View Full Version : Regular Reserves/PLC
After browsing and searching on these forums for a while, I have found extensive discussion of the 92 day reserve program with regards to PLC and college. However, I am interested in regular reserves, I think referred to as a 135 day program if I am not mistaken. I am going into my senior year of high school and want to sign for a reservist infantry contract. This would put me on track to leave for PI early next June, graduate in September and then go to SOI after my ten days leave. I would then be able to begin college in the spring semester of 2014. From what I understand, I can then apply to the PLC and if accepted earn my officers commission the day I graduate from college. My question is, if I am deployed with my reserve unit during my four years of college, where do I stand with my progression through PLC. Is it put on hold until I return from the deployment? Also, any other insight into the process with regards to 135 day regular reserves and the PLC would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
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The reserve candidates in my platoons were non-deployable once they finished a session of OCS. They still drilled when home, however. Your mileage may vary though. Additionally, I have a few questions for you to consider. You don't have to answer them, just think about them.
1) What if you do not get selected for PLC? It's getting extremely competitive these days.
2) What if you get into PLC, and for some reason within or beyond your control, you attrite?
These questions aren't to deter you, but to see what kind of plans you have for yourself. If your endstate is to become an officer, you may want to start on that path to begin with. That may just be me, though. Make sure you have all your bases covered before making a life-changing decision. Good luck.
Thank you for your input. And I am indeed set on the officer route, however it is very important to me to have experience as prior enlisted before earning an officer commission. And if I fail to be accepted into PLC, I am perfectly fine with the possibility of interrupting college for possible deployment and then applying to OCS at a later point. However, I don't understand what you mean by if I "attrite" at PLC. Could you please expand on that?
OCS has multiple methods of attrition, i.e. dropping candidates from the course. They include medical/NPQ (not physically qualified), DOR (drop on request), failure to adapt, academic failure, physical fitness failure, leadership failure - just to name a few. So, what I meant was that you can still get into OCS and be dropped for any reason, especially if the staff don't see you fit to lead Marines.
It used to be that almost anyone could get into OCS as long as there was room for qualified applicants, and the real test would be at Brown Field (where OCS is located aboard Quantico) and attrition rates were quite high. Now, it's become increasingly difficult to get into OCS to begin with, with the same stringent demands and standards.
I'm not going to lie, some people make it that supposedly shouldn't, and excellent candidates sometimes don't make it, either. All you need to do is show up 100% committed to the cause, do your absolute best, and help out that person to your left or your right and you should be fine. The rest will all fall into place. Keep going for your goal and don't quit.
Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. This is the path I definitely want, I will make it happen