Various Questions! (Marine/Naval)

[usmc]

For reference, I just finished my second year of college with an overall GPA of 2.9 in Electronic Engineering/(minor in Mathematics). I’d like to have a higher GPA but that stuff is friggin hard!

Here’s what I don’t understand:

I thought OCS (Marines) was the ten week “boot camp” for potential officers in the junior year of college, right? From what I’ve read, one should have their PRK before arriving to this…why? Not only this but one should have the procedure done a year before it starts which would be ahhh…NOW…for me!

Also, from what I’ve read, the Navy is denying candidates left and right while the Marines are handing slots out like candy. Sorry, but this seems a little odd to me. I would think if someone wanted to be a pilot bad enough, they’d just go Marines. What’s up with this? I feel like I’m not seeing the whole story when there are men who would give up their first born to become a Naval Aviator but won’t touch Marines. Why why why!!! I should know this. It can’t all be do to the extra physical training.

Finally, what can I do right now to prepare? Besides seeing a recruiter which I haven’t done yet. I guess I was foolishly under the impression that they accepted anyone into OCS. I’ve been training for the specific events with stats of 18 pull-ups (palms facing out) and running five miles every other day with two mile runs in between.

PS: Anyone else have to work in an internship as a requirement for their major? How the hell do you plan that out if OCS takes up the summer? Christmas break maybe? I have to clear that up still…

 

[Mc]

If you do a little research on this website, I imagine that you will start to find several things. First of all, there are two routes to become a Marine officer, namely, PLC and OCC. Go to the Marine OCS webpage for further details. Another thing you will see is that there are two different mind sets and public images of a Marine vs. a Navy aviator. As for physical training, that too is all over this website. Just spend some time researching all the resources available to you on the web and talk to a recruiter.

-Mc

 

[DBLang]

Let me try to answer some of your questions. I'm not a candidate but I hopefully will be in another 9 months or so. Yes the navy is taking very very few candidates right now, and only the best at that. The Marines are also denying OCC candidates left and right.

1.OCC (Officer Candidates Class) is for college seniors and graduates. It is 10 weeks at OCS in Quantico Virginia.
2.PLC (Platoon Leaders Class) is for college freshmen, sophmores and juniors. For freshmen and sophmores it consists of 2 six week sessions at OCS spread out over two summers so you wont miss any school. Juniors attend PLC Combined which is a 10 week session at OCS.
3.PLC is less competetive than OCC because the majority of candidates are PLC and (I think) there are quite a few college graduates who have decided to apply to OCC.

As for the difference between the Navy and Marine Corp Officer Candidate Schools. You'd really want to talk to people who've been through them, but I'll give it my best. The Navy's OCS takes a candidate and in 13 weeks turns him or her into an officer that is ready to be sent off to flight school, supply school, etc right after they graduate and are commissioned. Marine Officer Candidate School takes a candidate and determines if he or she has what it takes to lead Marines, if so they offer you a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. If you accept then you're sent to TBS (The Basic School) after you earn your degree. Then you spend six months learning a number of skills and doing a lot of infantry training. After TBS you're sent off to flight school and from there on the training pipeline is the same for both the Navy and Marines.

Taken from www.MarineOfficer.com

Officers Candidate School (OCS) is where Marine Officer candidates find out if they've got what it takes to become leaders of Marines.

Students immerse themselves in some of the most demanding training in the world. Testing and evaluation is ongoing for character, appearance, speech, command presence, strength, agility, coordination, endurance and intelligence. Candidates will be assigned temporary leadership positions to gauge their abilities to lead other Marines.

Upon successful completion of OCS, candidates will have earned their commissions as Second Lieutenants of Marines.

The Basic Officer Course is taught at The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia. It is a foundation of professional knowledge and skills necessary for officers to effectively command and lead Marines.

Newly commissioned officers will spend 21 weeks in courses on first aid, leadership and techniques of military instruction: marksmanship, map reading, communications, infantry tactics weapons, organization and staff functions, drill, command, military law, logistics, personnel administration, Marines history.

While in TBS, you will be given the opportunity to name your preferences for assignment. Approximately 90 percent of newly commissioned Marine Corps officers are assigned to an occupational field of their choice.

As far as telling you why a lot of people dont consider the Marines I cant really tell you. Talk to Frumby, Jarhead, or Taxman. I think it's safe to say it intimidates some people and others just have their heart set on the Navy.

You would have to get a waiver for PRK, and you cant apply for it until your vision has been stable for 3 or six months after the operation. So Thats maybe 6 to 9 months. If you got it this summer I think you'd be able to apply for PLC next year.


I suggest you talk to an Officer Selection Officer, www.Marine Officer.com and marineocs.com
You sound like you're in good shape and you're going for a tough degree.

 

[usmc]

So you’re telling me I have to have the PRK done before I attend my ten week PLC next summer? I thought it was before OCS. Can I wait and have it done my senior year in college (after PLC)? Also, Marines don’t pay for this, do they?

I have 60/20 30/20 vision…for the record.

 

[los5041]

USMC I went through PLC juniors last summer and also have to have 3 internships before I graduate. What I suggest you do is go to the co-op office or internship office at your school and if you decide to go to OCS ask them if they will count it as a internship considering the Marines will be your full time job after graduation. Luckly at my school which is Bowling Green they are counting PLC juniors and Seniors as two co-ops which leaves me with only one co-op to find.

 

[usmc]

Originally posted by los5041
USMC I went through PLC juniors last summer and also have to have 3 internships before I graduate. What I suggest you do is go to the co-op office or internship office at your school and if you decide to go to OCS ask them if they will count it as a internship considering the Marines will be your full time job after graduation. Luckly at my school which is Bowling Green they are counting PLC juniors and Seniors as two co-ops which leaves me with only one co-op to find.

Hey, thanks! I never even thought of it that way.

 

[los5041]

Hey no problem, and good luck.