What advice would you give to a college junior who is interested in OCS?

2021-06-15T16:32:07-04:00

Hello everyone,

I am a college student going into junior year this fall. Recently I have been interested in joining the military and I have concluded the army is the best for my interests. I want to become an officer but I am really struggling to decide whether I should finish my degree and go for OCS or maybe enlisting and then attempting a Green to Gold (like three recruiters have already suggested). I would love to get some advice from different people to make a more fair assessment of what I should do.

A little bit about myself: I am studying in a top 14 university going for a BS in a stem field and I should finish with a pretty high GPA (above 3.6). I also did pretty well on my SAT so I should be competitive on that as well.

My first question is: is G2G really as guaranteed as it sounds? All of the recruiters I have spoken to have made it sounds like its a sure way of becoming an officer but people online have been warning that all recruiters say that and not to trust it as much.

Second question: If I get into OCS with a bachelors, would I have any opportunities to have the Army pay for a masters degree?

3rd question: if I am planning on doing OCS is there anything I could do as a junior in college to make the process of joining the army as an officer faster (maybe like starting basic training the summer before)?

4th question: is it really that tough to end up with a desirable job after OCS unless you finish top 5 percent?

I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to give me some input and share some advice. Thank you!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2021 5:21 PM

2021-06-15T17:21:29-04:00

Recruiters will always tell you to enlist because that is their job, and to be honest, it's a pretty 100% works out in the end solution. That doesn't mean it's the best solution for you. It takes money and sacrifice to get the education to become an officer. How that works into your personal life and situation the best depends on where you are with your life and family and how much suck you can take. Most officers who accessed as officers will tell you to join as an officer and most officers who accessed as enlisted will tell you to enlist first. The best path for you to take to become an officer is the one that works best for you. No single path is better than another.

First question: there are three G2G paths, some more competitive than others. The non-scholarship option is almost guaranteed acceptance if you meet the basic requirements because you will use your GI Bill to pay for it. Zero risk for the Army.

Second Question: You can still use TA as an officer for a Masters, it just incurs an Active Duty Service Obligation. There are also Masters Programs you may be competitive for

Third Question: you can't join for OCS until you are qualified, meaning you have a Bachelors.

Fourth question: OCS is competitive and you probably will not end up in the top five percent. Everyone is better than you, more experienced, and they are all at the top of their game as well. You will be surrounded by the best of the Army's best competing for a starting position among them. Regardless of that, the Army places people where they need them. The top five percent aren't guaranteed anything and who gets what choices will vary from class to class. "Needs of the Army" is the phrase you will hear a lot. The most likely outcome is that you will end up in combat arms, or branch detailed to combat arms for the first few years. In my limited experience, many of the officers who are branch detailed to combat arms love it and consider those years to be some of the best of their careers.

But, this is my view as an enlisted NCO and the observations of other officers who have taken this route will have more weight than mine.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2021 6:42 PM

2021-06-15T18:42:20-04:00

Contact ROTC NOW

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2021 7:02 PM

2021-06-15T19:02:56-04:00

I am going on a tangent. I wish all army officers go combat arms first. Make them smell like diesel, make them muddy and dirty, make quick decisions, and make them suffer too. Perhaps I am trying to be too principled. I want those officers to command and suffer. Perhaps we might get more enlightened officers.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2021 7:05 PM

2021-06-15T19:05:28-04:00

What about the ROTC route. Have you given that some thought?

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Jun 15 at 2021 7:07 PM

2021-06-15T19:07:44-04:00

I can’t answer your questions about the Army aspect. However, being a Mustang officer myself is there an advantage going from enlisted to officer; I believe there is an advantage. However, if I was presented the opportunity to commission first I’d not hesitate. You will work with very professional NCOs and have an officer mentor as a junior officer.

As a former recruiter I kept it simple and honest, and still cringe when I hear false promises. You can apply for green to gold; but really is it a sure thing and just how much time will have passed before you start your commission career. Reading posts here about green to gold and Army processes seems to be more complicated than other commissioning sources. As others have recommended, contact a local ROTC unit and start a dialogue with them. Look into applying OCS as a civilian if need be; I’d avoid any enlisted commissioning source…can be complicated, fewer seats and more competitive than you may be aware of.

Good luck!

Response by Mauricio Cervantes made Jun 15 at 2021 7:18 PM

2021-06-15T19:18:48-04:00

Thank you to everyone that has commented. Some have suggested I contact my school’s ROTC and that is not a possibility I had considered because I figured as a junior it would already be too late to join. However, I will contact them and see if I have options of joining. Huge thanks to everyone that suggested that!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2021 8:21 PM

2021-06-15T20:21:30-04:00

Enlist as a last option. Contact ROTC ASAP, RIGHT NOW. You might have a window of opportunity still, and at worst maybe while you are getting a Master's.

As someone who enlisted and went officer, only choose that as your last option (which was my case) when all others have failed. You will never be in a more powerful position to compile your officer application packet than when you are a civilian. The worst situation to be would be while in active duty, and less worse would be if you were in the Reserves or NG.

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The hoops you jump through are much similar, but while a civilian your hand is held the entire way of the process, and do you not have to include a chain of command in the process or ask for permission. Your letters of recommendation can pretty much be anyone you can convince as a civilian, verses if you were in the military they now have to include your Company Commander, and maybe the Battalion Commander, and another Major or higher.
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Now, if you are "rejected" while a civilian then your options are still open. Do you enlist? Chances are you'd be rejected anyway if you put in a packet while enlisted, but now you are stuck. So you can reassess your willingness to enlist, but be advised though. Recruiters will put the hammer down. They know you'd have lost your OCS excuse to put off enlisting, and then temp you with "as an NCO you'd be a better candidate (which is true mostly if you are a good NCO)".

But be very aware, once you are enlisted, and more so if you become an NCO before commissioning, every single breath you take is going to be iPerm'd in your HR record history. Every time you were flagged for not passing Fitness tests, every negative comment on your performance evaluation, every aspect of soldiering skills that are tracked and recorded in the system will follow you every step of the way towards trying to become an officer from an enlisted position. As a civilian, you don't have to answer to any of that (outside of law enforcement actions against you).

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If you can't get an active duty commission chances are very good you could get a reserve commission.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jun 15 at 2021 8:38 PM

2021-06-15T20:38:39-04:00

You are halfway through. Contact ROTC and an officer recruiter and talk about options for becoming an Officer. Stay in school and finish what you started. Enlisting will do nothing but push back you finishing your degree for years while you go through training and submit for programs to finish your degree when you are already where you need to be to finish.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Jun 16 at 2021 9:20 PM

2021-06-16T21:20:07-04:00

ROTC is the biggest source of Commissioned Officers in the Army today. Also get your degree first, Green to Gold can be delayed or just outright subverted by your Chain of Command once you enlist. Depends on your local Chain of Command if your going to officer school once you enlist and they can say NO based on a whim of their own choice. ROTC your guaranteed a shot at a Commission as long as you graduate. Of course Recruiters want you to enlist now that is their job. Do what is best for you, which is always college degree first before Army......unless you looking for a break in education then Enlisted - Seperation from Army and then College Degree is OK. You sound like you want to be an Officer so your first priority is the college degree. ROTC will make it easier via pay and coursework which will boost your GPA.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2021 10:41 AM

2021-06-18T10:41:33-04:00

BLUF: FINISH YOUR DEGREE.
A recruiter will tell you to go G2G because they want a contract NOW.
That doesn't mean that's the best option for you. Contact ROTC, finish your degree and go from there. Remember, it's YOUR career, not anyone else's