I’m getting ready to have my initial interview in a couple of days and have been working on a list of questions to ask my OSO. I want to stand out as much as possible and come fully prepared, like everyone else I’m sure. Any advice on “must ask” questions or being prepared in general?

A:

Firstly, are you married or engaged? If you are likely to be in a relationship when going through OCS and joining the Marine Corps, I highly recommend you bring your (future) spouse along and get them involved in the conversation.

If you have any fears about OCS, ask them now. Be honest. Try getting in the head of your OSO and ask him what makes a good officer and what he is looking for in a candidate. Feel free to ask him about any trends of failing candidates: their characteristics or warning signs.

Don’t get too focused on OCS. Make sure the military life is for you by asking him about his career, what Marine Officer life is like, and how the Corps differs from other branches. Ask him what personalities should be in what branch. The Marine Corps isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine. Ask him what his favorite and least favorite parts of Marine Corps life are.

With the wars winding down and the downsizing imminent, ask him how a peacetime Marine Corps compares with the last ten years.

Ask him how he handles the stress on family relationships. Military life will stress not only your immediate family ties, but also make it difficult to keep in touch and see your extended family as well. What benefits does the Marine Corps offer family members?

Ask him what he does for PT.

Ask where you could be stationed and what possible jobs you could hold in the Marine Corps.

Ask how you could make your package more competitive and how you could improve yourself as a future Marine Officer between now and commissioning.

Thanks for reading. Have You Prepared Your OSO Interview Questions? is a post from OCS Blog

When I started increasing my running mileage in training for OCS, I remember how sore my calves and shins got. Hydration and ballistic stretching helped in my recovery, but the greatest boost to recovery and pain relief was massage. Now, 30 minute sessions can go for $50 in some places, so I was on a mission for a cheap and effective alternative.

Solution: Self-Massage Made Easy

The product I found was The Stick. It’s a stiff yet springy bar surrounded by freely rotating sections, to provide a near “frictionless” massage. You can just

grab it and massage up and down muscles in your legs, or pretty much anywhere else on your legs or body. I combined my Stick usage with yoga and stretching and have performed my routine nearly nightly ever since. My stick still functions good as new, years later.

So Does it Work?

In a word, Yes! Relief is instant. The massage quality is not quite as good as a human, but it is very satisfying and effective. My stick is very sturdy, and has lasted fine for three years. It gets rid of most shin splints and is miraculous in loosening up my ITB or tight quads. On very sore and freshly worked muscles, the stick can get very painful on inflammation. I recommend an ice bath or cold water soak to get the inflammation down after your run, or some ibuprofen if you don’t mind the drugs.

The Bottom Line

The Stick is awesome. For less than the price of one massage, you can get a simple running recovery tool that will last you years.

Thanks for reading. The Best Tool for Running Recovery Since H2O is a post from OCS Blog

I’m from a certain state west of the Mississippi and am contracting on Thursday for OCC-211. After a recent sitdown with my Captain, he mentioned offhand that my region (three total states) were each given one solitary slot for law contract candidates. I know going into this, those numbers were unknown and show just how competitive those slots can be even prior to heading to boards.

Another interesting tidbit is that my buddy is also seeking a law contract in my state but I had a higher PFT, etc and that slot went to me. Captain said that after some politicking, our state OSO was able to take a neighboring region’s law spot in exchange for air/ground slot and my buddy got that second slot. We all know that applicants should seek out an OSO they believe will have the most slots for their preferred MOS but I never realized the OSOs could “trade” slots.

The bottom line, in my humble opinion, is applicants should really make sure to create a rapport with their OSOs and do what they can to maintain visibility even if it is just e-mails. If they know you and see your sincere interest, they’ll go above and beyond to help you out.

-Candidate X

Thanks for reading. OSO Trades: Peak Behind the Curtain is a post from OCS Blog

This guest post courtesy of our friends at Marine OCS Guide. I would highly recommend you study all the great information they have up, and of course, send the below to your friends and family!

While at Officer Candidates School, receiving mail is often one of the most enjoyable moments of any candidate’s day. However, there are certain thing that should and shouldn’t be done as a candidate and as parents/significant others/friends when receiving and sending mail. I’ll address this post to two different groups, first the parents, significant others, or friends sending mail to a candidate at Marine OCS. After I address that, I’ll discuss what candidates should and shouldn’t do when sending and receiving mail at Quantico.

Parents and others sending mail:

At Officer Candidates School, mail is distributed every day except Sunday. When your candidate arrives at Officer Candidates School, he/she will send you a letter in the first few days informing you of his/hers new address which will look the address listed below. Candidates find out their company and platoon upon arrival, so don’t attempt to figure out beforehand, you’ll just have to wait a few days for the exact address.

Candidate Last name, First, MI.
___ Company, ___Platoon
Officer Candidates School
2189 Elrod Avenue
Quantico, Virginia 22134-5033

When sending mail to a candidate at Officer Candidates School, it’s important to be positive and encouraging. Your candidate will likely be under a great deal of stress, so the last thing you want to do is cause him/her more stress by sending discouraging letters. When you do send your candidate a letter, make sure to send it in a normal, discrete looking envelope. Sending any outrageous post cards, funny stickers, etc won’t cheer up your candidate as much as they will cause some ridicule from the Sergeant Instructors.

I would encourage you not to send food to your candidate, unless it’s specifically asked for. Any food items sent to a candidate are considered contraband and placed in the staff duty hut until liberty, when the items are released to the candidates temporarily until liberty is over. If you do choose to send food to your candidate, make sure it’s not perishable, because as previously mentioned, your candidate can’t consume it until the next liberty.

As far as pictures go, the Sergeant Instructors in my platoon did not consider them contraband unless they were deemed inappropriate material (you know what I’m talking about here, don’t be silly, don’t send them!). Personally, I’m a big New York Jets fan and my parents sent me newspaper clippings about the team and that was considered acceptable.

Candidates Receiving Mail:

Ah, mail time. At Officer Candidates School, you’ll learn to love it. It’s the one moment to escape the reality that is ragging Sergeant Instructors, the Endurance Course, inspections, etc. Receiving an encouraging letter is exactly what some candidates need to make it through the toughest days in Quantico, so encourage your family and friends to send letters as often as possible. However, there are a few things to be careful about.

If you receive any sort of contraband in your letters, make sure to immediately turn it in to your Sergeant Instructors. They will not be angry at you, they will simply take whatever item you received and place it in the duty hut for safe keeping until liberty. If you choose to hide the contraband, you run the risk of getting caught and becoming an integrity violator.

One quick story of what not to do during mail call at OCS.

One member of my platoon received a stick of gum in a letter during mail call. He neglected to inform our Sergeant Instructors that he had received contraband (the stick of gum) in his letter. Little did he know, the Gunnery Sergeant distributing the mail felt the envelope and knew exactly what was inside. After lights out at 2100, every Sergeant Instructor in the duty hut stormed out and berated the candidate while he lied in his rack for his integrity violation. The mentioned candidate was ALMOST kicked out of OCS for a stick of gum, so don’t be silly, report all contraband or you will get caught.

OCS Family Mail in Review:

As stated earlier, receiving mail at OCS is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the experience. I still remember exactly what friends sent me letters while at Quantico and I’m personally still grateful for it. Just remember that every piece of mail is inspected and subjected to review, so parents shouldn’t send anything you don’t want a Sergeant Instructor to see with your child’s name on it. And as candidates go, if you receive anything you think is questionable in the slightest bit, ask your staff if it’s contraband! You’ll save yourself an integrity violation or worse.

For the official Officer Candidates School website’s recommendations on Family and Mail, check out this link HERE.

Thank you so much to Marine OCS Guide for authoring this guest post. Be sure to check out their website and follow them on facebook and twitter!

Thanks for reading. Guest Post: Marine OCS Guide on Family Sending Their Candidate Mail is a post from OCS Blog

Candidates, we are running a series of small posts which answer specific candidate’s questions. Feel free to submit questions as blog comments. If the information could help others, the question may be answered as a blog post under the Q&A category.

Candidate Question:

Do you know how heavily an applicant’s academic history plays into their application? I had a rough start to college, took time off to work, and then returned. I should be graduating with near a 3.5 (in supply chain management), but the transcripts will show a plethora of low grades. From what you’ve seen, do you think this would hurt my application package?
Also, what types of recommendations are desirable?
Thank you for your website and advice, I’m really glad that you created it!

A:

Grades: final GPA is what matters. Don’t fret one or two bad classes as long as at the end of the day, you show progress and a decent final GPA.
Recommendations from former Marine officers would be the best. Try for military officers, enlisted, positions of authority, and so forth. If you don’t know any former servicemembers, try for police officer acquaintances, sports coaches, pastors, and professors who know you well. Just look at application process from the view of the Marine Corps. Who would you like to hear from most?

Thanks for reading. Candidate Question: Application Recommendations and Grades is a post from OCS Blog

We are very proud to announce a new partner: MarineOCSGuide.com! They are a motivated group of former candidates with a blog very similar to our own. Check out the great things they have going by clicking their logo.

MarineOCSGuide.com is a website designed to assist Marine Corps Officer Candidates and help them succeed in their journey towards OCS. From the application process, to physical and mental preparation, to what actually goes on in Quantico, Virginia, MarineOCSGuide.com is designed to help YOU! While there is a large amount of information online about OCS, most of it is scattered around the internet and difficult to find. Our goal here is to bring all the existing information into one place, where it’s easy to consume and help you prepare for one of the most difficult experiences of your life. Officer Candidate School is definitely not easy, but with the right preparation, success is right around the corner.

The authors of this site have been to Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in various aspects, whether it was Platoon Leaders Course 6/6 weeks, 10 week program, etc. We’ve felt the same highs and lows, endured the same experiences, shared the same laughs and been in the sweltering heat of Quantico. We’re here to help you and we’re here to make sure you get where you want to be.

Thanks for reading. New Partner: Marine OCS Guide.com is a post from OCS Blog

Candidates finishing the Endurance Course

The Endurance Course is a 2.5 mile obstacle course through the beautiful woods of Quantico. And passing it in a time limit is a mandatory requirement for completing OCS. Here’s how it works:

• First, candidates run the Obstacle Course (O-Course) in boots and utes (just wearing boots and trousers)
• Then candidates put on gear, usually assault vest with canteens, and grab their rifles
• Next is the 2.5 mile run through the wooded trails
• Along the way, there will be many obstacles to navigate, such as rope climbing, a 20-foot high cargo net, multiple walls and logs to go over and under, and barbed wire to crawl under
• Lastly, several water obstacles will slow you down and can be very cold in the winter!

You will run the course several times, and be very familiar with the O-Course. Practice makes perfect, and only the final run counts for your official score.

How to train for the Endurance Course

Waterlogged candidates on the E-Course

While you run the course, it is not sprinting but a steady run with a ten pound rifle and maybe 20 pounds at most of gear, in boots. I highly recommend buying boots and slowly increasing intensity and distance in running in boots. Run on trails, on hilly terrain if preferable. I do NOT recommend running through water, as the friction is almost guaranteed to give you painful blisters that will impede your training.

A high-intensity Fartlek of 2.5 miles with box jumps, low crawling, burpees, lunges and similar exercises at the stations would emulate the E-course well.

Running with weight

Unfortunately, civilian gyms and parks frown on running around in military gear with rifles and assault gear. Please don’t run around with a rifle. You don’t need to.

This looks cooler than it feels

Thanks for reading. The Endurance Course: What You Need to Know is a post from OCS Blog

I am a female hoping to go to OCC this summer. I was hoping you might have some insight as to why so many more women get dropped than men? I have a competitive PFT score, but, presumably, so did all the women that got dropped from your OCC class.
I have been trying to focus a lot on upper body strength since I know that sometimes can be a problem for women, even if they have a good flexed arm hang score. Do you have any other suggestions for things I should prepare for and focus on that tend to give women candidates difficulty or cause them to be dropped?
Thank you for your help and the time you put into your very informative blog.

A:

Candidate, frankly all I can share is my opinion or observations. You’ll get as many answers to that question as people you ask.

First, the failures snowball. The more candidates your platoon drops, the more sleep you lose as others have to cover their shifts of firewatch at night. By the end of OCC-202, the ladies were doing two hour watches, every other night. More stress, more failures, more firewatch…more stress. So don’t have any sleep debt when you report to Quantico!

Secondly, from what I observed, physical injuries were a major factor. Frankly lower body is the trouble area. Lots of boots, weight on your back, running through water, etc; it all adds up to hell on your feet and ankles. So maybe try to hit heavy lunges and squats to develop the muscles and joints as you are able. Usually women’s flexibility is pretty good compared to men’s, I think, so that is an advantage.

Thirdly, don’t look for ways to get out of the pain, just accept it and forge ahead. I know a few female candidates got dropped for not carrying all the gear they were supposed to in their packs, or even carrying weight for others–literally aiding in helping other candidates cheat! It’s sink or swim on your own strength at OCS to some extent.

Honestly that’s all that comes to mind when I think of female platoons in my experience. All the rest applies to everyone about academics and fitness. If your PFT score is okay, switch to the OCS workouts on here, which will prepare you better. Feel free to post questions to females on our facebook page: USMC OCS.

Thanks for reading. Candidate Q: Female drop rate? is a post from OCS Blog

A short primer

2009–Yes

Bates Lights were used and were “kosher” for any and all events when I attended OCS. They were especially useful for the E-Course, but were disallowed or discouraged on the O-Course since they have terrible traction on the rope.

2011–Banned?

Bates Lights were disallowed from OCS totally, according to multiple sources.

“I am going to OCS on May 27 this year. I figured I’d let you know that Bates Lights are not allowed this year. I figured you could change your information to keep it as up to date as possible. I purchased a pair of Bates Hotweather Durashocks to take with me. Just wanted to let you know, if you want to update your blog.”

2012–They’re Back!

From a candidate yesterday to me:

Officially E50501 Mens Bates Boot

“Bates Lites and all USMC regulation boots are authorized for wear at OCS. Upon arrival, candidates are issued both hot-weather and
cold-weather boots of various brands including but not limited to Bates, Belleville, Danner, and Altama. The website is up-to-date and includes tips on purchasing boots prior to arrival. It is strongly encouraged that candidates begin to break-in regulation boots prior to shipping to OCS to prevent blisters and other boot-related injuries during training.”

This is a reply email i received from Coordinator of Student Activities OCS this morning, answering my question about Bates Lights.

Multiple candidates who just spoke with Sergeant Instructors this past weekend confirmed: Bates Lites are allowed.

Advice (reiterated)

Candidates are issued a pair each of jungles and ICBs. ICB stands for Infantry Combat Boot, and is a good heavier duty boot with a thicker sole.

I suggest breaking in a pair of Bates lights boots, and keeping one pair of boots clean and perfect for inspections.  You can use the Bates on runs and for PT, especially for when you’re going to get your feet wet (they drain well).  However, Bates lights don’t grip the ropes well, so I would recommend wearing another pair for rope climbs.

Buy lots of good thick boot socks to avoid blisters! I wore boot sock liners throughout, to good effect.

PS

I have no clue if I should be writing “Bates Lights” or “Bates Lites.” Sorry if any of you suffer from OCD.

Thanks for reading. Bates Lights boots at OCS is a post from OCS Blog

Make sure to follow us on Twitter, @MarineOCSBlog! And don’t forget we’re on Facebook as well.

Follow @MarineOCSBlog on Twitter!

Thanks for reading. The OCS blog now on Twitter is a post from OCS Blog