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To those who went through OCS as a college graduate with no prior service, what was it like?
I'm a year and a half out of college and I decided to leave the field I went to school for after a year of a job. I graduated cum laude in communications and minored in history from a four-year Catholic school.
Now that I'm in better shape than where I used to be, I wanted to look into military service and I figured after talking with some vets I know who were officers and with recruiters that the best route regardless of what branch would be trying to earn a commission and going through Officer Commission School.
If you went through OCS having no prior service or ROTC, what was it like during and after? Do your superiors and platoon sergeants generally get that you're new to this whole military thing? What was your first assignment like?
I'm a year and a half out of college and I decided to leave the field I went to school for after a year of a job. I graduated cum laude in communications and minored in history from a four-year Catholic school.
Now that I'm in better shape than where I used to be, I wanted to look into military service and I figured after talking with some vets I know who were officers and with recruiters that the best route regardless of what branch would be trying to earn a commission and going through Officer Commission School.
If you went through OCS having no prior service or ROTC, what was it like during and after? Do your superiors and platoon sergeants generally get that you're new to this whole military thing? What was your first assignment like?
Officer Candidate School (OCS) (Army)
OCS
2ndLt
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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I just recently commissioned in August. I was out of college for 2 years before I went the OCS route. You will be taught the Army Values and learn they way of the Army at basic. From there you can go Federal, State, or State Accelerated OCS depending on certain factors.
OCS is a very challenging school that will test you on your ability to lead, think, and overcome stress to make a decision. You will be smoked a lot, you will fail a lot, but you will succeed if you stick with it.
You are expected to be, know, and do at all times. You have to put in a lot of work to be successful and grasp all leadership concepts. The biggest point of study is they 8 Troop Leading Procedures.
The end result is beyond worth all the hard work. You will be in charge of a Platoon, working right along side your Platoon Sergeant. Awesome feeling.
OCS is a very challenging school that will test you on your ability to lead, think, and overcome stress to make a decision. You will be smoked a lot, you will fail a lot, but you will succeed if you stick with it.
You are expected to be, know, and do at all times. You have to put in a lot of work to be successful and grasp all leadership concepts. The biggest point of study is they 8 Troop Leading Procedures.
The end result is beyond worth all the hard work. You will be in charge of a Platoon, working right along side your Platoon Sergeant. Awesome feeling.
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CPT (Join to see)
Nothing about basic is difficult. It is a daily grind and right of passage. If you have the right mind set you will be just fine. Honestly, you will most likely be older than 3/4 of the other trainees. You will get smoked for their mistakes. It’s a team building exercise.
In OCS, you lead and follow. The hardest part is having the mental agility to let others lead you even if you know they are making the wrong decision. You will pay for the price, but that is OCS.
You can never doubt yourself or your ability to lead. If you do that, TACS will feast on you. The best thing you can do is read ADRP 6-22 and be in good physical shape.
Boarding might be the easiest part of OCS. You will be asked to talk about yourself and why you want to be an officer. Too easy.
In OCS, you lead and follow. The hardest part is having the mental agility to let others lead you even if you know they are making the wrong decision. You will pay for the price, but that is OCS.
You can never doubt yourself or your ability to lead. If you do that, TACS will feast on you. The best thing you can do is read ADRP 6-22 and be in good physical shape.
Boarding might be the easiest part of OCS. You will be asked to talk about yourself and why you want to be an officer. Too easy.
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CPT (Join to see) - What branch were you assigned to upon commissioning and what has been your first assignment(s)?
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CPT (Join to see)
I am a Bridging Engineer Platoon Leader currently. Previously, a horizontal engineer Platoon Leader.
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CPT Laurie H.
This is exactly it. I went to basic then OCS about 2 years out of college, two things to add:
I had no idea what I was doing when I went in for the board. Your interviewers will know you have no military experience, and won’t expect you to have very specific knowledge. It’s a job interview, that’s the best way to treat it.
Yes, you’re new, and your superiors in training will know that and it is absolutely no excuse for not knowing something. Everyone in basic is new so the whole thing is a learning process, but once you’re at OCS you’re standing next to a 10 year vet and expected to perform. Lean on your peers, ask them for help if you need it, and you’ll be fine. As for after, experiences vary. Be humble, ask if you need help, let your NCOs show you the way, and become a mentor to your soldiers. You may not have Army experience, but you have a lot more life experience than a lot of them, so don’t be afraid to share it!
I had no idea what I was doing when I went in for the board. Your interviewers will know you have no military experience, and won’t expect you to have very specific knowledge. It’s a job interview, that’s the best way to treat it.
Yes, you’re new, and your superiors in training will know that and it is absolutely no excuse for not knowing something. Everyone in basic is new so the whole thing is a learning process, but once you’re at OCS you’re standing next to a 10 year vet and expected to perform. Lean on your peers, ask them for help if you need it, and you’ll be fine. As for after, experiences vary. Be humble, ask if you need help, let your NCOs show you the way, and become a mentor to your soldiers. You may not have Army experience, but you have a lot more life experience than a lot of them, so don’t be afraid to share it!
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I honestly expected it to be worse. People will tell you the horror stories so that's really all you expect walking in but it wasn't that bad in retrospect. About 12-15 guys in my platoon were experienced priors and were always helpful in putting together the little bells and whistles the SIs expected.
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I commissioned back in August as well. Having gone through OCS with the MA National Guard I can tell you that the experience you will have will depend on which route you take (active, reserve, or guard) and potential where you live if you choose the guard. Every OCS program is accredited by Federal OCS so the standards are all the same, the difference comes in with TAC/PTOs. Some state programs are more physically demanding than other states by keeping the pressure up until the very end. others states have it easier. Keep in mind what happens for one class may not happen for yours as there are many factors that contribute to the environment (needs of the Army/ quotas do exist, your class' performance, and the approach of the school trainers to name a few).
Basic Training as it has been said is really easy, while there your number one priority is to learn how to follow. ROTC candidates typically don't go through Basic but all your future soldiers did, which, is why I think its a great opportunity to learn a little of what its like to be a 'Joe'. Go in with a good attitude and be a positive influence with your platoon while your there. Don't worry about leadership positions while you're there, you might get one, you might not just be a good team player.
OCS advice: you think you're in good shape now, that's great but keep at it. As an officer soldiers will look to you to set the standard. SO if you're just ok at PT then they will follow. A minimum for officers really ought to be 270. CPT Baumgart suggests that the OCS grad rate is 90% - that may be true in certain states year to year or at federal, though my class started with about 40 candidates and we graduated with 12. I would say that of the failures (a few candidates dropped out for life reasons/ family problems) two thirds were from lack of physical fitness/ no mental toughness and the remainder failed land navigation. So keep working at PT and when you learn land nav at basic soak in as much information as you can.
As a newly minted 2LT your attitude will determine how you are treated most of the time. The large majority of NCOs will give your rank respect and you respect if you're humble.
Basic Training as it has been said is really easy, while there your number one priority is to learn how to follow. ROTC candidates typically don't go through Basic but all your future soldiers did, which, is why I think its a great opportunity to learn a little of what its like to be a 'Joe'. Go in with a good attitude and be a positive influence with your platoon while your there. Don't worry about leadership positions while you're there, you might get one, you might not just be a good team player.
OCS advice: you think you're in good shape now, that's great but keep at it. As an officer soldiers will look to you to set the standard. SO if you're just ok at PT then they will follow. A minimum for officers really ought to be 270. CPT Baumgart suggests that the OCS grad rate is 90% - that may be true in certain states year to year or at federal, though my class started with about 40 candidates and we graduated with 12. I would say that of the failures (a few candidates dropped out for life reasons/ family problems) two thirds were from lack of physical fitness/ no mental toughness and the remainder failed land navigation. So keep working at PT and when you learn land nav at basic soak in as much information as you can.
As a newly minted 2LT your attitude will determine how you are treated most of the time. The large majority of NCOs will give your rank respect and you respect if you're humble.
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