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Thank you to West Texas+New Mexico OSO Captain Wisotzkey for sharing his advice to candidates who lack the perfect credentials. As an OSO, one of the most common questions I get from applicants is “how do I make myself more competitive for a selection board?” Sometimes this is due to the applicant wanting to crush the competition, but more often than not, it’s because they … Continue reading Help!
The first salute also called the “Silver Dollar Salute” is one of the most important traditions in a new Marine Officers commissioning ceremony. Who gives the first salute? The first salute lives on as a tradition to honor the enlisted service member who has had the most impact on you. Many candidates choose a Sergeant Instructor they were particularly impressed with or ask a family member or … Co
Over the past year, these are the most-viewed posts on the entire site. Not all of these posts were written within the past year, although many get regularly updated. From least-viewed to most, here are the top ten posts of 2017: Number 10: Remember a Silver Dollar for Your First Salute The first salute a newly commissioned officer receives is a special moment. Naval tradition … Continue reading O
Thanks to New Mexico/West Texas OSO Capt Wisotzkey for sharing a in depth look at the OCS selection boards. Original post can be found at MarineOCS.com. It was written for OCC-225 which ran from June till August 2017. There are three OCC classes a year – January, May/June, and September. Females only attend the Summer and Fall classes currently. Where does an OSO fit? Your OSO works for … Continue
Before I graduated OCS, I tried every one of the commissioning routes, save enlisted to officer. I applied to the Naval Academy twice and spent a year and a half as a Marine Option Midshipman in NROTC. Only after that did I apply for the Platoon Leaders Course and attend the 10 week PLC combined. To be clear, good and bad officers come from all of … Continue reading This Will Make You Rethink Mari
Thanks to MIDN 1/C C for sharing his leadership experience and advice for candidates heading to OCS. NROTC Midshipman, utilize the resources you have through NROTC to go prepared to OCS. NROTC preparation I came from Norwich University, a small military college in the middle of Vermont. We, just like every other NROTC unit, have Marine Officer Instructors’s and Assistant Marine Officer Instructors
Thanks to 2ndLt Y for passing along his knowledge and wisdom as a successful Marine Officer candidate at OCS. Life of a Marine Officer Candidate OCS is different from college in every way. As a candidate just be comfortable being uncomfortable. Go in with the attitude that nothing is going to surprise you, that way you don’t have to worry about being surprised. Some things are absolutely … Contin
Blisters are caused by heat, moisture, and friction. Foot care and boot sock choice are important factors in preventing issues with your feet. Taking the extra time to care for your feet is worth losing sleep or gaining the attention of the Sergeant Instructors. Two sock brands that are common at OCS are Thorlos and Fox River. Personally, the Fox River socks are my go-to … Continue reading Know Yo
What Mail at OCS Means to Your Candidate Mail at OCS is often the highlight of the day. Many candidates enjoy receiving sports scores, newsletters, newspaper clippings, etc.: anything they would have normally kept up with at home. Family and friends are encouraged to share fun stories, summer adventures, or jokes as this keeps candidates grounded and affords a moment of escape from the stress … Co
What is “Mini-OCS”? OCS Prep Weekend, or “Mini-OCS” is a short, realistic weekend experience to expose candidates to facets of OCS before they ship. It prepares you for OCS, simply enough. We’ve written about it here before: My Mini OCS Experience Video Overview of OCS Prep Weekend Your OCS Prep Weekend Packing List This gear list was shared by a candidate who recently (May … Continue reading Ex
Thank you to Jack and co at FexGear.com for building this detailed guide to the Marine Corps officer uniform regulations for Lieutenants far and wide. Service Alpha Uniform: The Green Ones See the official Marine Corps Uniform Regulations here, MCO P1020.34G W CH 1-5. At present, this guide covers only the Service “A”, aka “alpha” uniform setup for newly-commissioned Marine Corps officers. See a t
Thank you to Lieutenant Schmuckatelli, a new Infantry Officer, who is sharing his journey through OCS and TBS with us. My OCS: Officer Candidates Course 221 In November of 2015 I learned I would be picking up with OCC 221 in January 2016. Ten years after first stepping into a recruiting station, I had earned my place in order to attempt to earn my place. Now … Continue reading My Journey from Civi
Thank you to Lieutenant Schmuckatelli, a new Infantry Officer, who is sharing his journey through OCS and TBS with us. The year is 2005. As I’m getting ready to graduate high school and head off to college, I can’t help but notice that I’m not as excited as most of the people around me. I was 18 – what do I know about what i … Continue reading My Journey from Civilian to Marine Infantry Officer, P
Big thanks to Zach B., Marine Corps infantry vet, for sharing some thoughts about how to survive and thrive at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School…in the dead of winter. I recently realized that I departed for OCC (Officer Candidate Course) almost 6 years ago to the day – meaning that somewhere out there some very lucky souls are about to spend the next 10 weeks … Continue reading Tips from a M
Welcome to all you aspiring Marine Corps officers. We hope the blog and our social media content helps you achieve your goals. Search for something specific, or browse around the topic of your choice. Don’t miss our unique and sometimes irreverent social media presence, where we interact with you most directly. Lastly, join Sandboxx as an officer candidate to get a tailored advice series of … Cont
Courtesy of the Marine Corps Association, see the old and new versions of the military phonetic alphabet. Made familiar in movies such as Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers (remember “Easy” Company?), this will be your new way to spell on the radio throughout your Marine Corps career. Just make sure you don’t use the wrong words! Continue reading Your New Letters: The Military Phonetic Alphab
Courtesy of the Marine Corps Training Command Officer Candidates School website These would apply whether you are sending traditional mail or the new officially-sanctioned military mailing app Sandboxx. Continue reading Official Dos and Don’ts of Sending Mail to OCS
Catch Part I of our Getting to OCS series here Part II: Your First Meeting and Filling out the Rough Application In the last post, we covered the first steps for becoming a Marine Officer. This post will detail what will be covered in your first meeting and provide a few tips to ensure everything goes smoothly. You’ll probably be greeted by a Second Lieutenant, … Continue reading Getting to OCS, P
Part I – First Contact: What to Expect When You Talking to an OSO for the First Time So you’ve decided you might be interested in becoming an officer in the Marine Corps. You’ve avoided the pull of the other branches, and you’ve done at least a little research into what Marine Officers do. What do you do next? If you’re not sure where your … Continue reading Getting to OCS, Part I: Application and
Thank you to Candidate C for taking some time to share advice you learned through your long, yet successful, Application! Stay tuned for more parts throughout this week. What was your relationship with your OSO like? I worked with three OSO’s since I started my initial application for NROTC my senior year in college and two for PLC in college. The first OSO really was … Continue reading Applicatio
Thank you to Candidate C for taking some time to share advice you learned through your long, yet successful, Application! Stay tuned for more parts throughout this week. What characterized your own application? Priority Components: The application package you submit to the regional board has many items on it but the main things they look at are: what the OSO thinks of you (from the … Continue read
Thank you to Candidate C for taking some time to share advice you learned through your long, yet successful, Application! Stay tuned for more parts throughout this week. Advice on Applying Apply early and often. I applied for the US Naval Academy my Junior year of high school and continued applying for 2 years after that with all of the baggage that applying to a … Continue reading Application Adv
Thanks to a recently graduated OCC candidate who volunteered to share his advice and thoughts on the physical and mental rigors of OCS! My personal experiences at OCS Every selected candidate on his or her way to OCS will be understandably nervous. Whether that be at the airport when you arrive, when you first meet your sergeant instructors , or when you first get selected in … Continue reading Le
Thanks to Candidate X who recently graduated PLC – Jrs and is willing to share his advice with future candidates! For many future Candidates in the Platoon Leaders Class – Juniors program, this is your first experience in a military setting. Let me tell you right now, it will be an overwhelming six weeks. It will be difficult; it will break you off; you will … Continue reading Letter from a Candid
If you’re in high school and aim to become an officer in the Marine Corps, consider the following discussion and goals for your planning. The Realistic Odds and the Importance of Backup If 1 out of 3 OCS attendees fail (worse odds for females), and less than half of applications are accepted, your odds of becoming a Marine officer are tough even if you’re a qualified … Continue reading Advice for
Clothes, mainly. When meeting with an Officer Selection Officer (OSO), it would not hurt to dress a little bit more professional–like candidates on liberty. It’s not mandatory, but you want to consistently make a good impression in every interaction with your OSO. Obviously, when coming to the OSO’s office for a PFT or other workout, wear your personal, appropriate workout clothing. Like everythin
Buckle up for some motivation, future jarheads and fans: USMC Commercial: “Wall” First, that awesome deep voice of the Marine Corps reminds us that walls everywhere are no match for the might of our devil dogs: USMC Commercial: “The Land We Love” Secondly, a motivational red-white-and-blue reminder of the awesome Land of Liberty we fight for. For whom do you serve? Continue reading New Marine Co
First of all, there’s a difference between “hurting” and “hurt.” Everyone will be hurting. Many will get hurt, or injured. The Best Medicine The first line of defense is prevention. Do everything you can ahead of time to injury-proof your body. Improve flexibility with yoga and stretching. Improve your muscular and skeletal systems with PT and lifting (and drinking your milk?) and address any imba
Your OCS application has many components, but one of the most overlooked is the letters of recommendation. When the board looks at two candidates with roughly equal packages, the letters of recommendation can easily make the difference between acceptance and a rejection letter. The Who Consider a wide variety of people to write your letters of recommendation. The important thing to keep in mind is
OSO: Officer Selection Officer Marine recruiters come in two categories: generic “Recruiters” usually refers to those serving the Enlisted Marine pipeline. An “Officer Recruiter” is an OSO, or Officer Selection Officer. He works out of an OSO…the Officer Selection Office. How to Contact an OSO This is where the confusion comes from. You might find OSO contact information online or at your college,
Take a quick moment to watch this year’s birthday message and to reflect on what it means to be a US Marine. May we remember and appreciate the sacrifice and leadership of all our warriors gone before. 239 This year is the 239th Marine Corps Birthday. And it is new Commandant Dunford’s first birthday message to his Marine Corps. “On 10 November each year, wherever … Continue reading Happy 239th Bi
Thanks to an anonymous candidate who shared his recent experience at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) for your preparation and awareness. The Mindset for MEPS I actually really enjoyed MEPS and I think that was because of the mindset I had going in with. Before going I had heard from everyone at my OSO office that it was going to be annoying, boring, obnoxious, and … Continue reading Ad
What is the most hazardous part of the hazing tough training at Officer Candidates School? Obstacle courses? The Quigley? Long marches with heavy packs? Martial arts or pugil stick fights? Nope. The number one performance killer at OCS is Sleep Deprivation In a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, the lack of sleep was identified as a primary hazard to cognitive performance in the … Cont
Thanks to Candidate Tanner for sharing his perspective! A question I’ve asked and addressed several times is the idea of how different of an OCS experience will I have as a tall, skinny candidate. I am just shy of 6’2” and weigh 145 pounds soaking wet, and I graduated PLC Juniors this past summer, with Seniors approaching this summer, so that’s the perspective I am … Continue reading Guest Post:
If this doesn’t motivate you, nothing will! Continue reading USMC OCS Video Overview
Thank you, Candidate, for sharing a detailed and instructive summary of your experience at “Mini OCS” at Parris Island. Most of you candidates have been to or at least heard of “Mini-OCS.” This article is mainly for those who haven’t been, have yet to go, or need a reason to finally call the OSO in their area (if they haven’t for whatever reason). Mini-OCS is … Continue reading Guest Post: My “Min
Motivated Lecture Series Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, … Continue reading TED T
They joked about it. We memorialized it. Now who has the last laugh? As of 25 February, 2014, the Commandant has caved to popular pressure and honorable tradition and is bringing back the iconic sleeve rolls. On 9 March, with the Corps-wide changeover to desert cammies (coinciding with daylight savings time), all Marines will roll their sleeves up. Read the official message from the Commandant … C
Candidates, there are so many motivators out there who bother me every day with questions like, “What more can I do to prepare for OCS?” that I am debuting a new series of posts. This summer’s posts will give you plenty of ways to use up all your time before OCS to get ready or motivated for your future Marine Corps life. Today’s post: These … Continue reading Recommended Motivation: Films You’ll
The Commandant’s Professional Reading List (also known as the Marine Corps Reading List) is a list of required annual reading for all officer and enlisted Marines, whether active duty or reserve. Any book off this list would be a great gift idea for a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant. Read Gen. Amos’ message to Marines in CMC White Letter No. 4-12: Reading in the Marine Corps… “Thirty year old
The Commandant’s Professional Reading List (also known as the Marine Corps Reading List) is a list of required annual reading for all officer and enlisted Marines, whether active duty or reserve. The great thing about the Commandant’s famous reading list is that most of these books are free. Download the other ones on your kindle, and you can easily knock out the required reading for candidates be
Marines – The Officer Selection Officer The path to becoming an officer begins with the Officer Selection Officer (OSO). The OSO’s duty is to identify those who will be worthy officer candidates. Your OSO will answer questions and help you decide which commissioning program best suits you. Once you have made the commitment to become an officer, your OSO will guide your physical training regimen …
We’re on facebook. This will make it easier to share and follow new content, and give an easy forum for asking questions when the Q&A pages and comments area on here gets crowded. So, there you go. Friend the blog on the ‘book and don’t look back. Friend the USMC OCS blog Continue reading Hooray Social Media.
The “Candidates’ Curse:” Patellar Tendinitis Many candidates get patellar tendinitis, “jumper’s knee” or runners knee at OCS or while preparing for it. If you are truly injured in your preparation for OCS, you first need to be honest and open with your OSO. If you shouldn’t get sent to OCS, but attempt to “sneak” in, they will find your injury during medical inprocessing or the … Continue reading
Thank you to Candidate Kyle for sharing: There are two types of waivers: medical and moral medical Medical waivers are only considered as you are in the process of being medically qualified to apply for OCS. Once you are deemed medically qualified, review boards don’t see your medical waivers. They only see that you are medically qualified. Moral waivers are any waivers needed for speeding … Conti
The first salute a newly commissioned officer receives is a special moment. Naval tradition holds that the new officer should return the honor of a salute with the special token of a silver dollar. While at OCS, you should think about who you would like to give you your first salute. Who Gives You Your First Salute? Anyone of your choice, basically. Does one of … Continue reading Remember a Silver
Thanks to shooting expert Manny at 300PFT.com for his guest post sharing his expertise on marksmanship. Check out his website and enjoy! When I was just a young Corporal in the Marines, I had the opportunity to serve as a shooting coach on Camp Pendleton. I was a coach on the rifle range and was later put in charge of the pistol range after only … Continue reading Guest Post: Top 5 Shooting Tips –
Special thanks to candidate Kyle who shares his insight There are two types of waivers: medical and moral Medical waivers are only considered as you are in the process of being medically qualified to apply for OCS. Once you are deemed medically qualified, review boards don’t see your medical waivers. They only see that you are medically qualified. Moral waivers are any waivers needed for … Continu
A 2011 study at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government of young officers who had left the military found that their top reasons for doing so were not the high operating tempo or the chance of being maimed but rather two other factors: “limited ability to control their own careers” and “frustration with military bureaucracy.” –Thomas Ricks, The Generals You’re going to enter the Marine Corps … Cont
Do you wish there was a resource as good as this blog, aimed at what comes after OCS in your career? This handbook is something close to that ideal. The Marine Officer’s Guide should be mandatory reading at The Basic School for all new Second Lieutenants. It has been published for many decades, and updated periodically. It answers many questions that lieutenants may have, or … Continue reading Get
Candidate X did well at OCS physically, but ended up dropping with a new appreciation for his own strengths and weaknesses. He has graciously accepted an invitation to conduct an interview with the OCS blog as he prepares for another run at the grueling course. How far into OCS did you get? While I wasn’t able to successfully complete USMC OCS by our end date in … Continue reading Interview With A
Interested in Becoming an Officer in the Marines? The Why – The What – The How The Why: Find your motivation What attracts you to becoming a Marine Corps officer? Before you make a life-altering commitment, you need to examine your motivation and your perception of military life versus the reality. First, let’s consider your motivation. Many things go into possible motivation, and here are a few e
USMC Life provides an overview of every major Marine Corps base focusing on specific base information, military housing and photos, schools, youth programs and sports, getting to and from each installation and popular links helpful to Marines and their families. Check out their blog for a spotlight on companies they love, insight on base and family life, military news and more. The site also provi
Perhaps some of you want to become Marines but are not citizens. Here’s the quick story of one such Marine who actually became a citizen while serving his new country in the Corps! While most Marines are American citizens, it’s possible to become one of the Few as a legal resident. Watch the story of one Marine sergeant born in El Salvador who is a … Continue reading Immigrant Marine to American C
Reservists Marines currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserve may apply for programs such as PLC and OCC through their Officer Selection Officer. Commissioning Programs for active duty enlisted Marines include: Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP) For Marines who have earned a four-year degree before joining the Corps or during active duty Qualified Marines attend Officer Candidates School (OCS
Candidates, this post is from a PLC candidate back in the day. He has an excellent leadership recommendation for you that would benefit your unit much if you could implement it at OCS. I went thru PLC when it was still in the boonies at Camp Upshur. One thing happened the first couple of days we were there that I think is still important today. … Continue reading Advice From an Old Candidate
The costs of joining the Marine Corps If you’re on the fence about joining, even after talking to a recruiter or Officer Selection Office, this post will not push you towards the “Join” side. Brace yourself for the dirty little secrets of the unglamorous side of Marine Corps officer life. You will miss your family If you have a close relationship with your family, sorry, … Continue reading Join th
Candidates, this is my recommended pre-OCS workout. I would do you a disservice if I only laid out a formula to follow. Instead, I’m going to show the process I worked through to generate this plan, so that you can copy the process and get a personalized workout for yourself. First: Rank Your Goals First, I ranked my workout goals: OCS-specific type activities Run for … Continue reading The Ultima
Candidate Question: I am considering entering OCS in the summer of 2012, and my biggest question/concern is this. How much strain gets put on your lower back during OCS? I have experienced some slight muscle soreness more often in my lower back over the years, and I’m just concerned that it might be an issue. I really want to get through OCS but also I … Continue reading Candidate Q: Lower Back St
You will be issued (actually you purchase) bagfulls of uniforms, gear and equipment at OCS. If you make it, you keep all of it. Most of it will be useful to you as a Second Lieutenant at TBS and beyond. Some of it is only suitable for OCS use, however. You don’t want to be that Lieutenant who looks like a candidate instead of an … Continue reading The Unofficial LPA Guide to OCS Gear
Armstrong Pullup Program.com is the newest site in the USMC OCS Blog’s constellation of websites including Becoming an Officer.com. It serves as your simple, clean one-stop shop for the famous pullup workout. Feel free to leave feedback or suggest features or content. Semper Fi! Continue reading New Partner: Armstrong Pullup Program.com
The United States Army graduates its new Second Lieutenants from Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia. The following round OCS logo is used only by the Army’s OCS, not the Marine Corps’: The Marine Corps’ Officer Candidates School is the topic of this blog–the 10-week or two 6-week courses based in Quantico, VA which commissions new Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps. The below …
We found him! As Terminal Lance explains, This is the Lance Corporal responsible for everything wrong in the Marine Corps, he’s the very reason every regulation exists–because Lance Corporal Schmuckatelli went out into town and fucked it up for everyone else. For those of you outside of our little secret club here, Schmuckatelli is a generic name used by higher-ups to describe any hypothetical Lan
The Marine Corps birthday is an amazingly motivating tradition. At my first Marine Corps birthday while still at OCS, I couldn’t even believe that candidates were given steak and lobsters at the chow hall for lunch that day! Oorah! Continue reading Happy 237th Birthday, Marine Corps!
It has been one year since that fateful day. Butterbars everywhere are able to talk about the Marine Corps “back in my day.” Candidates “these days” don’t stay up for hours at night folding and refolding their sleeves. Tattoos are hidden. “Guns” earned in hundreds of hours in the gym are covered up. Welcome to the sad era of no sleeve rolling. One year ago … Continue reading A Moment of Silence fo
USMC Push-up Rules Pushups. Starting position is lying on your stomach with hands shoulder width apart, toes on the deck, and elbows, back, and knees straight. On the first and third count, lower the chest to the deck; bend the elbows to at least 90 degrees (1/3). On the second and fourth count, extend the arms back to the starting position (2/4). This exercise conditions the … Continue reading Wh
The following information is compiled from multiple places on the web, including the official USMC OCS page, and is cleaned up a little with directions added and so forth. If it leaves any question unanswered, please leave a comment on the bottom of the page and we will update! Family Day and Graduation take place on the last two days of training. Family Day gives … Continue reading Marine OCS Fam
From a helpful candidate with a sparkling resume. Friends, this is how you let your resume speak for itself to the board! “I was on the board for October OCC. I was very uneasy about what my results would be since I knew how competitive thing have gotten over the last year or two. I was fortunate to be selected. Here were some of my … Continue reading How I Got Accepted to Marine Corps OCS in 2012
Candidates, there is no sure thing when it comes to applications and the boards right now. We have heard of good candidates with 300 PFTs not getting selected. Work as hard as you can to have an airtight application, and do not hesitate to APPLY EARLY AND OFTEN. One current Second Lieutenant applied several times over a time period of about a year before being … Continue reading Extremely competit
In just 90 seconds, this little mash-up tells you what it takes to become an officer of Marines. Enjoy. Youtube description: Interested in leading the few, the proud? Learn more athttp://www.becominganofficer.com and get ready for USMC OCS athttp://officercandidatesschool.com Yes, this video is an homage to the 2012 Dodge Dart commercial campaign. Beats from “No Church in the Wild” by Kanye West a
Does this sound like you? Before I joined the Marine Corps, I hated running. A whole lot. But I needed that 25 minute three mile to get a lot closer to 18:00! Creating the habit of following a disciplined running program was extremely difficult. I really didn’t know how to efficiently form new habits, or even how habits worked. I wish I had had this … Continue reading Book Review: The Power of Hab
Candidates, please follow the great things former servicemember Dale Wilson is doing at COMMAND PERFORMANCE LEADERSHIP, his wordpress blog. Enjoy this example of his recent work: Last week, Don Gomez, of the blog Carrying the Gun, posted The Junior Officer Reader – two down. The post was a plea to fellow bloggers and readers for titles of books written by junior officers or soldiers about their m
Candidates, we highly recommend you support the good work of this charity which helps our enlisted brothers and sisters and their families. Learn more at www.usmcgrad.org About the Marine Graduation Foundation: The men and women who choose to serve our country as a United States Marine endure more in one day of boot camp than most of us will ever experience in a lifetime and they … Continue readin
Heavily plagiarized from the Officer Candidates School official OCS Family Orientation Guide The following information will give you an idea of what your loved one is going through while at Officer Candidates School, give you some tips that will help you and your candidate adjust, and list helpful tips that will ease your transition as a family member of a candidate undergoing Marine Officer train
We are proud to announce a superb resource for all your high schoolers who are considering becoming an officer in the Marine Corps or Navy. USNA or bust is a great source of information on the how, the what, and of course, the why of attending Annapolis. The Naval Academy is a great pipeline to becoming a Marine Officer. Any questions you have about Annapolis can … Continue reading New Partner: US
Semper Fi Parents was the Military Parent Blog Of The Year 2012 winner. For good reason, too. These folks love their Marine and they love the Marine Corps. They would be a great resource for candidates’ families, and some of their (recruit-focused) pre-boot camp advice would nonetheless apply to those attending OCS as well. Check out the great work they’re doing and send the link … Continue readin
We hope you see and enjoy the new look and feel for the site. We are finally escaping the restrictions of wordpress.com and are out on our own wordpress.org-powered website. All the same content and comments are still here, just better organized. Feel free to comment, participate, and share on our new page. Don’t forget to like our new facebook presence as a “page” instead … Continue reading New F
Note–“gouge” is Marine Corps speak for getting the low down on a topic. Check out one candidate’s story which might change the way you think about how the OSO system works. 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 … Continue reading OSO Trad
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 … Continue reading
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 …
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. … Continue readi
Make sure to follow us on Twitter, @MarineOCSBlog! And don’t forget we’re on Facebook as well. Continue reading The OCS blog now on Twitter
Candidates, we are beginning a new 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: How does the transition from OCS to TBS work? Are those that graduate from OCS typically able to enter TBS immediately? … Co
Do you feel like you have so much information about OCS that you don’t want to be any better prepared? Of course not! Check out this real training schedule for OCS in 2008. While this is a few years old, I bet a 1989 OCS schedule would still be nearly identical to one today. Regardless, if you’d like to get into the precise events that … Continue reading Officer Candidates School: Sample Schedule
Set your new Second Lieutenant up for success at The Basic School! Reader and Marine Spouse Jill S had some great ideas for gifts that will definitely come in handy at TBS: I got my husband a JetBoil stove and a Leatherman to use at TBS. My husband also suggested some other practical things to use at TBS. For example: a Kindle or other reading … Continue reading TBS Gift List
Candidates, we are beginning a new 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 recommend CrossFit to prepare for Marine Corps OCS? A: Crossfit is a great workout program and might help some … Cont
Fantastic new Marine Corps marketing campaign stays true to our fighting spirit. Check it out! This was filmed on the beaches of Camp Pendleton with Marines from I MEF. Continue reading Awesome new Marine Corps Commercial: Towards the Sound of Chaos
Candidate Allison shares her advice, having completed OCS last year. I just graduated in the summer form OCS as a female. And I left with a fractured foot after graduation. Luckily I was PLC so it didn’t mess with my TBS date and I was thankful that I didn’t have to repeat OCS. The 12-mile hike was what caused a stress fracture. It was extremely … Continue reading Guest Post: Advice for USMC OCS F
This list has been around forever but still is good advice. Although you’ll learn all these at OCS, any mistakes you make along the way to your new knowledge will be painful! It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the following “do’s and dont’s,” but don’t get too bogged down in the specifics of them. You will pick them up quickly once at … Continue reading Do’s and Dont’s of Marine Corps
It’s been said that 80% of the Marine Corps is stationed in the Camp Lejeune, NC area, Camp Pendleton, CA area, or on Okinawa, Japan. The largest organization of a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF), the Marine Expeditionary Force, is stationed at each one. I MEF in California II MEF, Lejeune, NC area III MEF in Okinawa Basic Structure of the Big Three These … Continue reading Marine Bases
The following is from a recently graduated Second Lieutenant. I asked her to share anything about challenges that surprised her at OCS. I hope her point of view will be valuable, both in seeing things from the female perspective and in having such fresh thoughts. My classes started out with 58 females and finished with 28, which is pretty good compared to some classes before … Continue reading Gue
Note: It has recently come to the attention of the blog that the near-mythical Major Armstrong, of the famous Armstrong Pull-up Program, was a real historical figure, and of course, a Marine, as the legend claims. He died this summer in Texas from cancer. His career spanned from 1966 all the way until 1991, and the pull-up record was his at one time. The following … Continue reading RIP Major Char
Candidates and friends, The Marine Corps Times story last week confused many of us and led to many discussions over on the facebook page. I, the blog author, have been in contact with the writer of the story, who helped clear up the issue. See the correspondence below. From the Marine Times writer: This was a confusing story precisely because there is no MARADMIN on … Continue reading The Final Tr
Candidates, there are so many motivators out there who bother me every day with questions like, “What more can I do to prepare for OCS?” that I am debuting a new series of posts. This summer’s posts will give you plenty of ways to use up all your time before OCS to get ready or motivated for your future Marine Corps life. From an applicant: … Continue reading Recommended Motivation: Extra Credit
Henry Talmage “Hammerin’ Hank” Elrod (September 27, 1905–December 23, 1941) was a Marine Corps aviator. He was the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor during World War II, for his heroism in the defense of Wake Island. The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to CAPTAIN HENRY T. ELROD UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in
Candidates, I am very excited to present a guest post today from the excellent blog, The Art of Manliness. I hope the manly principle of Sacrifice helps you consider what you are willing to dedicate to your pursuit of success as a Marine Corps officer, and inspires you to be thorough and disciplined in your approach. Semper Fi. The Law of Sacrifice Last month, James … Continue reading Guest Post:
Have a great Fourth of July in the greatest country on earth. Freedom isn’t free. Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. Benjamin Franklin Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom. Albert Einstein Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men … Continue reading Ha
Candidates, there are so many motivators out there who bother me every day with questions like, “What more can I do to prepare for OCS?” that I am debuting a new series of posts. This summer’s posts will give you plenty of ways to use up all your time before OCS to get ready or motivated for your future Marine Corps life. The Commandant’s Professional … Continue reading Recommended Motivation: Are
In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with … Continue reading Memorial Day: Take a Moment
Every new Marine Corps officer makes this oath. Just like you will someday. Enjoy the motivation: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; … Continue r
A candidate asked me the following question. Since it’s an important question, I’m making a post out of it to have higher visibility for everyone to see where I”m coming from Candidate Jessica’s Question: Hi! I am shipping out on May 20th! I am very excited but super nervous! I am not worried about the academics or physical training, as I am in very good … Continue reading The Ultimate OCS Mental
“Help! How can I beat the tough odds at OCS for females? If you’ve wondered that, than your not alone. In my graduating class, less than 20% of females were remaining. Most of these went immediately to a delay at TBS due to injury. Scary figures, right? If you are intimidated or discouraged by these facts, STOP! The odds are tough but just let that … Continue reading Top Fears for Females–Conquere
With all the humps (forced marches) at OCS, and running in boots, and in wet conditions, my feet never looked worse than as a candidate. Here is my back and forth with an applicant who is getting a pre-OCS practice hump scheduled right after he overdid it in his boots: How can I heal a blister overnight? I am going on a mandatory hike tomorrow … Continue reading What You Need to Know When a Bliste
Enjoy. Now go PT. Continue reading Motivating new Marine Corps commercial
A reader brought up a few good questions about boots. Since your boots are so important, I’m going to make an entire post just about boots. If I get any new boot-related questions, I will just keep updating this same post. Candidates are issued a pair each of jungles and ICBs. ICB stands for Infantry Combat Boot, and is a good heavier duty boot with … Continue reading Confused Boots: What You Ne
I am simply revisiting a correspondence with a young OCS graduate, nearing his TBS ship date, with several questions and answers about TBS. TBS Questions Gearing up to head to TBS here in October, and had a few questions I was hoping you could answer: 1-Should I bring my desktop or just a laptop? Read as… how much space is in the barracks? 2-What’s liberty … Continue reading The Basic School (TBS)
“What should I get a graduating or commissioning candidate?” is a question asked by many family members unfamiliar with the Corps. The following were my favorite gifts when I graduated OCS and commissioned (on the same day). If you have a new Second Lieutenant en route to The Basic School, check out our TBS gift guide. 2nd Lieutenant Challenge Coin This coin pays tribute to … Continue reading The
I don’t remember where I got this, but a friend emailed me this great list. I hope it helps you out! It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the following “do’s and dont’s,” but don’t get too bogged down in the specifics of them. You will pick them up quickly once at OCS. The important thing is to get in the mindset of … Continue reading Do’s and Dont’s of USMC OCS
Courtesy of Armstrong Pullup Program.com: I received this awesome workout from my recruiter. Many of the former candidates, current officers, I know use this, so hopefully some of you will see success with it. I know it’s a long read, but well worth it. Enjoy. First…do you have a pullup bar? If you want to succeed at OCS–get yourself that piece of gear! If your … Continue reading Armstrong Pull Up