of all the other applicants from your battalion, you just wasted your time. Understand, there will be some combat-decorated enlisted Marines submitting applications (not many can compete with that today). The one enlisted Marine I personally know who was accepted to the most recent MECEP program was a Senior Drill Instructor who successfully completed his tour on the Drill Field at Parris Island (Gunnery Sergeant with 16 years time in service and multiple deployments under his belt). Unlike candidates at OCS who are being evaluated for their leadership potential, these enlisted Marines have already demonstrated the ability to lead Marines, and produce positive results (they're a known commodity). Competition like this is one of the factors that makes advancing from enlisted to officer in the fleet so difficult - but worth a try if you meet all the eligibility criteria.

Good luck.