What to expect at OCS / PLC

[Vulture6]

"Being a leader of Marines is not a right, it is a privilege; a privilege that must be earned."

An OCS Primer: This guide applies with all Marine Corps Officer Candidate School programs such as PLC, OCC, PLC Combined, etc. It covers what to expect and how to prepare.

The Mission of OCS: "To train, evaluate, and screen officer candidates to ensure that they possess the moral, intellectual, and physical qualities for commissioning and the leadership potential to serve successfully as company grade officers in the operating forces."

What Candidates Can Expect
Firmness: All Candidates are required to meet Marine Corps standards. Candidates can also expect to be held accountable for their actions.

Fair Evaluation: The evaluation will be both mentally and physically challenging. Each candidate is provided every opportunity to prove their potential, because OCS wants candidates to succeed.

Respect: Every Candidate is treated with respect because each candidate has volunteered to come to OCS. The acceptance of the challenge to prove themselves as leaders is the first step in earning their commission as Second Lieutenants of Marines.

What It Takes To Succeed

A commitment to be a leader of Marines.

Mental and physical preparation.

Physical preparation includes both strength and endurance

Belief in yourself.

A clear understanding of the OCS program.

Understanding of OCS standards and expectations.

The ability to learn from mistakes.

The ability to progress from self to team.


Evaluation Break Down
50% Leadership
50% of the Officer Candidate's grade is based on leadership potential. The leadership grade is based on practical application throughout the course of instruction, classroom instruction and staff observation. Eleven classes are taught in the classroom. These formal periods of instruction include classes on fundamental and intermediate leadership (Core Values Classes) and classes on Marine Corps / Department of Defense policies. Each candidate’s leadership ability will be evaluated in many different areas, including:

• Leadership Opportunities
• Leadership Billets
• Drill
• Leadership Reaction Course
• Small Unit Leadership Evaluation I
• Small Unit Leadership Evaluation II


25% Academics
Academics account for 25% of an Officer Candidate's overall grade at OCS. The Academics grade is calculated based on General Military Subjects, and Tactics, as well as additional practical application. The General Military Subjects taught to Officer Candidates provide basic information to include Marine Corps History, Tactics, Operations and Organization, Land Navigation and other Military Subjects. Officer Candidates are evaluated on this material through written exams and practical application.

25% Physical Fitness
Physical Training accounts for 25% of the overall grade and is based on several graded physical events. The physical training program at OCS has been designed to teach, then test and evaluate, a very high level of physical fitness in a minimum amount of time. It is built on the principles which will test physical courage, will-power and determination, while preparing you for the rigors of future Marine Corps duty. The physical aspects of OCS are designed to test an individual’s general strength and endurance under varying field and tactical conditions. You will find these aspects challenging and demanding.

• UBDs: Upper Body Development Course
• Run Circuit: A circular course in the immediate OCS area consisting of many exercise stations designed to build endurance and overall body strength.
• Fartlek Course: A 3 to 4 mile trail, consisting of nearly 1 dozen exercise stations, designed to build endurance.
• Obstacle Course: A 100 meter long series of obstacles that must be negotiated in a prescribed amount of time.
• Confidence & Tarzan, Courses: A series of high obstacles created to build an individuals self-confidence while teaching military skills.
• Combat Readiness Test: Consists of physical events that one could likely face in combat situations.
• Conditioning Hikes: These range from 3 to 15 miles with combat gear.
• Pugil Sticks: Simulates close combat fighting.
• Combat Course: This is a 1.5 mile course which simulates a combat environment by stressing all around security and noise discipline while negotiating a series of obstacles.
• Endurance Course: A 3.5 mile course testing a candidate’s physical endurance & ability to cross and negotiate various obstacles

[jmwsf]

Straight off the OCS website I see?...outstanding...

Anyone have feedback? Personnally I think its hard to prepare for it / understand what you are getting into before actually doing it.

[jmwsf]

Personally I looked over all that stuff and it didn't mentally prepare me, the only thing that finally did was the advice of friends who went before me.

[KoolRainbow]

wanna share some of that advice?

[jmwsf]

Originally Posted by KoolRainbow

wanna share some of that advice?

Sorry, I don't get on here as much as I should, PCS move and all coming up. It has been a little while now and I don't remember what advice they gave me but if I was to offer some up now this is what I would offer.

- Don't be afraid to make mistakes, the entire program is set up to make you fail at some point, they want to see how you recover from that.

- Don't take things too seriously, sometimes they are just playing games to kill time and it doesn't matter how well you make a rack you are going to have to do it again and again.

- Find at least one thing to laugh at everyday, especially yourself because otherwise you are going to be stressed out the whole time.

- Put out effort at all times, ESPECIALLY when you are hot and tired. You don't have to be the best because they are looking for effort and desire to excel.

- Realize that what you do there is NOT what the real Marine Corps is like and don't give up under ANY circumstances. If you do you will regret it later and never have a chance to come back.

Hope that helps let me know if you have any other specific questions.

[Vulture6]

Excellent advice... and never take a short cut. Everything is a test, and some problems don't have a solution -- they just want to see how you react when tasked with the impossible.

[dvldogcandidate]

As jmwsf said, you're going to fail at one point or another, and probably more than once. It's all in how you deal with that failure.

You're not only being evaluated by your sgt. instructors and plt. commander, but also your peers. So don't slack off when you think no one is looking. You're always being evaluated by fellow candidates, so earn their respect and don't be afraid to lead. The primary thing you'll be evaluated on is "leadership potential."

As for what to expect... expect "stress and chaos," especially in the first few weeks while you adapt. Just keep your head up, make good decisions, and don't take anything the sgt. instructors say to you personally.

If you're prior service, expect to be put in a billet (leadership position) early. Everyone will be in a few billets while you're there, and that's when your leadership is really evaluated, so be ready.

If you don't know what to do or what's going on, find someone that's prior service and ask. A lot is going to be expected of you when you get there and they make sure the priors are spread out between the platoons. They're there for a reason, so make sure to ask them what you need to know.

Anything else, just ask.

[CGoeth]

Thanks for the advice. Advice is always welcomed!