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Two ways: make it a part of your enlistment contract, or enlist, serve a few years in good standing, and put in a packet to go OCS. There’s a board every year.
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MAJ (Join to see)
When you go in to enlist, you tell the recruiters you want the “college option OCS” route. Then the station OIC should guide you from there. I don’t know what the board is like to a person off the street. For me they went through my file, asked me questions about leadership decisions I have made, etc. Couple of things to consider. You must have a college degree. You need to work at basic training to have at least all 60s on your PT test, and you must be aware that if you don’t make OCS, then you still serve under a “needs of the Army” MOS. In my first week of OCS, many college Ops failed out because the standard to graduate basic is 50s on your PT test but the standard to “class up” in OCS is 60s. A lot of guys failed. Also, I don’t know if it’s like this now, but when I went the class was overbooked so they took the highest 75% PT scores and the rest didn’t class up. So you not only need 60s, you will need to be competitive if that still happens today. Our cutoff was pretty high, 275 if I recall. Our class was 66 percent prior service though so we kind of jacked up the curve.
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I went to OCS as an E6 after almost 8 years of service. There are significant advantages and disadvantages in my mind for either course and they basically balance out.
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PV2 J M Below are the requirements for enlisted to go to OCS. A four year college degree is required.
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/officer-candidate-school.html
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/current-and-prior-service/advance-your-career/officer-candidate-school.html

Officer Candidate School and Army OCS Requirements
Army Officer Candidate School gives college graduates an opportunity to be leaders and officers for Active Duty or Army Reserve. Learn about Army OCS requirements.
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PV2 J M: I asked my Company Commander if I could go to OCS in AIT. I should have waited until after I had been a: Squad Leader, a Graduate with Honors, and, a Sports Director/a Sports Director for Dependent Youths; and until after I had earned my Good Conduct medal- and then asked my Company Commander if I could attend OCS. (By the way, I ETS'D as a Sports Director.) Many Prayers for your success Mr. Masters.
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Apply. If you already have college degree it’s easier. If not there is still a chance but harder.
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Direct commission, commission, or promoted within your own unit PV2 J M If this is truly your next step, why are you enlisting? Tell me more.
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SPC (Join to see)
PV2 J M, See, I'm gonna hold you up right there. Whether they know what they're doing or not, if they outrank you, you still have to do it, so long as it is not immoral, illegal or unethical (like shooting a kid for being in the way of a firefight *that's a serious no-go*).
There's a quote form the poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. As an Infantry recruit and soon as a cord-carrying Infantryman, you would do well to put it to memory and hold on to it until such time as you do Commission if you so choose: "There's was not to reason why, there's was but to do an die."
This means that when at the bottom (even up toward the rank of Major), we seldom understand the big picture, nor do we see the reason for the things that we do. We receive our orders, we move out and draw fire, we accomplish mission, and we come home. That being said, we may not always make it home. But it is not up to us to make the call as to whether or not we adhere to the orders given simply because we don't think the one giving said orders knows what they're doing. They could be a complete and total moron, but that order they give that sounds REALLY stupid could be the one that saves thousands of lives at the cost of one or two. Weigh it. And if the risk to life, limb, or liberty is too much for you, especially when you don't know, see or appreciate the benefit or the tertiary effects of the risk, then this may not be right for you.
Again, the invitation is open for you to contact me at any time. I've been an Infantryman for going on 5 years now and have spent plenty of time talking to potential Infantrymen just like you and have helped to turn them into hard-charging warriors that understand just what this life truly is. I don't want you to think I am berating you or belittling you, because I'm truly not. But there's a certain way of thinking and a completely different mindset for us than there is anywhere else in the military. We are the Infantry. We are the hunters in the night and the knife in the dark. Feelings and emotion have no place in our hyper-rational world.
Please, by all means, shoot me a message some time and I'll help you get into the right mindset for what you are bringing yourself into.
There's a quote form the poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. As an Infantry recruit and soon as a cord-carrying Infantryman, you would do well to put it to memory and hold on to it until such time as you do Commission if you so choose: "There's was not to reason why, there's was but to do an die."
This means that when at the bottom (even up toward the rank of Major), we seldom understand the big picture, nor do we see the reason for the things that we do. We receive our orders, we move out and draw fire, we accomplish mission, and we come home. That being said, we may not always make it home. But it is not up to us to make the call as to whether or not we adhere to the orders given simply because we don't think the one giving said orders knows what they're doing. They could be a complete and total moron, but that order they give that sounds REALLY stupid could be the one that saves thousands of lives at the cost of one or two. Weigh it. And if the risk to life, limb, or liberty is too much for you, especially when you don't know, see or appreciate the benefit or the tertiary effects of the risk, then this may not be right for you.
Again, the invitation is open for you to contact me at any time. I've been an Infantryman for going on 5 years now and have spent plenty of time talking to potential Infantrymen just like you and have helped to turn them into hard-charging warriors that understand just what this life truly is. I don't want you to think I am berating you or belittling you, because I'm truly not. But there's a certain way of thinking and a completely different mindset for us than there is anywhere else in the military. We are the Infantry. We are the hunters in the night and the knife in the dark. Feelings and emotion have no place in our hyper-rational world.
Please, by all means, shoot me a message some time and I'll help you get into the right mindset for what you are bringing yourself into.
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SP5 Peter Keane
PV2 J M - you think there haven't been cases of that ? " Let's go see what's in that rubber"
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Sgt. Hallock gave you the requirements, could not do better. I will add that you need the support of your commander. If you feel as if you would make a good Officer, ensure you are a great Soldier. Nothing worse than a mediocre Enlisted Service member becoming an average or less Officer. Work hard m, listen and learn. Good Luck and thank you for your service.
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Why not do some research before asking general questions that have been answered a number of times?
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