Posted on Feb 18, 2022
How do I apply for OCS, what kind of documents would I need, and what should I expect from it?
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Good morning. My name is SPC Foster, I'm 27, and I'm currently in active duty at Fort Meade Signal School Detachment MOS. My question has to deal with OCS, and applying/getting into OCS. I graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Psychology with a focus in neuroscience. I went enlisted because of some legal troubles I had while I was civilian (I had ben arrest - the charges were eventually thrown out and I was never convicted of anything). While I was doing the enlistment process, I was told by my recruiter that it would be easier to enlist first, and then go to OCS after I finished AIT and got to my first duty station (which I've been told was actually pretty good advice). I'm generally just curious about how do I apply for OCS, what documents I would need, and what I should generally expect from OCS. I'm very interested in either becoming a special forces officer, or an aviation officer, however I'm generally open to being anything.
Aviation
Special Forces
Career Counselor
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 6
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There's a MILPER announcement for OCS every year. In the Air Force, part of their briefing is that they tell you the first step in the selection process is figuring it out on your own by researching the regs and publications. They don't say that in the Army, but it's implied. If you're going to be an Officer, you're going to be dropped into a lot of situations you know nothing about and be expected to figure it out quickly.
If you access through OCS you don't get to pick your branch. Unless you are branching aviation, but if you want to fly you are better off becoming a Warrant officer. You can't branch Special Forces, you have to branch something else and then try out for SF. You need to be at the top of your game if you do that because unlike the enlisted side, there is a max number of SF officers allowed to branch each year.
If you access through OCS you don't get to pick your branch. Unless you are branching aviation, but if you want to fly you are better off becoming a Warrant officer. You can't branch Special Forces, you have to branch something else and then try out for SF. You need to be at the top of your game if you do that because unlike the enlisted side, there is a max number of SF officers allowed to branch each year.
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Your recruiter wasn't lying but they weren't truthful either. Recruiters have one job. Recruit candidates. A NG recruiter will sell you a product. An Officer selection recruiter will sell you their product and your recruiter sold you their product. They have quotas to fill at the end of each month.
Have you spoken to your retention NCO for information? Have you contacted an Officer Recruiter? This is where you need to start.
Have you spoken to your retention NCO for information? Have you contacted an Officer Recruiter? This is where you need to start.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
Thank you Sergeant! I'll look more into the retention NCO information and talk to them, as well as talking to an Officer recruiter.
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First question, is your GPA competitive and I assume your ASVAB Score is high enough to qualify? Have you been in the unit long enough to get evaluated? No Flags?
Talk to your Commander, you are going to need his endorsement. Then start getting your packet together, Transcripts, Awards, copy of Birth Certificate, all of which you should have from enlisting. You will have to write a paper on why you want to be an officer and how wonderful you would be at it. Get letters of recommendations for your command up as high as you can get it. Get LOR's from any prominent civilians, professors, etc. Send your packet to the board and hope for the best.
Bad news. OCS sucked. At least during my day, think of it as all the meaningless harassment that you took during Basic Training, but being done by people (The TAC's) that don't care if you pass. Hopefully some of that has gone away. I didn't find the Academics to be very hard and I had come out of an Infantry unit, so I was in better physical shape the the majority of the class and all of the TAC's. If you want it, just keep your head down and soldier on.
Bad news number two. OCS Officers are needs of the service. You get a wish list, but if they don't need anyone in those Branches, you get what they pick. I have no idea how hard it is to get on the Aviation side of things, but you get to be Special Forces as an Officer the same way as you do Enlisted, apply and pass Selection after you are Branch Qualified.
Talk to your Commander, you are going to need his endorsement. Then start getting your packet together, Transcripts, Awards, copy of Birth Certificate, all of which you should have from enlisting. You will have to write a paper on why you want to be an officer and how wonderful you would be at it. Get letters of recommendations for your command up as high as you can get it. Get LOR's from any prominent civilians, professors, etc. Send your packet to the board and hope for the best.
Bad news. OCS sucked. At least during my day, think of it as all the meaningless harassment that you took during Basic Training, but being done by people (The TAC's) that don't care if you pass. Hopefully some of that has gone away. I didn't find the Academics to be very hard and I had come out of an Infantry unit, so I was in better physical shape the the majority of the class and all of the TAC's. If you want it, just keep your head down and soldier on.
Bad news number two. OCS Officers are needs of the service. You get a wish list, but if they don't need anyone in those Branches, you get what they pick. I have no idea how hard it is to get on the Aviation side of things, but you get to be Special Forces as an Officer the same way as you do Enlisted, apply and pass Selection after you are Branch Qualified.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SPC(P) (Join to see) - One further thing about Special Forces, you have to be a Senior 1st. LT or CPT before you can go to selection.
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If you want to be a special forces officer, you better hope you can branch Infantry. If you do branch infantry, and you want to go SF, you have to be a 1st LT promotable to captain before you can go to SFAS. If you want to be an aviation officer, since you are already active duty, go to your Ed center and inquire about taking the SIFT. You get 2 chances in your entire career to pass the SIFT so if you can’t pass that, then you can’t branch aviation.
Keep in mind, the 3 most competitive branches are Infantry, Aviation, and MI. You have to be need them top of the OML for your class to get one of those.
Keep in mind, the 3 most competitive branches are Infantry, Aviation, and MI. You have to be need them top of the OML for your class to get one of those.
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SPC(P) (Join to see)
The Army has three commissioning programs for enlisted members, in addition to the United States Military Academy at West Point. They are:
Green to Gold
Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program (AMEDD AECP)
Inter-service Physician Assistance Program (IPAP)
1. Green to Gold features four different options – the Active Duty Option, Scholarship Option, Hip Pocket Option, and Non-Scholarship Option.
The Green to Gold Active Duty Option is a two-year program that allows active duty enlisted soldiers the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree or a two-year graduate degree and then commission as an Army officer. Soldiers selected to participate in this program will continue to receive their current pay and allowances while in the program (up to a maximum of 24 consecutive months). More info.
Green to Gold Scholarship Option. This is just what it sounds like. Soldiers can be considered for a two-, three-, or four-year scholarship. Scholarship winners receive tuition or room and board support, and additional money for textbooks, supplies, and equipment. Recipients also receive a monthly stipend for up to 10 months each school year that increases each year based on your Military Science Class. You can learn more here.
Hip Pocket Scholarship. This program is available to active duty soldiers, and is awarded at the discretion of the commanding general. Recipients separate from active duty to attend Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) on a two, three, or four-year scholarship. More info on the Hip-Pocket Program.
Non-scholarship. This program allows active duty Soldiers to attend ROTC in a non-scholarship billet. Members must be within two years of their bachelor’s degree. Participants receive a monthly stipend of up to 10 months each school year. You can learn more here.
2. Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program (AMEDD AECP). The AMEDD AECP is an Army commissioning program for nurses. You can learn more at the AMEDD AECP webpage.
3. Inter-service Physician Assistance Program (IPAP). The IPAP is for qualified Physician Assistants.
Those interested in becoming Warrant Officers must be selected for Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), which is generally held in Fort Rucker, Alabama. WCOS focuses on training similar to OCS and is designed to assess candidates’ potential for appointment as Warrant Officers and prepare them for service in 16 of the Army’s 17 branches.
After a candidate completes WOCS, he or she is appointed as a Warrant Officer (WO1). Graduates are then sent to their specific U.S. Army branches, where they receive more focused technical training in their specialties.
https://youtu.be/61Ln5XKSZxI
The Army has three commissioning programs for enlisted members, in addition to the United States Military Academy at West Point. They are:
Green to Gold
Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program (AMEDD AECP)
Inter-service Physician Assistance Program (IPAP)
1. Green to Gold features four different options – the Active Duty Option, Scholarship Option, Hip Pocket Option, and Non-Scholarship Option.
The Green to Gold Active Duty Option is a two-year program that allows active duty enlisted soldiers the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree or a two-year graduate degree and then commission as an Army officer. Soldiers selected to participate in this program will continue to receive their current pay and allowances while in the program (up to a maximum of 24 consecutive months). More info.
Green to Gold Scholarship Option. This is just what it sounds like. Soldiers can be considered for a two-, three-, or four-year scholarship. Scholarship winners receive tuition or room and board support, and additional money for textbooks, supplies, and equipment. Recipients also receive a monthly stipend for up to 10 months each school year that increases each year based on your Military Science Class. You can learn more here.
Hip Pocket Scholarship. This program is available to active duty soldiers, and is awarded at the discretion of the commanding general. Recipients separate from active duty to attend Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) on a two, three, or four-year scholarship. More info on the Hip-Pocket Program.
Non-scholarship. This program allows active duty Soldiers to attend ROTC in a non-scholarship billet. Members must be within two years of their bachelor’s degree. Participants receive a monthly stipend of up to 10 months each school year. You can learn more here.
2. Army Medical Department Enlisted Commissioning Program (AMEDD AECP). The AMEDD AECP is an Army commissioning program for nurses. You can learn more at the AMEDD AECP webpage.
3. Inter-service Physician Assistance Program (IPAP). The IPAP is for qualified Physician Assistants.
Those interested in becoming Warrant Officers must be selected for Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), which is generally held in Fort Rucker, Alabama. WCOS focuses on training similar to OCS and is designed to assess candidates’ potential for appointment as Warrant Officers and prepare them for service in 16 of the Army’s 17 branches.
After a candidate completes WOCS, he or she is appointed as a Warrant Officer (WO1). Graduates are then sent to their specific U.S. Army branches, where they receive more focused technical training in their specialties.
https://youtu.be/61Ln5XKSZxI
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CPT Lawrence Cable
OK, this soldier already has a Degree and he isn't medical, so his real choices are OCS. Green to Gold is basically ROTC, which he could do if he went back for a Masters, but he has to have two years TIS, so that and and the age restriction on commissioning is going to make that one iffy.
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SPC(P) (Join to see) Here is some information to review.
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your-path/army-officers/ocs.html
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your-path/army-officers/ocs.html
OCS: Army Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School (OCS) trains Army Officers. At OCS, put your college degree to use, learn important leadership skills, and prepare for a career as an Army Officer.
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