USMC College to Officer Programs

United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate Eliana Scott, an officer candidate with the Officer Selection Station Riverside, shares her experience in the Platoon Leaders Course while being a full-time student at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in Riverside, California, Nov. 18, 2021. The Marine Corps PLC allows college students who want to commission as officers to attend two six-week summer training cycles at Marine Corps … Continue reading USMC College to Officer Programs

The History of Marine Corps Officer Candidates School

Throughout history, the road to becoming a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps has generally begun with one of several programs at Officer Candidates School (OCS): Officer Candidates Class (OCC) Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) or The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Each course is designed to educate and train officer candidates in Marine Corps knowledge and skills within a controlled, challenging, and chaotic … Continue reading The History of Marine Corps Officer Candidates School

Application Advice from a Successful Candidate: Part I

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 Advice from a Successful Candidate: Part I

Letter from a Candidate: PLC Juniors

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 Candidate: PLC Juniors

Candidate Q: Commissioning Timing After PLC and OCC

Candidate Question I am very new to the website and so far it looks pretty good to me. I was sent here from futurejarheads about my path to become an officer in the Marines and I am kind of confused about the commissioning part of becoming an officer. I read you can either do PLC or OCC. Do you get commissioned to 2nd Lt after … Continue reading Candidate Q: Commissioning Timing After PLC and OCC

PPPA (Push, Pull, Press, Abs) Home Gym Alternative

This is a recommended modification for a female friend just looking to lose some weight for her wedding by using Marine Corps-style PT. Get some! Instead of PPPA, do a circuit of sets of pushups, crunches, overhead presses, and lastly pullups or curls. So try doing 10 (girl) pushups, 30 seconds rest, 20 crunches, rest, 10 overhead presses, and finishing with pullups or curls, just some … Continue reading PPPA (Push, Pull, Press, Abs) Home Gym Alternative

One Easy Cheat Sheet to See if You’re Physically Ready for OCS

I challenge all candidates to achieve these minimum benchmarks before getting to OCS, and using them as training goals. This will put you in decent standing, but not the top of your class if these are your max sets. MALE Pullups: Max set 18 Pushups: Max set 65 Run: 21:00 3-mile Run: 880 meter sprint in 3:15 in boots (2:45 running shoes) Flutterkicks: Max set 60 … Continue reading One Easy Cheat Sheet to See if You’re Physically Ready for OCS

Help! My knee hurts. How can I run?

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 Help! My knee hurts. How can I run?

Candidate Q: Skinny Lieutenants: Impossible!

Candidate Comment: This is more for peace of mind, than anything else, so feel free to take your time responding. I can run approximately a 275 PFT (I vary from around 270 to 285). However, while working out in a local gym, someone who used to be a Marine told me that I do not have the ‘look’ of a 2nd LT. Not a attractiveness … Continue reading Candidate Q: Skinny Lieutenants: Impossible!