There's lots of information on basic. What's the difference between Officer Candidate School and Basic?

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 10:55:16 -0500

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2017 11:21 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:21:24 -0500

Army OCS and its various versions is one of three Commissioning sources for Soldiers to become officers. ROTC and West Point are the other two. Basic training makes one a Soldier, OCS makes one an officer and leader of Soldiers.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2017 11:49 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 11:49:38 -0500

Weekends off? Billeting?

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2017 12:14 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:14:09 -0500

As someone who has been to OCS (didn't graduate due to bad knees) I can tell you that OCS is 10x the physical aspect of Basic Training, plus you have classroom lectures and tests that you must pass to graduate. At OCS, you will run, then run some more, and then run again. I kid you not. When I was there in 2010, one of our instructors wrote on the board, "Running = Leadership = Running" So if you are a marathon runner, you are golden. If you are more intellectual and not so much a runner, you're going to have a tough time. That's why you almost always see Officers who like to run a lot; they were either really good at it before coming into the Army and got better at it, or were conditioned to do it while at OCS/West Point/ROTC. Officers are expected to lead their units from the front. That's why they put such an emphasis on running.

Response by CPT Lance Jones made Jan 26 at 2017 12:50 PM

CPT Lance Jones — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:50:24 -0500

Regardless, to get to Army OCS, you will have to go through BCT. You will THINK that you are repeating basic - at first. However, as the course progresses, you will start having more leadership courses. I was commissioned through OCS. Until you reach senior phase, you are pretty much restricted to the company area.

The OCS cadre are all 1LT's (Platoon leaders) and the CO is a Captain. Most of the subject matter instructors are either senior NCO's or officers. Both the physical and mental aspects of OCS are tough. I was a mustang having just come from the 82nd Airborne as an E-5.

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Jan 26 at 2017 3:00 PM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 15:00:54 -0500

Basic for the Army is the way most civilians get started. If you participated in JROTC/ROTC in high school, that was a "taste" of Army Basic while still in high school. OCS is something You have to apply to, and not everyone who applies gets selected. Are You still in high school? Have you participated in JROTC/ROTC? Does your high school have this program? The most important detail is the desire to serve our Great Nation, first and foremost.

Response by CPT Laurie H. made Jan 26 at 2017 4:21 PM

CPT Laurie H. — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 16:21:08 -0500

What OCS really looks like will also be different depending on what route you take. While you learn the same skills and are put through the same tests and training requirements, Federal OCS and Guard OCS (Either accelerated or traditional) are vastly different when it comes to time commitment and training environment. Having gone to Basic Training and traditional OCS with the National Guard, there are very few similarities I can draw between the two experiences other than lots of PT and not a ton of sleep.

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Jan 26 at 2017 6:47 PM

PO1 Tony Holland — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 18:47:04 -0500

knife and fork training

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2017 1:39 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 01:39:20 -0500

2LT Private RallyPoint Member The pay is the biggest. Both have yelling I am told. Also, the goal. The goal of basic is to prepare you for military life. OCS is to prepare you to switch from enlisted to officer.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2017 9:55 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 09:55:59 -0500

Basic training teaches you about being in the military and OCS teaches how to be a leader. Basic all you really have to do what your told and be a team player graduating will be expected. The only people failed basic was they wanted out. OCS is harder because you have to lead your peers and be a student. It's more physically and mentally challenging because you have to focus on multiple things at the same time (passing tests and making sure people are accounted for at training on time).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2017 3:39 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 15:39:27 -0500

The peer groups and level of experience are vastly different. In Basic, everyone is new to the Army. In OCS, everyone has some experience (Basic and a degree at minimum), and most are former NCOs or Warrants.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2017 6:49 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 18:49:45 -0500

The difference is that it's very easy to fail out of OCS because everything you do in training is individually scrutinized. That includes academic exams, PT, timed runs at 3 4 and 5 miles, land navigation, road marches, leadership exercises, peer reviews, etc. In BCT, everyone passes for the most part. About 1/3 of our class either recycled or were removed from the program for failing tests, lying, talking to others on the land nav course, failing in PT or runs, peer reviews, etc. Good luck!

Response by MAJ John Cantin made Feb 3 at 2017 6:42 PM

MAJ John Cantin — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 18:42:14 -0500

Greatest line from my TAC Officer in OCS -" Cantin, what does NCO stand for?" Non Commissioned Officer, Sir. "Wrong, for you it stands for No Chance Outside, better pass course" Loved OCS.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2017 4:10 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 16:10:12 -0500

It also depends if your talking Federal, State, or Accelerated. For those Guard SM.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2020 10:04 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:04:13 -0400

As a TAC NCO & First Sergeant at a Guard accelerated and traditional school, it is a vast difference from IET (basic) to OCS. For those that made it through, and the ones who honestly tried, I have a ton of respect. The NCO cadre vs. Officer Cadre were good cop/bad cop. TAC officers beat them down and the TAC NCOs pick the candidates back up, brush em off and show them how they failed so they can correct themselves. It's a ton of physical work but even more so academic. If you see a fresh LT show up at a unit as a total crap-bag, it's because he's given up and doesn't want to be there..not for a lack of training.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Aug 1 at 2021 5:32 PM

MSG Frank Kapaun — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:32:30 -0400

In OCS, they separate the goats from the sheep. Then commission the sheep.

Response by Maj Tim Rogers made Aug 3 at 2021 9:30 AM

Maj Tim Rogers — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:30:40 -0400

IDK about other Services, but a fundamental difference between Boot Camp and OCS is that while Boot Camp has the intent of turning civilians into Marines, where almost all recruits that begin the training finish it (less injuries, etc), OCS is an unabashed selection process, and they will drop an office candidate like a hot rock for any reason...including being a poor leader based on ones peer evaluations. Boot Camp will recycle a recruit to another company that's earlier in the training schedule. OCS will send the candidate home, and he or she would have to compete for another spot in a later year. Officer Selection Officers are reluctant to waste another quota on the same person to go to OCS, especially if that candidate was dropped with prejudice (e.g. integrity violation).

Response by MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 12 at 2022 8:21 PM

MAJ(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:21:23 -0400

The few comments I have read, pretty much align with most military experience: it will always vary. That said, I will simply share my experience. I pulled active duty in the 90s, mostly with 82nd airborne at Bragg. Had a service break. Joined the Oklahoma Guard. After making E-6, I went through accelerated OCS in 2007. Because of accreditation issues, Phase 1 was two weeks at Fort McClellan, followed by four weeks at Fort Indiantown Gap (Phase II), followed by two more weeks at Fort McClellan (Phase III).
When I was active duty, we did a lot of training missions with Group. So, it’s not like I didn’t know what physically intensive training was about. The OCS we went through was the first time my body ever actually just told me, “no.” Full, complete muscle failure. I made it through and was in the top 10%, but that was definitely several steps above basic training.
Fast-forward a couple of years to when I was doing my IOBC at Fort Benning. I saw some of those OCS candidates from the federal gig, bebopping down the road, talking on their cell phones and wearing their little ascots. Full disclosure: I was not in their class and I don’t know what they went through, but from the outside looking in, it looks like a pretty cush gig.

Response by COL Robert Gilbert made Jul 14 at 2022 3:05 AM

COL Robert Gilbert — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 03:05:52 -0400

I was in OCS in the summer of 1977 and received my commission in August 1977. I thought Basic Training was challenging, however when I was in OCS, the PT was twice as hard as BCT and we ran everywhere we went. There was more leadership training and qualification/familiarization on every hand-held weapon in the inventory. We went through a short intro (3 days) to Ranger training and POW training. About 45% of those attending, actually made it to graduation and commissioning. Never a dull moment.