Posted on Aug 9, 2020
How long should I wait before talking to my chain of command about going officer?
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Getting ready to go to my first line unit as a prior enlisted specialist
Posted in these groups: 
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Specialist
Enlisted
Green to Gold
Enlisted-to-Officer
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army) Specialist Enlisted Green to Gold Enlisted-to-Officer
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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Start the conversation early. I enlisted in 1999 and had I talked to my CoC earlier, I might have been commissioned earlier. Might be a little different for you but you should always have an open line if communication about your career goals. They should mentor you towards those goals...if they are decent leaders.
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SPC (Join to see)
Should i wait until I’ve kind of proven myself at the unit, or initiate the conversation and prove along the way?
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LT (Join to see)
Initiate right away. You have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself. Show them who you are by your actions and leadership style. Stay humble and good things will come your way. It might take some time, but you will succeed.
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- Start early. Be ready to talk to your commander about why you want to be an officer. The commander would be smart enough to know you don't have the requisite tactical knowledge and will not go into that direction. Talk with conviction.
- Prove that you are an absolute stud. Become a PT stud if it means you have to do extra PT on your own.
- Don't brag about trying to go OCS. Some will resent you.
- Go to your S-1 to determine what the OCS packet entails.
- Keep us posted as we can guide you further.
- Prove that you are an absolute stud. Become a PT stud if it means you have to do extra PT on your own.
- Don't brag about trying to go OCS. Some will resent you.
- Go to your S-1 to determine what the OCS packet entails.
- Keep us posted as we can guide you further.
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SPC (Join to see)
MAJ Ken Landgren Sir. All those things are literally what I hope to embody in my career.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
SPC (Join to see) - Love the troops and take care of them and their families. Find innovative ways to have fun as well.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
SPC (Join to see) - I was a proponent of having fun in the army. Would you like some ideas?
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ASAP, try and get mentor that's a 2LT (I say 2LT only because they are closest to the current way things are done) and went through the process you are planning on. ROTC, OCS, Green to Gold, Direct, etc..... I'd have soldiers come to me, and I'd point them to platoon leaders who had a similar path. I'd give them as much, but I for one have no idea how ROTC or OCS works when it comes down to the details.
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CPT (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) - I had no problem someone coming directly to me. I don't know the sensitivity of your Platoon SGT or your 1SG. You certainly want them knowing your ambitions so I would start there, and hopefully you can go directly to the commander from there. I do know one thing, when I was in your place, it took forever to go through the chain, and I know the value of time in regard to getting packets together.
Whatever path you choose to commission with, your current Company Commander at the time will be at the very least giving you the OK to proceed, and probably have to be at least one of the letters of recommendation.
Whatever path you choose to commission with, your current Company Commander at the time will be at the very least giving you the OK to proceed, and probably have to be at least one of the letters of recommendation.
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SPC (Join to see)
If you don’t mind me asking sir, which route did you take? I’ve considered both OCS and G2G ADO. I’m married with a baby on the way. So I figured those two options are what might fit for us the best.
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CPT (Join to see)
I direct commissioned, and I GAMED the system, and chose the MOS/Branch with the most vacancies. So I knew the USAR was no way going to fill all those positions and I wouldn't get bumped out by a better candidate (I failed the prior year chasing an Intel slot). If you go OCS you need your degree in hand. If you don't have your degree yet then it depends on how far away you are for what your options are.
Without a degree you are dead in the water. Get the degree.
I see you are NG. I presume the staffing challenges are similar as the USAR. Now is a good time to pursue becoming an officer. The bar is being lowered about as low as it can go.
1) I was waiving OCS candidates sub 110 GT score (105-109 could be waived) as a 1LT company commander so I could get them in the unit.
2) There was recently a bonus retention incentive pushed out to qualifying CPTs and MAJs (I have never seen a RETENTION bonus, only an INITIAL bonus for officers).
3) My higher command within the USAR is literally funding college scholarships themselves for Officer Candidates. They didn't break any rules and the details followed along Green to Gold (so commissions are just a legit as anything else), but by them FUNDING the scholarship themselves at their level they could lock in the new LT for themselves and their initial assignment.
If you want it, it's there. Jump through the hoops, and if you check all the boxes without a waiver for anything your chances are very good.
Without a degree you are dead in the water. Get the degree.
I see you are NG. I presume the staffing challenges are similar as the USAR. Now is a good time to pursue becoming an officer. The bar is being lowered about as low as it can go.
1) I was waiving OCS candidates sub 110 GT score (105-109 could be waived) as a 1LT company commander so I could get them in the unit.
2) There was recently a bonus retention incentive pushed out to qualifying CPTs and MAJs (I have never seen a RETENTION bonus, only an INITIAL bonus for officers).
3) My higher command within the USAR is literally funding college scholarships themselves for Officer Candidates. They didn't break any rules and the details followed along Green to Gold (so commissions are just a legit as anything else), but by them FUNDING the scholarship themselves at their level they could lock in the new LT for themselves and their initial assignment.
If you want it, it's there. Jump through the hoops, and if you check all the boxes without a waiver for anything your chances are very good.
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SPC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) I was NG. I actually re-enlisted on the active side. Tried to reup for OCS and wasn’t selected but was told it’s a little bit easier to drop a packet and get picked up as an in service candidate? And I have my bachelors already. But nothing beyond that yet.
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