Officer Candidate School

Officer Candidate School (OCS) is one of several commissioning programs run by each branch of the military through which selected candidates earn a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, or U.S. Air Force, or as an ensign in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard. Courses run from 6 to 17 weeks straight, depending on the branch, or as long as 16 months, if taken through the Army National Guard. The course at OCS is usually intense, with classroom instruction, physical fitness, field training, and leadership training held under highly regimented conditions. The background of candidates has varied during different periods and in different branches of the military. Some candidates enter OCS with substantial enlisted service, while others are admitted ...