Officer Candidate School

[bhbroussard]

Was wondering if anyone could comment on the competitiveness of OCS, towards getting in. Also about the length of time between formulating a packet and shipping off for school? Any input on this subject would be helpful, thanks!

[dscusmc]

Acceptance to OCS is extremely competitive. But, the competitiveness can depend on whether you are applying for one of the summer college programs or a post-graduation program (i.e. the combined course). My guess is that the summer college programs are not as competitive.

I'm not saying the quality of candidates is any different. The standards are all the same, there are just more slots for the summer programs.

The Marine Corps takes more college students, because not all of the candidates will accept their commission. By contrast, the post-graduation combined course usually culminates in a commissioning ceremony. In this instance, the Marine Corps wants candidates that are committed to finishing the training and accepting the commission. There are probably some supply and demand issues as well.

Your physical fitness score is important. My OSO didn't send any candidates to OCS unless they had at least a 275 PFT. If you can score a 275 or higher, then your chances of getting in improve dramatically. Of course, the board will also look at other things.

The length of time between applying and shipping can vary, again depending on the program you are applying to. I can really only speak for my case. I applied to the Law program in August. It took me a few months to put together all of the paperwork and letters of recommendation, etc. I did not get accepted the first time I applied. I tightened my application up, boosted my PFT score up a few points, and applied again for one of the spring boards. I got accepted some time in March. Most law students attend the Platoon Leader's Class - combined course. We reported on June 5th and graduated on August 12th.

You can probably expect to take about three - four months to do all the paperwork, take a PFT, physical, get letters of recommendation, and anything else your OSO says. Then, once your package goes to the board, expect a month or two to hear results. The process probably takes most of a semester. If you get accepted in the fall, then you have all spring to wait to ship. If you already have a degree, you could go to OCS in the fall, then the timeline changes.

If you need help finding out who your OSO is, then PM me. They are the real experts. I'll be happy to answer any questions from my own experience. There is a website at marineocs.com that is for candidates. I'll caution you that there is alot of bad gouge on there and plenty of know-it-alls. Nevertheless, there are a number of officers that occassionally post to the site. They always have good input.

[Collins]

Bah! I am gonna stay enlisted. I don't want to end up as a friggin paper jockey... *shiver*

[CrazyBrave83]

Bah! I am gonna stay enlisted. I don't want to end up as a friggin paper jockey... *shiver*

Someone should print that out and give it to his command when he gets out of boot.

[Collins]

LOL, man that would suck. It would be a LLOONNGG day for me! But it is how I feel, no matter who reads it. I'm a (future) warrior, not a damn buerocrat or however the hell you spell it

[CrazyBrave83]

Not all officers are pencil-pushers...it's a matter of designating the hardcore from the non-hardcore. The Corps needs leaders...whether they earn your respect is determined on how they lead. That said, you'll have to respect them simply on basis of rank, so you may as well get started now.

[Shadowman777]

Someone should print that out and give it to his command when he gets out of boot.

LOL - but he will be fine in boot - as they are enlisted as well!

[Shadowman777]

Bah! I am gonna stay enlisted. I don't want to end up as a friggin paper jockey... *shiver*

You know what would be unique (it may have been done before) - is to have your letters from boot camp posted on this site. A view from the inside - with all the ebb and flow, and emotional ups and downs.

Just a thot.

[Radiofantry]

You know what would be unique (it may have been done before) - is to have your letters from boot camp posted on this site. A view from the inside - with all the ebb and flow, and emotional ups and downs.

Just a thot.

I'd be willing to write letters from boot camp when I get there. If someone on here wanted to give me their address as we get closer, and would promise to post them unedited(except for names, obviously), I would totally do it.

I'm not going to have a lot of people writing me anyway so...

[CrazyBrave83]

You know what would be unique (it may have been done before) - is to have your letters from boot camp posted on this site. A view from the inside - with all the ebb and flow, and emotional ups and downs.

Just a thot.

LCPL Szynal (JoeSzynal) performed a similar stunt whilst at recruit training...by way of an internet blog. Let's just say a certain Gunnery Sergeant member of Leatherneck who happened to work on the Depot found out...thrashing ensued.

Don't believe me?

Do a search, you'll find something.

[yellowwing]

LtGen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, born 26 June 1898, at West Point, Virginia, the general attended Virginia Military Institute until enlisting in the Marine Corps in August 1918. He was appointed a Marine Reserve second lieutenant 16 June 1919, but due to the reduction of the Marine Corps after World War I, was placed on inactive duty ten days later. He rejoined the Marines as an enlisted man on the 30th of that month...

..After almost five years in Haiti, where he saw frequent action against the Caco rebels, General Puller returned to the United States in March 1924. He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant that same month, and during the next two years, served at the Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia, completed the Basic School at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and served with the 10th Marines at Quantico, Virginia.

Chesty Puller embodies our Marine Corps Spirit. I would not advise going for a beer in Q-Town and calling Chesty a paper pusher!

[Shadowman777]

LCPL Szynal (JoeSzynal) performed a similar stunt whilst at recruit training...by way of an internet blog. Let's just say a certain Gunnery Sergeant member of Leatherneck who happened to work on the Depot found out...thrashing ensued.

Don't believe me?

Do a search, you'll find something.

Is not necessary to give one's real name on this forum. I could call him Recruit X. The emotion that one goes through in boot would be riveting reading. Current and former Marines would would chuckle - as they know exactly what they are feeling. Prospective Marines would get to see how one transforms from a slimey civilian, and grows into a United States Marine.

This, of course, would not help prospective recruits from going through it themselves, but would give a better head's up. My son thought he was ready for boot as he was raised by a Marine - but he admits he had no clue!

I would need permission from this message board and web site to do so, and would heed their counsel. Editing - as needed - would be required, and all names removed.

Still - it would be awesome!!! A little taste of the Corps!!!

Steve

[CrazyBrave83]

Is not necessary to give one's real name on this forum. I could call him Recruit X. The emotion that one goes through in boot would be riveting reading. Current and former Marines would would chuckle - as they know exactly what they are feeling. Prospective Marines would get to see how one transforms from a slimey civilian, and grows into a United States Marine.

This, of course, would not help prospective recruits from going through it themselves, but would give a better head's up. My son thought he was ready for boot as he was raised by a Marine - but he admits he had no clue!

I would need permission from this message board and web site to do so, and would heed their counsel. Editing - as needed - would be required, and all names removed.

Still - it would be awesome!!! A little taste of the Corps!!!

Steve

Trust me, I agree with you on that one, Cpl. I just was making a point, cause it was pretty hilarious what happened to good 'ol Joe.

[Shadowman777]

Trust me, I agree with you on that one, Cpl. I just was making a point, cause it was pretty hilarious what happened to good 'ol Joe.

Hey - how far did you make it before the medical wash out? Incidently, I was thinking about using a fake name like ... i dunno ... Mike or Matt Sullivan - something like that. What do you think?

[dscusmc]

The paper jockey comment brought a smile to my face. I can remember saying the same thing when I was a LCpl.

Over eight years later, I went to OCS. Funny how things work out. All Marines should have that warrior spirit and desire to work hard. Nobody in the Marine Corps wants to be a paper pusher. But, if you plan on staying around my Marine Corps past the rank of sergeant, you'll come to find that "looking out for your Marines" is going to mean a little bit of paperwork. Everything from writing award citations (somebody had to write up all of the paperwork for all of Chesty Puller's Navy Crosses), and fitness reports for promotions, to counseling sheets. Your Marines are going to want letters of recommendation when they get out. You'll have to write clearly communicated orders, situation reports, etc. Even when I was a Sgt., I was doing some of the paperwork I just mentioned. That's just the tip of the ice-berg, in any MOS.

Good leaders, even the junior NCOs, will have a planned training schedule for their Marines. That's going to mean some paperwork. When you go to the Corporal's Course, you are going to study some administrative topics. In General Vandegrift's book "Once a Marine" he tells a story about Gen. Smedley Butler. If you don't know those names, you need to find them out. Lt. Vandegrift was going to play tennis after a long day of work. Maj. Butler, his batallion CO, saw him walking to the tennis court and said, "If you have enough energy to play tennis in the evening, then something is wrong with my training schedule." By the way, some of the other Marines in that unit included Sgt. Dan Daly and a Lt. Col. Lejune.

The best leaders, both enlisted and officer, are good communicators. That means doing the paperwork and doing it well. You don't have to like it, in fact, I don't think anybody likes it, but you'll have to do it. Some of the toughtest senior enlisted Marines and officers I ever worked for, were the first ones to the shop in the morning so they could quickly wrap up the mundane tasks like paperwork, emails, and any reading of intel reports or whatever they had to do. They got their PT done and were in the shop before anyone else got there, they were out there looking out for the junior Marines throughout the day, AND they got all the administrative work done. I never had to worry about that stuff.

The point is, no Marine should aspire to do paperwork, they should want to be out training with their Marines. But, if it takes some paperwork to take care of your Marines, then EVERY Marine, should want to "push" a little paper. S/F