What are the Army/Navy OCS Requirements for Prior Service?

PO2 Ken James — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 16:23:35 -0400

What is the current OCS requirements for Army/Navy and would I qualify? I am interested in going to the Medical Service Corps route but will take any openings I qualify for. I was in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (E-5) and got out back in 2015. I'm on my last year of my Bachelor's degree and have a 3.2 GPA on Health Services Management. I will be 28 years old by the time I graduate.

Response by SPC Jovani Daviu made Mar 19 at 2018 5:13 PM

SPC Jovani Daviu — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:13:56 -0400

REQUIREMENTS:
In order to qualify for Officer Candidate School as an active duty, enlisted Soldier, you must be:
1. A college graduate with at least a four-year degree
2. Must not have more than six years of Active Federal Service (AFS) upon arrival at OCS
3. Between 19 and 32 years old (you must enter active duty or ship to training by your 33rd birthday and accept commission prior to age 34)
4. Eligible for a secret security clearance
In order to qualify for Officer Candidate School as a civilian, you must be:
1. A U.S. citizen
2. A college graduate with at least a four-year degree
3. Between 19 and 32 years old (you must enter active duty or ship to training by your 33rd birthday and accept commission prior to age 34)
4. Eligible for a secret security clearance

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 19 at 2018 5:20 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:20:37 -0400

You should also put in for USAF Med Svc Corps or Boomed Science Corps, whichever is applicable, as well, I'm apsomsemding something else you might want to think about, OK?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 19 at 2018 5:22 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:22:13 -0400

https://www.usphs.gov/profession/healthservices/default.aspx

Look at these, and submit to them also, you've got nothing to lose, and everything to possibly gain by trying, you never kmow, you might luck out here, if I'd known USPHS existed, I'd have gone that route to start with, honest, just a thought I'd figured might interest you, OK?

USPHS: Health Services Health Services Careers at USPHS Commissioned Corps

USPHS Commissioned Corps health services careers: biological and social sciences, optometry, medical technology, computer science, health education and more.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 19 at 2018 5:23 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:23:24 -0400

And what masters did you want? Any svc is gonna insist that you go masters level from the very spfirst day, I assure you...what !asters or PhD thereafter would you want? What majors?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 19 at 2018 5:25 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:25:22 -0400

I'll send you some other stuff as soon as I can as well, there are fellowships at the Natl Library of Med (NLM) of NIH in med/health IT that you might seriously want to try for, also, a !asters and PhD in IT could get you to to the top of that food chain a whole lot quicker, possibly honest, OK? I'd ne most eager to know your thoughts....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 19 at 2018 5:27 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:27:38 -0400

In Army OCS the branches were decided by a wish list of the candidates to the needs of the Army. Talk to a recruiter. Ask the recruiter about Branch Detail. It allows you go to a branch for two years then you get to switch branches.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 19 at 2018 5:28 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:28:16 -0400

And when I was USAF OTS, there were a lot of prior enlistees there from multiple svcs, one guy had Navy enlisted dolphins, so it's quite common, from what I'd seen, honest....ISPHS also jas generally higher age limits, from what I've read, plus, you can ask to be assigned to a regular SVC sometimes as USPHS, Army uses USPHS a good deal for psych care, iphlth info I dont kmow, though you could ask, you could also ask to ne assigned to USCG, USPHS aside from PAs, ISCG jas their own, USPHS is routinely assigned to USCG, just another thought....

Response by CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana made Mar 19 at 2018 8:28 PM

CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 20:28:15 -0400

There is a limit on how long one can be out of service to 're-enlist. Three or six years was the limit earlier, but I am not sure of now. If it is six years then, 2005 and 2018 is much more than the limit by seven years. If this limitation has been waived then, your age is fine too.

Response by CPT Enrique M. made Mar 19 at 2018 9:55 PM

CPT Enrique M. — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 21:55:03 -0400

You can ask for a direct comission as health services administrator ( 70A) . But to be competitive i think you need a masters. Have you contacted a AMEDD recruiter yet?

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Oct 22 at 2018 12:15 PM

CDR Terry Boles — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 12:15:50 -0400

PO2 Ken James
Basically entrance requirements will be the same for all services, including the USPHS. I do agree a masters degree is preferable and if accepted into OTS you should eventually pursue for career advancement. Having served both AF and USPHS, I’d suggest stay DoD service as I think you would be more fulfilled with your medical service corps career.

Best advice, seek an officer recruiter for each service you are interested in and interview them. Types of duty, duty locations, career advancements, education advancement opportunities and more should be some of your topics.

Being a Mustang officer myself, best career move ever. Best of luck!