What is the best way for a young soldier to become an officer, ROTC or OCS?

2018-01-08T14:20:52-05:00

What is "the best" way for a young, promising soldier to go about commissioning in the Army/NG/Reserves?

I have been enlisted for just over two years and I believe that my short military career has been a tremendous experience. I know what it's like to be out in the field, working my tail off, sweating through uniforms on a hot summers day. This passed year at a training event, some of the soldiers in my battery had a very interesting discussion about the pros and cons of certain commissioning outlets, specifically ROTC and OCS.

Some soldiers argued that ROTC was the best way to obtain a commission because it allowed you to become a LT at (usually) a young(er) age. Being put in a position with such responsibility makes you "mature" quickly and you become adaptive. ROTC not only keeps a young soldier on task to obtain there degree, but provides practice and experience in some things soldiers may not get enough practice with on the enlisted side such as Drill and Ceremony. It is also noted that ROTC can provide great monetary benefits for reservists who are already using state allocated funds.

Others argued that OCS was without a doubt the best way to become a officer. Being able to have leadership experience on the enlisted side of the rank structure usually translates to a better relationship with your soldiers. To be a good leader one needs to have been a really good follower beforehand. Some argued that there was sort of "silent" respect by enlisted personnel to officers who have been in enlisted leadership roles before and passed the rigorous OCS.

What's your opinion on the matter? What is the best way for a promising young soldier to become an officer? Should he/she stay enlisted and obtain a commission through OCS or finish college and graduate through an ROTC program.

Have you gone through either of these programs? Feel free to share why you chose your path what you learned along the way!

Photo Credit: DoD photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill, U.S. Army. (Released)

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Jan 8 at 2018 2:25 PM

2018-01-08T14:25:43-05:00

In all reality, either way is fine. However, what you will need to look at is whether or not you want to earn your degree outside the military or in. If you want to leave for a bit and go Green to Gold and do the ROTC route then that is fine. Go for it. OCS requires that you have already received a bachelors degree and you just need to go through a commissioning program. So, you can go to college on active duty or what have you and receive your 4 year degree and choose to then put in your packet to go to OCS or you can choose to drop a packet for Green to Gold and go to school for the four years and commission directly out of the program, or you can choose to leave the service altogether and go to a school to get your degree, utilizing an ROTC program if you like. Both routes are fine, they will get you the same end state.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2018 2:28 PM

2018-01-08T14:28:41-05:00

Your question incorrectly assumes that ROTC is for non-prior service soldiers and OCS is for only prior service soldiers. I went through ROTC after 5 years of being enlisted in the Marines. This worked well for me since I was already in college I could gain my commission while earning my degree. For those that already have a degree, civilian or not, ROTC is not an option.

As far as which one is better, you'll probably get different takes from different people. But my take on it is, if you're currently in school do ROTC. You'll get paid, learn some stuff, and when you graduate you're done. But like I said, if you've already completed college, that's not an option. But not everyone who goes through OCS is prior service.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Jan 8 at 2018 2:34 PM

2018-01-08T14:34:34-05:00

Don't rule out either one, both a viable way to obtain a commissioned Officer's rank. I both case the object is to prepare You to become a leader. It is true that prior enlisted people often become excellent Officers but like anything else its having put more experience under their belt and understanding how things work at one level before moving onto another. In many cases Military academies in example The Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel, Norwich University to name a few with ROTC programs are an excellent way to approach these leadership positions. In any event listen, learn and don't think You know all the answers, You will still have a lot to experience and continue to learn.

Response by Cpl John Barker made Jan 8 at 2018 2:42 PM

2018-01-08T14:42:12-05:00

Just remember if you get out you can't re enlist if your VA% is above 30, OCS was my plan after using GI bill but found out senior year of college even Honorable 1-A you can't get back in

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2018 2:59 PM

2018-01-08T14:59:49-05:00

If they're a young solider, most likely it means they are in and OCS is the way to go. Its also the faster route. If they have their degree completed, go that route. If they don't have their degree completed, I would recommend ROTC. The scholarship is extremely helpful and you'll undergo some good leadership experiences. I think it would be a mistake to say that OCS or ROTC officers are better than one or the other. Like any segment of society, you have good and bad, officer succession programs are no different.

Response by LTC Orlando Illi made Jan 8 at 2018 3:03 PM

2018-01-08T15:03:42-05:00

As an OCS Graduate I would recommend OCS

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2018 3:03 PM

2018-01-08T15:03:42-05:00

Thumbs Up For ROTC

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2018 3:09 PM

2018-01-08T15:09:25-05:00

Thumbs Up for OCS

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 8 at 2018 3:25 PM

2018-01-08T15:25:06-05:00

I would apply for all and take the first one that comes in. I had a saying back then "They only have to say yes once"

Response by CW2 Louis Melendez made Jan 8 at 2018 8:03 PM

2018-01-08T20:03:39-05:00

SPC Pelczarski,

I think that both are good options. There are a lot of pros and cons on both of them. I completed two years of ROTC before enlisting AD and I can affirm with no doubt that there are a lot of perks in the ROTC program not to mention that there it is an advantage for the “prior service” folks for obvious reasons. ROTC provides you with time to complete your degree, a scholarship, and the same amount of exposure to the “Officer world” that you will get in the other program.

Now, there are some advantages with the OCS program. Soldiers that go that route end up commissioning and going back operational in a month and some change. Therefore, this would be a good choice if you are more inclined to get it done quick and come back quick as an ”O”.

Don’t worry about what people say about the quality of leader that comes out of any of the programs. I’ve seen excellent leaders that graduated from both programs and definitely seen horrible leaders making it through both of the programs. The bottom line is that you will be successful either way because of your experience. Do some research, listen to the O’s that were prior Enlisted, and try to select the program that best suits your career. Good luck!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2018 7:30 AM

2018-01-09T07:30:31-05:00

If you are in the Army Reserve, I would strongly suggest you investigate the SMP program.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jan 9 at 2018 11:28 AM

2018-01-09T11:28:54-05:00

Well there are a few ways to become an officer.
If you already have a B.S. or B.A.:
You can go to OCS and commission that way.
Additionally if you have a degree in certain professional trades like medicine, law, theology you can be commissioned through special programs to fill slots for doctors, lawyers, and chaplains.
If you haven't:
You can stay in as an enlistedman and earn your degree, then go through OCS. (Note that this way can be difficult especially if you become an NCO while going to school as your free time vanishes as an NCO).
You can go green to gold. It is a program that sends you to college and puts you into an ROTC unit. You will commission the same as an officer who goes straight to ROTC from civilian.

The rarest of unicorns and applies to both college educated and non-educated:
Battlefield commission. (Extremely unlikely and I'm unsure if it's happened since Korea)

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2018 1:51 PM

2018-01-09T13:51:34-05:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member depends on what your timeline looks like. If you have a degree try direct commission or OCS. If you do not have a degree yet and want to hurry it up outside the military without distractions of military service you can do ROTC. BUT note that if you do ROTC without do it in conjunction with Reserves or Guard you will not get credit for time in service or retirement while doing ROTC.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2018 10:44 AM

2018-01-10T10:44:07-05:00

I enlisted in the Army with some college already complete. After a little while some of my peers suggested, and I took their suggestion, that I go back to school and get get commissioned as an officer. I did this with ROTC. There are (or were, it's been a while) routes besides OCS for enlisted soldiers to commission, like green to gold and degree completion. I ended up serving in the 82nd after I was commissioned, as an Infantry officer.

There are a lot of opinions out there about what the best commissioning source is. I don't personally buy any. Both as and E and an O, I served with excellent officers who came out of OCS, ROTC, and West Point. I also served with duds who came out of OCS, ROTC, and West Point. From my perspective there isn't any one source that offers an iron-clad promise of producing a quality officer. I'm not even sure I would extrapolate any "big-picture" trends. I think most of the OCS crowd will tell you they are the best, most of the Point people will tell you their are the best, and most of the ROTC people will tell you they are just as good as everyone else. I've personally never seen any quanta that suggest one is better than the other in any meaningful way, although I'm not even sure what those metrics or statistics would consist of.

When you call on a professional you don't generally care where he or she went to school; or at least I don't. When I go for a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant I tend to ask whether they are good at being a doctor, lawyer, or accountant. I tend to ask other people who have worked with that professional what their opinion is. Those become the metrics. In my experience being an officer in the army isn't all that different. At the end of the day, both other officers (from above) and enlisted soldiers (from below) want to know whether they can count on you to do the right thing and get it done. I'm not sure how many of my soldiers ever even were aware of where I was commissioned. It wasn't a subject of conversation. But what kind of officer I was, that was a topic of conversation, and it will be in any unit any where.

The curriculum in all of those sources is pretty consistent. West Point doesn't teach you anything about being an officer that you can't learn through ROTC or OCS. The Army doesn't have wildly different curriculum. Each is adapted to the needs of that particular environment - so timing, presentation, etc. But what you get out of it is always going to depend on you, and how you apply it later, that will also be unique.

Figure out what source is best FOR YOU and for YOUR NEEDS. That will be the best source.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jan 10 at 2018 11:40 AM

2018-01-10T11:40:51-05:00

Lots of considerations here. I see you're in the ArNG and work at a civilian job. Good for your! I was commissioned through ROTC, but in the Vietnam Era. I went from high school, to college, to the Air Force. Here's some ideas:
-Talk to an officer recruiter for each Service component you're interested in. For example, talk with an ArNG officer recruiter, an Air Force recruiter, etc.; don't overlook the Coast Guard
-All of the Services, to my knowledge, require a bachelors degree for commissioning so decide how you'll meet that requirement
-If you are eligible for the GI Bill, then plan to use it to pay for college
-Advantages to ROTC: attend classes and drill at your university. Usually low pressure environment. More academic than operational. As prior service, you may have a specific curriculum leading to a commission that only requires two years (4 semesters) of education plus some sort of "summer camp" for a month or so. After graduation you are commissioned a 2 LT or Ensign.
-Disadvantages to ROTC: spending hours in class every semester and attending weekly drills plus other required ROTC activities to get a commission. The courses have a cost and may or may not be allowed credit in your major. Not all Services have ROTC programs at all Universities. USCG doesn't do ROTC. You may have to balance the Service type of ROTC you want against the quality of education the University offers in your desired major.
-Advantages to OCS: Get the education and training over in a few weeks. Doesn't interfere with University education or "experience." Length of OCS/OTS may vary by service and your planned officer specialty. Put in the time and effort in one surge and graduate as a 2 LT or Ensign.
-Disadvantages of OCS: You have to eat the whole elephant in a few weeks instead of a couple of years. The surge may not work out well for you physically or mentally depending on your individual disposition.

As a pilot training instructor, I saw new LTs from Academy, ROTC, and OTS. After about 6 weeks you couldn't tell the difference. Only the Academy grads and prior service had an advantage at first because they has lived the military for four years before getting their commission and starting pilot training. The ROTC and OTS folks had some adapting to do, but most handled it with no problem.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2018 12:52 PM

2018-01-10T12:52:33-05:00

I recently commissioned through ROTC as an Army Reserve Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) Cadet. Either way, a 4 year degree is a must. I believe you can go through OCS as long as you have 90 college credits, but you have to finish your degree within a specific time frame or you lose your commission. I did the ROTC route, so I am biased and know little about OCS. As others have stated, ROTC keeps you on a strict path to a degree with the potential to make great money during college, along with achieving your goal of becoming an officer. ROTC was a giant time sucker, but I had a lot of fun, learned a lot, and made lifelong friends.

Being a member of the guard, you would become an SMP Cadet. This is, by far, the best position to be in. Assuming you get a Guaranteed Reserve Forces Scholarship (GRFD), which you very likely would, you would have a lot of advantages.

Guarantees: - Monthly ROTC stipend based on your academic year (Up to $500 your senior year)
- $600 book stipend each semester
- Drill pay each month (around $300 in your pocket for a muta-4)
- Full tuition/fees reimbusred each semester

The only thing that I am not totally confident in is the $5,000 "living expenses" check each semester through the guard. I believe that depends on which state NG you are in. I went to school in ND, and all of my guard friends got everything I listed above PLUS an extra $5,000 in their pocket each semester. They all graduated debt free with $20,000+ in their pockets from being smart with their cash.

However, this whole thing comes down to tailoring the best plan for your situation. ROTC, OCS or even a service academy could be the best choice for you. I hope this information on ROTC helped a bit. If you have any more questions, let me know!

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jan 11 at 2018 11:06 PM

2018-01-11T23:06:58-05:00

It is situation dependent... OCS, ROTC and USMA... are all good options. OCS worked best for me.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2018 11:50 PM

2018-01-11T23:50:46-05:00

I’m prior service and in ROTC at my college. I was going back to school anyway so i figured why not kill 2 birds with one stone? Get my degree and commission. The program of course varies by school so if you’re looking into ROTC you need to talk to someone at the university your interested in. Also there are two different contacts you can sign. One is a full ride, so tuition room board etc (scholarship cadet), but you’re obligated to serve in the guard or reserve for 6 years. The other is to not take the full ride (non-scholarship) you still get paid a stipend plus GI Bill and a kicker or TA. this option is for those who want to compete to go active. Notice i said compete. It’s not guaranteed. But the higher your GPA & the better you do at camp you can get slotted an active spot and even pick your branch and first duty station.

Response by CPT Ray Doeksen made Jan 12 at 2018 3:57 PM

2018-01-12T15:57:04-05:00

As always, it depends! I'd say take whatever you can latch onto .. I liked my ROTC experience and having 4 years to get used to what I was getting into, but someone with prior service might want to relatively fast-track .. IF and only IF you have a slot to get into OCS in your hand. If you don't have a slot for OCS, and if you want/need to get through college at the same time, a good ROTC program can be a great and comfortable addition to that college experience.

Response by LTC John Griscom made Jan 26 at 2018 5:51 PM

2018-01-26T17:51:08-05:00

Either way is a good method of obtaining a commission. The decision to continue a career will be based on education. To advance in rank will require more formal education at the college level. If college has not been completed, sign up for the advanced ROTC program.

Response by CPT Bob Deissig made Feb 10 at 2018 2:05 PM

2018-02-10T14:05:32-05:00

At the end of the day a leader is a leader. I served with officers from OCS, ROTC, and West Point. All three produce great officers, really incompetent officers, and those who fit somewhere in between.
I received my commission in the Infantry through an ROTC program. After Officer Basic at Benning I worked my butt off to graduate from Ranger School with the tab. Great experience that tested my leadership abilities. So when I joined an Infantry unit in Korea, the NCOs in my platoon viewed me differently because of that, which helped me feel more comfortable in my first troop command. They were super men, and in the six months I was there they taught me a great deal. When I arrived in Vietnam, I thought I was ready. And I was.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2018 12:00 AM

2018-02-21T00:00:27-05:00

There is no real 'best' avenue. I was a direct commission. So, no academy experience, no ROTC and no OCS. But, I had served 10 years was a Tactical NCO Instructor, where I taught NCOES and my field allowed for direct commission (Medical Service Corps). Depending on your career field, direct commission may not be available. But, each path has advantages and disadvantages.
- An academy appointment is tough to get but you get a quality education and an opportunity to belong to a great tradition. However, many 'ring knockers' come to the field with great theory and no practical sense. If they are worth their salt, they lead but let their NCOs develop them on the basics while their Rater and Senior Rater prepare them for their next assignment.
- ROTC is similar to the academy, except you get to choose your college and if accepted to the ROTC program, get a fine education but less rigorous than at the academy. You don't have the same pressures to be a Army, Air Force or Navy cadet 24x7, so there is more balance in your life. But again, your focus is on education with ROTC being secondary.
- OCS is great for the experienced service member and is often the preferred path for many current serving members. If you can get accepted, you get some of the toughest tactical and troop leading training you can find. Unlike the academy or ROTC, you already have to have much of your college education completed or have graduated to get accepted. The sole focus of OCS is to refine the basic skills you possess, introduce troop leading skills and prepare you for your first office assignment. It is 24x7 military focus with an emphasis on being educated and trained on Military art and science

Just a reminder, not everyone is cut-out to being an officer and making a decision to cross over to the 'dark side' is a tough one for any enlisted or NCO service member. But, once you make that decision, remember where you came from, lead when provided the opportunity, listen to your NCOs, get a mentor (or two) and step out smartly.

Response by LCDR William Breyfogle made Feb 21 at 2018 9:23 PM

2018-02-21T21:23:36-05:00

Statistics show that the largest source component of the officer corps for the four major armed services has always been the ROTC.

Something no one else has seemed to mention is the Army's Warrant Officer program. If you've got an MOS that lends itself to a hardware-oriented career field (flight school, etc) you might also consider these specialized officer groups.

Having said all that, the Navy has a unique Limited Duty Officer program which takes E6 andE7 enlisted and commissions them within their former enlisted specialties.

So, Go Navy and LDO for CNO

Response by CPT Earl George made Feb 22 at 2018 6:26 AM

2018-02-22T06:26:01-05:00

Depends on what is available to you. I would say ROTC because that is the way I went. Bottom line: They usually don't ask a LT how he got his commission, they just expect you to get the job done.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2018 10:30 PM

2018-02-22T22:30:04-05:00

Depending on your age and depend status have you considered West Point? I myself did a few years enlisted and then applied for a green to gold scholarship to commission out of ROTC. My daughter did a couple of years enlisted before going to the West Point prep school and will be graduating this May. I once considered waiting and going to OCS before applying for the scholarship but my platoon leader talked me out of it. He said, why are you waiting to apply for OCS? If you don’t have a college degree you will need to get one so just apply for a scholarship and get your degree. My wife was an LT so using my scholarship, the GI bill, and her 1LT pay I made it through school, had one kid my sr year and another during flight school, 29 years later we are both O6s and living the dream. It doesn’t matter which path you take. Just do it!!

Response by PO2 Matt Shippee made Mar 20 at 2018 4:30 PM

2018-03-20T16:30:13-04:00

Well, I myself was JROTC in HS, but entered and stayed enlisted. ROTC is as good for a PO as any officer that started that way.

Response by CPT Timothy Hernandez made Mar 25 at 2018 10:10 PM

2018-03-25T22:10:35-04:00

Having been an NCO that declined E7 for O1 I’ve been on both sides of the fence. Both commissioning sources are great options. However I think the seldom talked of benefit is the opportunity to continue acrual of time in service (TIS) and retirement points (RP) while commissioning.

OCS allows you to accrue both TIS and RP while commissioning as you take no break in service to commission.

ROTC only allows you to continue to accrue TIS and RP whole commissining through the Green to Gold Program. If you are a regular cadet, not a Green to Gold cadet, than you are considered to be taking a break in service while commissioning.

If you can get into the Green to Gold program than I think this is the best way to go, as you get the benefits of still accruing TIS and RP while enjoying the academic benefits on University life.

There is a third option for prior service applicants. West Point allows enlisted servicemembers an opportunity to commission through the academy. It works the same as Green to Gold, the only difference being you attend West Point rather than a regular University.

If given the opportunity you should go to West Point, especially if you want to make a career out of the Army. The Army actively strives to retain West Point officers more so than ROTC or OCS. If you are a top block officer than the Army will want to retain you, but West Point retention is a reality.

Response by CPT Jeff Robinette made Mar 30 at 2018 10:38 PM

2018-03-30T22:38:19-04:00

I went through ROTC. I was commissioned on 7th December 1979. If you already have your bachelor's you can go directly through OCS if you don't have your bachelor's you need to go through an ROTC program it's going to take you more time you're going to go in advanced camp. Your school is going to do a good deal of basic military training for you. You're going to know left from right face you want to know how to do your basic facing movements you're going to learn Manual of arms they're going to take the time to teach you how to read a map and when you get to advanced camp, you'll actually get tested on those skills. At your basic officers course whatever Branch to go to you're going to learn more in-depth part about your specific MOS. As far as the best way to get your commission that's one of the pens solely on you and he wanted tells you difference is either a fool or doesn't know what he's talking about you're the person that is going to make that decision for you.
As far as the best way to earn your commission at depends on you it depends on the individual officer I've served with guys that had Direct commission supposed to their their MOS and their schooling. I served with OCS graduates that we're just super I've served with West pointers I've served with ROTC guys it strictly depends on the individual they're driving their motivation I hope that answers your question

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Apr 8 at 2018 3:58 AM

2018-04-08T03:58:44-04:00

I always heard that OCS was better than ROTC. Because going thru OCS, you weren't thought as a dumb ass boy/girl wonder. You had at least one enlistment under your belt. Knew what it was like in the real military already. And chances are you already were a squad leader/section supervisor, which meant you could seek out the best qualities of the people under you and lead them the proper way. ROTC, called you a leader, but that wasn't really for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or under real pressure from day to day.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2018 3:53 PM

2018-12-22T15:53:12-05:00

Get a bachelor's degree. If you qualify, attend a service academy, the ROTC program at The Citadel, VMI, Texas A&M, Florida State, any ROTC program, or failing that, OCS / OTS, etc.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Apr 3 at 2019 12:26 PM

2019-04-03T12:26:45-04:00

Rotc

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Apr 3 at 2019 12:51 PM

2019-04-03T12:51:24-04:00

Check out ltg Dennis Benchoff and ltg Ron hite. Ron was ROTC. Dennis west point. Both are still alive.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2019 1:02 PM

2019-04-03T13:02:28-04:00

West Point.

Response by CPT Earl George made Apr 3 at 2019 1:10 PM

2019-04-03T13:10:24-04:00

I do not believe there is a "BEST" way. The gold bar you are wearing puts you in charge. How it got there does not mean a whole lot. There are advantages and disadvantages from the different ways of obtaining a commission.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 3 at 2019 2:33 PM

2019-04-03T14:33:38-04:00

OCS is generally for the folks who have bachelor degrees.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Apr 4 at 2019 12:50 AM

2019-04-04T00:50:41-04:00

ROTC. OCS is too quick. Go ordnance.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Apr 5 at 2019 4:41 PM

2019-04-05T16:41:38-04:00

SPC Pelczarski, being in ARNG for just over two years, really doesn't qualify you to be officer material. As an enlisted man you need more than "just over two years" of true military experience. If you don't want to be just another 2nd Lt, then go regular ARMY for another 4 to 6 years to gain more experience, especially in map reading, land navigation and leadership skills. Once you've done this, apply to either OCS or ROTC. Good luck

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2019 11:01 PM

2019-05-13T23:01:32-04:00

If you have an opportunity to earn an ROTC scholarship, I’d say go for that instead of OCS. OCS is for those who already have a degree. I wouldn’t have as much education debt as I have now if I had applied for ROTC scholarships after my 4 year enlistment.

Response by LTC Elaine Gullotta made Feb 10 at 2022 9:15 AM

2022-02-10T09:15:25-05:00

I agree with the comments of others here. Either one is good. It’s about finding the one that works with where you are in life. Also, If you’re in college but your school doesn’t offer ROTC then consider OCS in the National Guard as each state has a program. It’s long (16 months) but only 1 weekend a month.