Posted on Jun 3, 2018
What are the best books to read before attending Army OCS?
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Looking for the best books to read before ARMY OCS. Interested to hear what everyone thinks. (Doesn't have to be OCS related.. Leadership etc..)
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Edited 7 y ago
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 52
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What will help you out tremendously at OCS is reading FM 3.21.8 Infantry Platoon and Squad Tactics and the OCS SOP which you can find on the US Army MCOE site. Learn those two things and you will be in great shape. You will be light years ahead of other students you are competing with. Also, skim over all of America's conflicts. Notice I said skim. When you get to history Doc Campbell has a very unique way of teaching it so keep an open mind. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I just left the course 2 weeks ago.
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2LT (Join to see)
Make sure you go to COMMANDOS and grab the OCS Required Knowledge and study it every chance you get!
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OCS is not a grad school level course. You should be more concerned about leadership at the tactical level. Concentrate on what LT Tolliver said plus FM 5-0 (Operations Process). Also memorize your required OCS knowledge. You should read the above over and over again and use the rest of your time to workout/run. You will be quizzed and tested on tactics and operations. You will also be tested on land navigation (make sure you know how to use a map and MGRS) and lots of physical stuff (running and road marching). The other books are great but a waste of time in prep for ocs...
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Slaughterhouse-Five.
You didn't specify whether they had to be OCS related.
You didn't specify whether they had to be OCS related.
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2LT (Join to see)
I have a very extensive library of books you might be interested in. But I would suggest you learn FM 3.21.8 and the OCS SOP.
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2LT (Join to see)
Check out: Hal Moore on Leadership, Colin Powell: It worked for Me, Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, The Mission, The Men and Me by Peter Blaber, and The Face of Battle by John Keegan. I definitely have more.
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Book-reading doesn't really apply to actual OCS prep, other than the FM as 2LT (Join to see) mentioned. Training your body and your basic soldier skills is more appropriate to the success of the actual course.
But for general preparedness as an officer I recommend: Dereliction of Duty, Black Hearts, The Three Meter Zone, About Face, Tribe, and The American Military Tradition.
But for general preparedness as an officer I recommend: Dereliction of Duty, Black Hearts, The Three Meter Zone, About Face, Tribe, and The American Military Tradition.
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I would recommend you google the topic and then go to the various DA publications and regulations and become familiar with what you read.
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Also, Reminiscences by Douglas MacArthur, the autobiography of Edward Rickenbacker, and American Caesar and The Arms of Krupp bymWilliam Manchester on MacArthur, as well as the German Krupp dynasty through WW2....
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I'll wait now, digest all that, I'd be most eager gormyour thoughts, hope was of at least some use, enjoy....
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http://www.nape.org
This also, of you're engrg, a PE license is a very good credential to have, I assure yoacceptable....u, or in Amy STEM field that might be acceptable, e.g., comp sci (CS), maybe IT....
This also, of you're engrg, a PE license is a very good credential to have, I assure yoacceptable....u, or in Amy STEM field that might be acceptable, e.g., comp sci (CS), maybe IT....
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The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) promotes the art, science & practice of multidisciplinary engineering around the globe.
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