Posted on Sep 2, 2020
Do reserve and national guard soldiers have the choice of applying for active duty OCS?
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Posted in these groups: 
OCS
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
OCS Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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Yes, but you'd have to get a conditional release from your unit before you could be accepted or start OCS.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
Sir, I believe he is asking if he can attend OCS at a Reserve or National Guard, and the answer to that would be yes, for the Reserves, and maybe for the National Guard. If the state has funds and the candidate is competitive, a National Guard candidate can commission at Federal OCS.
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Short answer is yes. I commissioned through federal OCS (I’m ALNG), but I got it in my initial contract. I’ve been told by a recruiter in my state (so it may be different in your state) that it’s easier to get a federal slot that way. If your state has its own OCS program, they may not want to send you to Benning. I would definitely look into it though.
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MAJ Brents Pepper
Hello to fellow Alabama Guardsman. I knew a guy that went to Benning OCS in the Alabama guard. I asked him what made him decide to go that route. He said that he told them that he wanted to go to OCS where as he meant AMA (Alabama Military Academy) OCS and the unit did everything to get him set up and when the time came he was sent to Benning. He said looking back he was glad to get it over with quicker.
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CPT (Join to see)
Hey, sir! I have yet to meet another officer that commissioned at Benning in our state. Everyone went through ROTC, AMA, or Marion. I’m sure there are others, but I’m the only Benning Boy I know of. It’s my Army home. I did BCT, OCS, and IBOLC there. My best friend commissioned through OCS but went active duty. It was all I knew of. Had no idea there was state OCS before talking to my recruiter. He got me a federal slot and I’m thankful I was able to go that route. MAJ Brents Pepper
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PS-no disrespect for those who have gone Federal OCS. I have a few peers both whom I work with and were at BOLC with that states "Federal OCS is a joke". Just had to clarify...
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