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Good morning! I am reaching out hoping to find anyone who has joined the Army via the college option for OCS. I have no prior service experience, but I do have a B.A. I've passed my boards and signed my contract already, but I have a lot of questions about the OCS experience, job selection, and life as an Army Officer. Most people I have been in touch with commissioned through ROTC or were enlisted for a number of years prior. I am really interested to see if anyone else joined the same way I am and what their experience was like/things they maybe wished they had known sooner. Thank you so much!
Posted in these groups: 
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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Congratz on joining the Army and your choice to become an officer candidate! Things I wish I had known... OCS is the most challenging/rewarding way to commission; read everything you can about platoon tactics and the ranger handbook, PT hard, read ADP 6-22, PT more, google Army TLPs and memorize it (your about to live and breath it) while you PT harder, study ADP 6-0 and memorize the structure of an OPORD, PT more. most importantly, know you will mess up, it’s designed to be that way. Have the fortitude and drive to get over it quickly. We lost a lot of candidates who could not mentally overcome. As far as experience as an officer... everyone has a different experience... remember it is part of your job as a leader to make the experience a good one for your soldiers. You will direct, provide them purpose, motivate, and improve them. I hope this helps you get a step ahead so you can focus on becoming a great leader in training. Good Luck!!!
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Instagram: @kidthndr2 Snapchat : @klop95 If you need my email its on one of my videos or just ask.
Please watch this VLOG. I went through Federal OCS with this guy. His vlogs is a good insight of how ocs works and what to expect.
https://youtu.be/u2gQCQUjm2k
https://youtu.be/u2gQCQUjm2k
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Where to start? This is like asking what your college experience was like. Do you have any specific questions?
I went OCS @ Ft. Benning....and commissioned in OCT '12. It was rewarding. I loved it - but made it something I'd love.
1. Run for student council (Lots of extracurricular stuff that was fun)
2. Work your ass off and be particular and have attention to detail
3. Follow instructions perfectly, memorize shit
4. Start running and PT'ing now - harder than yesterday
5. Don't quit
6. Work harder
7. Enjoy an amazing time
Also - all those fucking dressers and desks up in your living quarters - my class hauled that shit up there while living in the cockroach infested old buildings down my the Airborne DFAC. Enjoy you bastard.
Kidding aside. Have fun - ask more specific questions and we will help. Cheers Stephanie.
I went OCS @ Ft. Benning....and commissioned in OCT '12. It was rewarding. I loved it - but made it something I'd love.
1. Run for student council (Lots of extracurricular stuff that was fun)
2. Work your ass off and be particular and have attention to detail
3. Follow instructions perfectly, memorize shit
4. Start running and PT'ing now - harder than yesterday
5. Don't quit
6. Work harder
7. Enjoy an amazing time
Also - all those fucking dressers and desks up in your living quarters - my class hauled that shit up there while living in the cockroach infested old buildings down my the Airborne DFAC. Enjoy you bastard.
Kidding aside. Have fun - ask more specific questions and we will help. Cheers Stephanie.
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Stephanie Lozano
This is all really helpful, thank you. Did you use the MDMP as the primary guide for how to coordinate/operate on missions? I like your point about not being afraid to fail, that makes me feel much more confidant! Thank you again for taking the time to respond.
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CPT (Join to see)
Stephanie Lozano - The MDMP is used at a very high level, just know the main points:
Receipt of Mission
Mission Analysis
Course of action (COA) Development
COA Analysis (aka Wargaming)
COA Comparison
COA Approval
Orders Production, Dissemination, and Transition
You will be given tasks to solve - For example a field exercise where you are taken out to an area on Benning somewhere and are briefed on an enemy position. If you have the MDMP steps memorized, you'll be a step ahead on building your sand table and putting together your COA's. Be confident in those steps. You'll do very well. Many candidates sucked at public speaking - if you do - don't focus on everyone standing around judging you - just pretend you are having a conversation with one person (without oddly staring at that one person, lol). Never be afraid to present/brief/get up in front o fpeople - and if you do, do it more and more.
Even today - MUCH respect is given for those people that brief well - even if they are an asshole - I've respected a solid briefer. "Good morning Sir/Ma'am, SGM ..." and bam right into the brief like a pro. It is something solid to have - especially as a young leader. Now, go and kick ass.
Receipt of Mission
Mission Analysis
Course of action (COA) Development
COA Analysis (aka Wargaming)
COA Comparison
COA Approval
Orders Production, Dissemination, and Transition
You will be given tasks to solve - For example a field exercise where you are taken out to an area on Benning somewhere and are briefed on an enemy position. If you have the MDMP steps memorized, you'll be a step ahead on building your sand table and putting together your COA's. Be confident in those steps. You'll do very well. Many candidates sucked at public speaking - if you do - don't focus on everyone standing around judging you - just pretend you are having a conversation with one person (without oddly staring at that one person, lol). Never be afraid to present/brief/get up in front o fpeople - and if you do, do it more and more.
Even today - MUCH respect is given for those people that brief well - even if they are an asshole - I've respected a solid briefer. "Good morning Sir/Ma'am, SGM ..." and bam right into the brief like a pro. It is something solid to have - especially as a young leader. Now, go and kick ass.
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CPT (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) Gee-All of that sounds familiar. Were we in the same class or something? :)
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