OCS Selection

[Ventus]

Good Morning Everyone,

I have a few questions but here's just a brief version of my story.

-Was in Air Force ROTC first two years of College. Had good scores, grades, PT. Did not get selected for training because only Engineering majors and Language majors got selected that year.
-Heard about the Marine Officer Program. Applied for PLC 2 years in a row. PT wasn't the best. Was not selected.
-Fast forward to senior year of college. Applied for OCC Air contract.
PT greatly improved
278 PFT.
GPA 2.79,
ASTB 6/7/6
Good letters of rec. No priors, no tattoos, no drugs, etc. Some flight training. Very committed to military. Now heart set on Marines.
-Feel like I have a really good chance of being selected. Find out last week that only 7 people were selected for Air east of the Mississippi. Was not one of them.

Is it just bad luck that I'm trying to apply at a time where the military is getting a whole mess of cutbacks?

I do not want to give up. However, I have graduated college in the spring with a Psychology degree. I have been considering enlisting in the reserves to at least go through some training and not feel like I'm sitting around spinning my wheels. I'm working two dead end jobs and living at home.

My question is, will enlisting in the reserves improve my chances of being selected in the future? I'm guessing my PT will improve even more through boot camp and will give me something to accomplish short term. I have some friends that have done this as well (go reserves and then get selected for OCC), but I always hear people in the military saying "If you want to be an officer, go officer. Don't waste your time going enlisted." Also, I have heard that currently other branches (if I considered them) are not very friendly application-wise towards prior enlisted.

I have been told stick with it. Keep applying to OCS. But is this really feasible where I am right now and where the military is right now? It seems like only the top of the top are getting selected. Wouldn't being in the reserves make me stand out from someone else who is applying?

I guess what I'm saying is that I've been training to go into SOMEthing for years now and It seems like the date just keeps getting pushed back for me to go. I've applied to OCS 3 times without avail. I've improved my PT and my extra-curriculars, but now I'm done with school and am doing nothing but waiting.
I don't know anything about the statistics of recruiting, but I'm guessing the increasing and decreasing of the military is a cycle. There will always be another conflict in the future. By going reserves, I'd be kind of waiting out that decreasing period. I don't know. I could be completely wrong. I'm just thinking out loud.

I made it a personal goal of mine to be at least a Marine by my 23rd birthday. I turn 23 in May.

Bottom line. I am not giving up on applying to OCS. Is it a good idea to go reserves first and keep applying to better my chances?

Thank you for taking the time to read my situation and providing any input that you can.

Very Respectfully,
Ventus

 

[Renegade One]

...here's just a brief version of my story…. heart set on Marines.

I'm working two dead end jobs and living at home.

I've applied to OCS 3 times without avail. I've improved my PT and my extra-curriculars, but now I'm done with school and am doing nothing but waiting...I made it a personal goal of mine to be [a] Marine by my 23rd birthday. I turn 23 in May.

If you were my son, I'd tell you to enlist in the regular Marine Corps…not the reserves. Meets two of the goals you state above…and obviates the other frustrations. You'll be out of your parents' house and no longer stuck in anything like a dead end job.

You have a handful of years left in which you can still fight for an OCS billet, so don't stop doing that, but don't make that the sum total of "who you are".

The Marine Corps is always looking for "A Few Good Men". You sound like one of them. Do what you want while you're young, and best of luck.

 

[Ventus]

Thank you for the quick reply sir.

I have thought about going active duty and it's actually preferred to the reserves for me, but I was under the impression that you had to wait until you were at least a corporal to apply for OCS if you are active duty where as if you are reserves you can apply whenever you want after training.

If making corporal is the case I don't know how long that would take depending on the MOS I received/choose. I certainly don't want to risk me getting too old to apply for Air if it takes more than 4 years.

Is this accurate?

 

[Renegade One]

Thank you for the quick reply sir.

I have thought about going active duty and it's actually preferred to the reserves for me, but I was under the impression that you had to wait until you were at least a corporal to apply for OCS if you are active duty where as if you are reserves you can apply whenever you want after training.

If making corporal is the case I don't know how long that would take depending on the MOS I received/choose. I certainly don't want to risk me getting too old to apply for Air if it takes more than 4 years.

Is this accurate?

No idea. Others will know.

Sorry…I thought you were interested in being a Marine first and foremost, and seeing where that might take you. Looks like you're back to square one.

 

[greatvaluebrand]

Not to be Debbie Downer here, but the last I heard from my OSO, the average selection at boards from our office was 292 PFT and 3.4 GPA. I don't know if those were just scores the office made up for "motivation", but I know it is very difficult to be selected right now.
This doesnt mean it won't happen, but I'd have a contingency plan from being an officer in the Marines.