Chapter 1
Why do You Want to be an Officer?
āA man who will not protect his freedom does not deserve to be free.ā
āGeneral Douglas MacArthur
Here is the first thing you need to ask yourself: āWhy am I doing this?ā If itās for higher pay, please put this book down and reconsider your motivation because you will not make it through Officer Candidate School (OCS). While there is no 100% correct response to this question, there are a few 100% wrong answers. Here are a few wrong answers:
ā¢ | I like to be in charge. |
ā¢ | Officers donāt have to work as hard. |
ā¢ | Officers are less likely to die in combat. |
ā¢ | I want to be called, āSir or Maāam.ā |
ā¢ | I earned a degree and I think Iām pretty smart. |
Earning a commission as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the United States Army is an honor and a privilege. In this book you will never read ātookā or āgotā a commission. Why? Because if you successfully complete OCS or any other commissioning source, you will have earned it.
Ways to Earn a Commission in the U.S. Army
United States Military Academy at West Point
West Point is one of the countryās top universities. It is a competitive environment that produces some of the nationās best leaders. Many graduates of the Academy at West Point become leaders in the military, in government, and in the civilian world. Examples of West Point graduates include General (and President) Dwight D. Eisenhower and astronaut (and command module pilot of Apollo 11) Buzz Aldrin.
Requirements
If youāre up for the challenge, listed below are some of the basic academic requirements for West Point. An applicant must be:
ā¢ | At least 17 years old and not have reached your 23rd birthday by July 1 of year admitted |
ā¢ | A U.S. citizen |
ā¢ | Single |
ā¢ | Not pregnant or with any legal obligation to support a child or children |
ā¢ | Congressionally nominated or have a service-connected nomination |
ā¢ | A recipient of strong scores on either college entrance exam ACT or SAT |
ā¢ | Have an above-average high school or college academic record |
Advantages
I put West Point in the same group as the Ivy League schools. The education is second to none but upon graduation students are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S Army and sent to their first assignment: Officer Basic Course. The rest of American college graduates are left to fend for themselves in the civilian work force. A vast majority of generals on active duty and the reserve component are graduates of West Point. Non-academy graduates can and do make the rank of general (Colin Powell, for example), but the majority seem to be West Point graduates.
Disadvantages
Some graduates leave the academy with a huge ego (which is not uncommon for most new 2LTs) and rub some NCOs and non-academy graduates the wrong way. My advice is do not be that guy or gal. An invitation to attend West Point should be treated as an honor and a privilege.
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
ROTC provides college students with the ability to train to become Army officers. In ROTC, the curriculum includes elective leadership and military courses that help them become effective officers once they join the Army. The majority of newly commissioned 2LTs come from ROTC each year.
Requirements
To enroll in Army ROTC you must be:
ā¢ | Accepted or enrolled in one of more than 700 participating colleges or universities |
ā¢ | A U.S. citizen |
ā¢ | Physically Fit and able to pass an Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) on a āregularā basis |
ā¢ | Between the ages of 17 and 35 |
Advantages
The choice is outstanding because a wide selection of colleges offer ROTC. Almost all major colleges and most mid-to-major schools offer an ROTC program. You can sign a four-year contract (freshman to senior) or wait and sign a two-year contract (junior-senior). I recommend waiting until your sophomore or junior year to contract because it allows you time to get the āfreshman folliesā out of your system before you make a commitment to the Army.
Disadvantages
ROTC can pose very interesting social challenges on a college campus. As a cadet you represent the American soldier to the rest of the students on campus. You could become the target for anti-war rallies or other anti-military protests. Also, ROTC can be considered Army ālight.ā Your instructors are professional and competent but the environment is nothing like what you would experience as an active duty officer. Advance camp places cadets in an Army field environment, but it only lasts a few weeks before you return to college for your senior year. If you sign a two-year contract, you will attend an additional six-week ābasicā camp between your sophomore and junior years. This lack of experience in a regular Army environment can cause problems for some people after you are commissioned.
Officer Candidate School (OCS)
Officer Candidate School (OCS) is another way you can become an officer in the Army. After completing Basic Combat Training you participate in rigorous training for 12 weeks and then attend the Officer Basic Course (also known as Basic Officer Leaders Course II). The reserve component offers a 9-week fast track course and a traditional program offered over two 15-day annual training periods and 12 months of drill weekends.
Requirements
In order to attend Officer Candidate School you must be a U.S. citizen and a college graduate, at least 19 years old, and not have passed your 29th birthday at the time of selection. (Age waivers may be considered up to 41, 364 days upon commissioning.)
Advantages
Most OCS graduates have served time as enlisted soldiers. Depending on how far they rose in the enlisted ranks and how good of a Soldier they are, their credibility can be much higher than an Academy graduate or an ROTC graduate. However, no matter how good of an enlisted soldier they were, upon commissioning, they are just another ābutter barāāslang for a new 2LT wearing his gold rank insignia.
Disadvantages
Breaking the habits of a good NCO can be difficult. Staying in the āOfficer Laneā is something a good number of former NCOs who earn a commission struggle with. There is also the potential physical problems of being older than most of your peers. Being in your late 20s is really not an issue, but 35-year-old lieutenants stand out. Most older NCOs can hang tough with their younger counterparts, but it takes them a little longer to recover. However, older officers often offer good leadership qualities like patience and the overall ability to deal with stress.
Direct Commission
Soldiers are eligible for direct-commissioning opportunities as medical professionals, lawyers, or chaplains. Direct commissioning is available in other job areas of the Army such as in the combat support and combat service support branches. Rank upon direct commission depends upon experience and skill level.
Requirements
ā¢ | A degreed professional |
ā¢ | Within age requirements (varies by professional career field) |
ā¢ | A U.S. citizen |
ā¢ | Physically fit |
Advantages
The service support branch is full of areas where a lot of commissioning training will be lost on a soldier who is going to be a lawyer or a medical doctor. Recruiting soldiers who already have the skills or who are capable of learning these valuable skills make the Army more self-sufficient and stronger. There are also many opportunities for Judge Advocate Generals (JAGs) and medical and chaplain personnel to earn lucrative bonuses because of the current needs of the Army.
Disadvantages
In some cases soldiers earn a direct commission in branches other than service support. All other commissioning sources are steeped in the 8 Troop Leading Procedures and OPORD creation, not to mention land navigation and infantry tactics. Without having this training, an officer will be behind the learning curve in combat. Combat is not the place for a leader to learn how to do his/her job.
OCS Courses
Federal OCS
Active Duty OCS is a 12-week course offered at Fort Benning, Georgia, in three distinct phases. Classes are offered year-round. The Program of Instruction (POI) is based on infantry company operations.
State OCS
Reserve Component OCS and National Guard is a 12- to 15-month (traditional) or 9-week (fast track) Leadersā Course of Instruction taught in a high-stress environment. This allows the cadre to develop and evaluate the performance of the candidates as it relates to their potential for commissioning as second lieutenants. The POI is based on infantry company operations.
Traditional: Phase I takes 16 days and is part of the candidatesā annual training. After completion at a consolidated training site, candidates return to their home state to complete the 12-month Phase II at the stateās Regional Training Institute (or RTI). Ther...