PLC only for those pursuing a career in the military?

[Spyder]

I'm a freshman in college and just received and email about the PLC program, but am a little confused about it. The email made it seem like a program where you took leadership classes and did basic training type stuff and got payed $2400 for 6 weeks and have no commitment.
This doesn't make sense to me, why would they pay you to take a great program where you would probably learn so much and I'm sure it would look great on a resume, but you're not doing anything for them? Did I miss some part where they can ship you off to fight in a war?
If not, would you guys recommend this program for someone who probably isn't interested in becoming an officer (ie. just for the leadership skills)?
Thanks.

[Vulture6]

PLC - Platoon Leader's Course - is for students currently in college with at least a year left before graduation. There are two 6 week sessions to be taken in the summer between Soph & Jr. years and Jr. & Sr. There is also a PLC Combined session (10 weeks) for those who sign up and go between their Jr. & Sr. years. When you sign the contract, you are obligated to only a portion of the first session, after that you can quit, or they can throw you out. After graduation from college, if you have performed up to standard at PLC, the Corps may offer you a commission as a 2nd LT, and you would receive orders to TBS - The Basic School - in anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.


PLC is part of Marine Officer Candidate School -- this is where the Marine Corps draws a large portion of its officers. The other sources are NROTC and the Naval Academy (and a small percentage may come from the other military academies). ALL Marine 2nd Lieutenants go through The Basic School (TBS) regardless of where or how they were commissioned.

While PLC is a good gut check, it teaches basic military skills, puts you through a lot of physical training, and places you under a lot of stress (some real, some artificial) to see how you react under pressure, it is a tough way to spend your summer vacation.

The email made it seem like a program where you took leadership classes and did basic training type stuff and got payed $2400 for 6 weeks and have no commitment.

That is correct. As a program, it is designed to:
1. Give you, the candidate, a taste of the Marine Corps - to see if you have the desire, guts, and where-with-all to make it. Life in the Corps isn't like life at OCS, just like life in the Corps isn't like boot camp.

2. To give the Marine Corps a chance to determine if you have what it takes - the potential to be a good officer of Marines.

If you have zero desire to join the military, then OCS would be a bad mistake. If you think that you may want to serve, or just want to explore your options, then go ahead and sign up. If you go to the 6 week PLC junior, you can Drop On Request (DOR)(quit) after the end of the second week. Or, if you complete the full 6 weeks, you can simply decide to not come back for the second summer. Then you would just tell your OSO (officer recruiter) that it's not for you. You completed the summer session and you want to go on to other things. Fine. No problem. You will get paid while at PLC, but only while at PLC. It's a rough way to make $2400 (or whatever the amount is).

If you are uncertain about a tour in the military (notice, I didn't say a career), then by all means, when they offer you a monthly stipend (read $$ during the school year) then TURN IT DOWN, because that is essentially signing a reserve contract. If you quit OCS or are dropped and you have taken the stipend, then you are on your way to Parris Island and a tour as an enlisted Marine.

There are no obligations with PLC that go beyond the summer sessions until spring semester of your senior year. About 3 to 4 months before you are to graduate college, your OSO will meet with you to have you sign your package. If you sign, then you are obligating yourself to either 4 or 6 years of commissioned service as an officer of Marines. If you sign those papers and then change your mind and ignore your orders to TBS, then one day the State Police are going to pick you up (when you register to vote, renew your driver's license, or get stopped for a traffic violation) and turn you over to military authorities. You'll spend a couple of days in a military brig (prison), go through a quick court martial to officially discharge you from your service obligation (under other than honorable conditions) and then you will be returned to your civilian life (with a felony conviction).

This doesn't make sense to me, why would they pay you to take a great program where you would probably learn so much and I'm sure it would look great on a resume, but you're not doing anything for them?

They are screening and evaluting volunteers to see if they have the potential to be future leaders of Marines. It's a small group and pretty selective. (Note: They are identifying leadership potential - that doesn't mean that you will be a good leader, only that you have the potential to be one. It is up to you.) The Marine Corps believes that you are interested in becoming an officer and are motivated to serve. They also want to weed out those that aren't serious or don't have what it takes. It's much cheaper and much more effective to do it at OCS one summer than to have to handle it once you get to the Fleet Marine Forces.

Did I miss some part where they can ship you off to fight in a war?

No. You didn't miss any hidden clauses. For OCS (PLC) you are embarking on a voluntary, conditional, reserve enlistment. The enlistment term is for the proscribed period of PLC -- in the case of PLC Jr. that would be the first two weeks of the first six week session. They cannot ship you off to war.

...would you guys recommend this program for someone who probably isn't interested in becoming an officer (ie. just for the leadership skills)?

No.

Really, I guess that depends on your definition of "probably". (Gee, I'm beginning to sound like a former Command-in-Chief!). If, deep down in your being, you have some desire to possibly serve, then sure. Sign up and learn if it's for you, and learn if you have what it takes. They won't teach you leadership in a classroom. They will help you discover if you have leadership skills already, burried somewhere deep in your personality. They will give you the opportunity to learn a lot about yourself, and what you are made of.

BUT, if you're just looking for a way to learn a little bit about leadership without any real desire to serve, consider an Outward Bound type of program. PLC is competitive, and there are a limited number of slots. While most folks who apply get in, some are turned away.

Good luck in your decision. There are a lot of posts in this section of the forum that will give you a great deal of information about PLC and life as an officer. Be sure to read the post above about "What Does It Mean To Be A Good Officer" -- that might help you make your decision.

[Bergeron]

I heard from my mother's co-worker who is an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve that PLC is between freshman and sophmoore year and sophmoore and junior year. Is there any choice in which summers you attend PLC or is it mandatory to do it during certain ones? I'm only a H.S. Junior and I'm more than a little anxious to get going asap.

I also noticed you said that after graduating the Corps may offer you a commission. Are candidates usually offered a commission as long as they perform well at OCS?

[dvldogcandidate]

First of all, I'd like to echo Vulture6's response that if you don't have any desire to become an Officer of Marines you probably shouldn't seriously consider OCS. What I noticed from personal experience is that the people who weren't serious about becoming an officer were the same people who D.O.R.'ed (drop on request). The course is tough. Just about everyone has thoughts of quitting while there...that little voice in the back of your head. If you go into the course wondering whether this is the path you want to take, you probably don't have the resolve needed to stick it out.

On to Bergeron. It's preferred that you go to OCS in two 6 week sessions, one in betwen your freshman and sophomore year and another between your junior and senior year. But, while you're in college, no matter what year you are, there's a program leading to officership in the Marine Corps. I myself went through my first 6 week session in between my sophomore and junior year. No big deal. There's also a 10 week program (PLC-combined) for those already in their junior year. If a senior and about to graduate, there's a program (OCC) that's essentially the same as PLC-combined except for all of the candidates already possess a bachelor's degree and will commission upon graduation.

If you pass OCS, it is generally accepted that you will be offerred a commission. If those evaluating you determine that you don't have what it takes to be an Officer of Marines, then you won't graduate from OCS, plan and simple. They're not going to wait until after you graduate OCS but before you get a commission to say "sorry, no thanks." By not promising a commission to all those who graduate OCS, the Marine Corps gives itself some wiggle room. For instance, if an OCS grad does something stupid like commits a felony, drops out of college, etc., the Marine Corps can deny that person a commission.

[muckboy19]

can you apply for plc if u are attending a Jr. college? just wondering because im not goin to be able to get into a University unless i go to a Jr. college first...

-Charlie