Originally posted by: jemcam
Originally posted by: Darien
Originally posted by: jemcam
I originally enlisted in the Army but went to OCS after two years. In hindsight, I really enjoyed OCS. At the time, I hated it because it was very, very hard. Mentally (scholastically speaking) it wasn't that hard. The lack of sleep, long hours, (usually less than 4 hours sleep for several weeks) physical exertion, and stress that is purposely designed into the program takes it's toll very quickly. That's the whole idea behind OCS though. They create a very stressful situation and then evaluate how you react to it.
Be warned though, less than 50% of a typical OCS class graduate. Most people drop out in the first couple of days. After that, most of the people left are the ones that can handle it, but don't make the grade.
In my Army experience, and this was 15 years ago, Officers go where they're needed. You can request a certain branch, (i.e. aviation, infantry, artillery, finance, admin, transportation, etc.) but if you're needed elsewhere, that's where they'll send you.
What do you exactly do during OCS? What makes it so hard?
And, how do they determine where you're sent once you become an officer?
The best way I can explain it here is that it's kind of like Basic Training in Full Metal Jacket only much worse. It's really a mental exercise, if you want to pass the course you learn to play the game.
A typical day was usually getting up around 5:00 a.m., get your barracks cleaned up and ready for inspection, get your PT clothes on, get in formation, then PT (physical training) for an hour or so, clean up, change into BDU's (camouflage uniform) have "leadership development training", which is just being yelled at and harassed by the TAC Officers, then go to class after breakfast. Keep in mind that you aren't given any time to do this, yet it is all expected to be done perfectly. All of the above is done by 6:30.
If you had any disciplinary paperwork or reports to complete, they must be turned in now, before breakfast.
Then back to the barracks area for more "leadership development", then on to class by 7:30 or 8:00. Class is on everything from basic Drill & Ceremony to Infantry tactics. This continues on until 11:30 or 12:00, when there is more "leadership development" and lunch. Then, more "leadership development" and back to class by 1:00 or so. Class lasts until 4:30 or 5:00, then it's more "leadership development", assess the carnage in your barracks and clean up from when the TAC Officers destroyed your barracks by throwing all of your sh!t out in street because they found a piece of lint on your bunk. This invariably will require a visit to the TAC Officer's office where you will get reamed and told you won't make it, and then you end up getting assigned a 5 or 10 page paper on how you allowed this to happen and what course of action you are taking to prevent it from happening again. Meanwhile, you've probably been assigned some responsibility like being Company Commander or Executive Officer of your class to put you under more scrutiny. Back to the barracks to clean your stuff up and get it right so it can be inspected again while doing some kind of Infantry training outside with the rest of the class.
This class will continue until about 11:00, until you go back to the barracks, get uniforms ready for the next day, take a shower, take care of any other meetings you have to attend, and complete reports and/or other paperwork. Lights are out at 11:00, but you'll be spit polishing boots and getting ready for the next day until at least midnight by flashlight if you've had an easy day. Usually, you don't actually get to lay down and sleep until about 1:00, but you're so hyped up from all the activity and physical exhaustion you won't get to sleep until 1:30 or 2:00.
Repeat above exercises for 6 weeks, 7 days a week with no break.
Keep in mind you are not allowed to walk anywhere. You run everywhere with all your gear, in a BDU uniform, boots, helmet, briefcase, etc.
It's not fun, but if you complete the course, you're a pretty tough cookie, and you get to walk off the graduation stage with a Gold Bar on your collar.
Congratulations! You're a green second lieutenant, the most dangerous, destructive, and stupidest thing the Army has in it's ranks. Even privates will laugh at you because you're so stressed about doing your job perfectly. It took me a couple of years to be comfortable in my job, and wasn't really good at it until I was a senior first lieutenant.
. Is it difficult to land a spot doing science/engineering r&d? What's OTS like? Life in general? How to prepare for the AFOQT and the like?
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