Preparation to becoming a officer

I have decided that a officer is the route I am going to try and take before resorting to my backup plan of strait enlisting and trying to move up from there. I am looking to transfer to a NROTC program and then commissioned as a 2LT (infantry). The point of this post is to ask a question to any and all members who held a leadership role. How did you mentally prepare your self? What books did you read, documentaries did you watch, conferences did you attend, etc... Also what traits do you like to see in your officers? I realize the training you will receive is there so you will be prepared and fit to serve. However, for me the more I know going in the more I learn and solidify when getting out.

Thank in advance

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Originally Posted by jachockey012

I have decided that a officer is the route I am going to try and take before resorting to my backup plan of strait enlisting and trying to move up from there. I am looking to transfer to a NROTC program and then commissioned as a 2LT (infantry). The point of this post is to ask a question to any and all members who held a leadership role. How did you mentally prepare your self? What books did you read, documentaries did you watch, conferences did you attend, etc... Also what traits do you like to see in your officers? I realize the training you will receive is there so you will be prepared and fit to serve. However, for me the more I know going in the more I learn and solidify when getting out.

Thank in advance

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First off, in the Marine Corps it is 2nd Lt. not 2LT. That is Army's nastiness.

Second, why don't you talk to an OSO in your area about going through PLC for OCS on a Ground contract instead of NROTC. Getting a Marine option out of NROTC is harder.

Third, you don't get to pick your MOS(infantry) as an officer. Your MOS gets selected for you based on a wish list at TBS after you commission.

Fourth, the training you receive at IS NOT to prepare you. OCS is a selection process, it is there to screen you to be sure you have what it takes to be an officer in the Corps.

Lastly, there is nothing you can really do to prepare in my honest opinion. Just go into it with a positive attitude and an open mind knowing your gonna get dirt kicked in your face and yelled at....alot! Like I said, OCS is a selection process and you will be pushed to your mental and physical limits to see how you handle the stress. From the sound of your post, it seems to me you really have no clue what you are really trying to do.

Get in touch with an OSO(officer selection office) in your area and ask questions

Thanks for the reply it is very helpful.

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Originally Posted by jachockey012

Thanks for the reply it is very helpful.

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no problem, I've been through the commissioning process a few times now so if you have any questions feel free to ask

josephd is right about preparation. Don't try too hard to prepare, just go there and give it 110%

Prepare yourself to accept failure. Sure, that sounds like a crappy outlook. However, OCS is designed in a way that *generally* the best suited people get through. *Generally* the ones who get through are the can't-stop-won't-stop types that have never failed and know what they want. Sergeant Instructors are world class at finding your key strength, turning it into a vulnerability and exploiting it (MCDP 1, Warfighting). For many, it is to experience failure. A lot of guys didn't bounce back, and consequently ended up going home empty handed.

Just stay positive, as josephd mentioned. Know you're going to be unhappy, uncomfortable, more stressed than you have probably been in your life (it's only the beginning, too) and that you will most likely fail something. Sometimes it's a psychological test, sometimes that candidate in particular actually did fail an exam or a leadership evaluation. And good on josephd for correcting you on that 2LT thing. I cringe when peers sign their emails as 1LT. If I wanted to be a 1LT, I would have joined the Army. Good luck and get in touch with an OSO.
:D

Also, one more suggestion. We like proper grammar. Would you want to receive a hard-earned award with a citation that had crappy syntax and avoidable misspellings? Something you'll have to do at OCS is write, and write a lot. You'll get essays kicked back to you for the smallest things. Mostly, it's done to annoy you and waste your rack-out time, but sometimes it's because the candidate never got a handle on the English language. Your life will be much easier if you use proper English in writing and conversation.

Thanks for letting me know that. I will make sure to check my Grammer from now on. It is just annoying my auto correct on my phone is a bit off haha. Again, thank you very much.

There is one thing you can control prior to going in; physcial fitness. Be physically fit.

What I like see in a officer:

1) Genuinely cares for his Marines.

2) Humble and understands that although he is the ranking Marine in the platoon, his NCOs and SNCOs may have more experience than him.

3) He's a leader. This is intangible. He's the sort of leader you'd follow anywhere.

4) Technically and tactically proficient. Knows his job well and makes an effort to know his Marines well.