For anyone wondering, OCS is now physically easier and more leadership focused. There’s 3 SULEs now, hikes are at a 20 min/mi pace, e/o courses aren’t grad requirements (you still need that 80% though so most people pass). TBS is much harder!!

Good to know, thanks!

I'm a female freshman in college applying to PLC Marines and I understand it can be very dependent on how competitive the other applicants are, but I was wondering if you have advice to improve my application and how likely it is they will take me at this point? Here are some of my stats so far: 240 PFT (done 1 and plan to do it again?- 22 pushups, 100 crunches, 21:47 3 mi), 3.62 unweighted high school GPA, generally strong recs, current college varsity athlete)

Hi, dear! I'm sorry, I don't know how long ago this was asked, but hopefully you still see it.

First of all, good job on the run - I never have and never will be that fast lol Second, do pushups and crunches every day. The more you do, the better you'll get at them. Do everything you can to max your PFT 'cause I guarantee you there are some truly beast women out there knocking it out of the park.

Honestly, I'd say building a relationship and talking with your OSO will be very helpful because they can see what other offices are submitting for their applicants. And having a relationship with the folks in your office will encourage them to fight harder for you because they know you, versus just seeing you for PFTs occasionally or doing some paperwork. If they host a PT session during the week, join in if you can. My OSO was amazing and even after I failed to graduate from OCS, I maintained a professional relationship with him and he even wrote me letters of recommendation to get the police job I have now. If you're far away from your OSO (I was lucky to live in the same town as mine) try to find a nearby Enlistment office, and see if you can jump in PT with those folks to show some initiative in your desire to train and become part of that culture and family.

I know being in school and being a varsity athlete doesn't leave you a lot of spare time, but any extracurriculars/clubs you're in or are able to join would be helpful, and especially try to get leadership positions within them.

OCS is a test on leadership potential through and through, if you can show before even going in that you want to lead and have at least come capacity to do so, it'll help tons.

I’m about to graduate TBS and I know you made this blog forever ago BUT I think of you frequently because a lot of the advice and info on here helped me a tremendous amount (although you went when OCS was so much harder, it’s insane how different it is now). I really hope you’re happy with where life has taken you!!

I really don't ever get on Tumblr anymore, but this message came through to my email while I happened to be signed on, and I'm so happy I saw it! I'm so so glad that my blog was, and continues to be helpful to people after almost a decade (my god I'm old now lmao). Congratulations on your journey!

In what way has OCS changed?

And I'm very happy with the path my life took, thank you so much for thinking of me. I've been a city police officer for a few years now, and while I'm not sure it's where I'll ultimately stay forever, I do really enjoy the work. I definitely attribute a lot of what I learned and experienced in my measly 8.5 weeks in Quantico to my personal and professional development and will always be glad I made the decision attempt OCS. :)

Not sure if you get on here much, but I am going to OCS 238 this September! Thoughts on if I should drive or fly? I’m coming from NM and I don’t want to cut into my prep training time with three days in the car but I also really like flexibility and heard I may have to haul lot when I leave. Any tips are appreciated!

Hi there! Tumblr emails get shuffled to my spam apparently, but I saw the notification for this question!  It’s honestly up to you, I flew up from Texas and it was very convenient in my opinion. However, while you’re there you’ll be able to leave Brown Field and the base (unless you’re on probation for poor grades lol) on libo weekends and it would be good to be able to leave yourself without relying on other people to drive you. I know a few folks would leave base and get themselves a hotel room to get away from the madness when possible.

I don't know if you still go on here (probably not lol) but I read through your entire blog before I went to OCS this summer (graduated occ 234!). You went under a super tough Colonel, and grad requirements have really eased up because they were dropping way too many people. You would 100% make it through OCS today.

Hi! I don't really sign on lol, but I do get notifications to my email :) thanks for the note, and congrats on graduating!

If you major in something, will you be able to get a job in that field?

Not necessarily. Possibly, depending on your level of education in that field, but they will put you where they need/want you.

How is the bathroom situation during OCS? Are you ever denied making a head call?

If there isn’t a time constraint or anything, and as long as you ask correctly, they won’t just deny you for no reason. There’s a way to ask for things, which you’ll learn, and as long as you follow their little script, should be golden.

Hey! Thank you for making this blog, I wanted to ask how you physically prepared for OCS?

I have no clue when this was asked, because I haven’t monitored this blog in quite some time, so I apologize for the delay! I was on the Crew team at my college, so we had team workouts, plus I did crossfit almost every day, and I PT’ed with my OSO folks once or twice a week. I recommend lots of cardio and HIIT style training. Be able to do good work while your heart is way up. I also recommend rucking often with solid weight on your back on varying terrain, and go for at least a consistent 14min/mi pace.

Sorry I’ve been gone so long!

I know I’ve been MIA for FOREVER, and I apologize! These questions are probably very old, but I just saw them all, so hopefully these answers are still helpful for someone out there.

Quick update on me: I decided not to make a second attempt at OCS after I got back and settled into normal existence. I applied for Police Officer in my hometown and died out as #1 on the waiting list. I applied a second time and made it in. I went to the police academy and graduated in March of this year. I’ve now been in field training for almost 3 months (we have a 5 month FTO program).

Q: Hey! So I've been looking Into the option of becoming an Officer. On and off for some time and I can never find any information. So glad I found your blog. I'm actually married to a Cpl whose mos is 0311. So getting fit isn't much of a concern It's a slay fest with him anyways. How'd you go about the process of (I may not use the proper terms) Signing up to become an officer. What was the recruiting process ? Do you pick your Mos? What degree do you have ? Does it matter ?

A: I’m so glad you found this helpful! That’s exactly why I started it, I was never able to find info either. The process is pretty simple: first step is to find an officer selection office near you. On Marine.com you can fill out an interest card and you’ll get a message from whoever is close to set up an appointment. You choose Ground, Air, or Law contract, but that’s all you choose at this point. You fill out a background packet and get cleared to apply, go through the PFT to get the highest score you can (this may take multiple attempts). Your file with your scores and history and everything go to a review board for the region. The board will review files from all the OSO’s in their area a couple times a year and select however many individuals they have slots for, for the upcoming OCS class. There are 2 OCS options: PLC (2 6-week sessions during summers before Junior and Senior years) or OCC (10-week course any time after you’ve graduated college). The PLC option results in those who successfully pass accepting their commission at their college graduation. With OCC there is a commission ceremony at the end of the session. OCS is essentially establishing whether you can be an Officer.

After OCS you attend TBS (The Basic School) which is a 6 month course. TBS is where you learn more about actually being a Marine and an Officer. During TBS you make your list of MOS choices, and you get assigned to wherever the Marine Corps wants you. After TBS is your MOS school, and length can vary depending on the assignment.

You degree doesn’t really matter, but if you have an idea of what MOS you want and it would require, or even be enhanced by, having a related degree go for that.

Q: Hey! Thank you for making this blog, I wanted to ask how you physically prepared for OCS?

A: I busted my ass at Crossfit just about every day and did the PT my OSO led twice a week. I got really strict with my diet and tried to go running as often as I could (which was rough in the Texas summer!) Honestly, had I put off OCS for another year, I might have been better suited and graduated OCS, but I’m happy with the experience I had and where I am now.

Q: What's the cutting age to be a marine corp officer

A: I believe it’s 32. But sometimes you can get a waiver if you’ve served previously and are looking to make a switch.

Q: How is the bathroom situation during OCS? Are you ever denied making a head call?

A: The bathroom situation is VERY AWKWARD if you’ve never had to “go” in front of other people! Lol The head in the squad bay has no stall doors. It’s not bad once you’re used to it, but it’s weird at first. Same with showering - no individual showers or curtains or anything, just a lot of nekkidness.

Unless there’s an actual reason, the SIs won’t deny you going. You just have to ask the right way: “Good afternoon, GySgt! Candidate ___ requests permission to speak to GySgt ___! ((“what do you want candidate??”)) GySgt, Candidate ___ requests permission to make a head call (with candidates __ and __), GySgt!” Usually, we’d just have one person ask for everyone ‘cause it was easier and all go at once lol

Q: I plan on joining and I had just read the sexual harassment post. Thank you for shedding some light on that but I always read about how you're either "a slut,a bitch or a butch" but how is it for butch women in the MC? Is it the same or do they face more challenges from men and/or women? Also are a lot of men in the Marine Corps like that or is it just a minority of them that makes the others look bad? Thank you so much.

A: Like I said in the other post, I really didn’t see any issues with this. There were a couple of females in my platoon who I guess would be labeled “butch” women, but as long as everyone got their shit done and were squared away, everyone was good. And again, I had a very short window of time for observation, so you’d be better suited to ask servicemen and women who actually served for a better opinion.

Q: This is probably a dumb question but when you do your initial PFT at OCS, do they weigh you right before it or the night before or the day before?

A: I honestly don’t remember the schedule, just that both were done during the first couple days after “pick up” where we met our SIs.

If you guys haven’t seen this page, it’s hysterical. And so true lol

http://ocssummercamp.tumblr.com/

Hey just curious if you're still applying to 220? I still need to take my final pft before boards meet this month and was wondering if anyone else is in the same boat. I moved a few hours away from my oso after graduation and getting back down there during the week has been a bit of a struggle.

For the time being, I'm just looking at being a police officer (still lookin for a department I like) and then down the line I may decide to go back to ocsAlso, I'm super sorry I haven't been very active on here lately!!! I apparently haven't been getting email alerts when I get messages and it never occurs to me to switch from my other blog!

You mentioned a while back when you got back from OCS that you were performance boarded? What does that mean? How did that work? Was it something that critical that at week 8, they let you go?

You get sent to a performance board if 1 or more of your grades (Leadership, Physical Fitness, and Academics) are failing, which at OCS is below an 80%. The board means that you go into a room with the Commander and SgMaj of OCS, your PLT Commander and PLT Sgt, and one or two other Marines. You only talk to the Battalion Commander though, the others are just for observation and to make you more nervous. There are a few performance boards throughout the course, every couple weeks. Depending on your grades and how much improvement has been show, etc, they may decide to keep you at least until the final week 9 performance board. My issue was my PT score. I could do well on the PFT and I killed it at the Combat Course, but the PFT wasn’t heavily weighted and I don’t believe the Combat Course was graded, if it was it also wasn’t weighted heavily enough to help. When it came to company humps (at force-march pace) or long platoon runs or the E-course, I struggled a lot. And those were the events that counted most for our grade, and it basically destroyed me. During my board, the Colonel was very nice and encouraging, and said basically I was a great candidate but I needed to work a little more on my PT.For my friend’s board, he was a little less nice, because even though she had decent grades our SIs didn’t think she was fit for OCS and had a lot of issues with her.When they send you home, they label your file either with or without the ability to reapply. 

Do you need to major in something specific to become a officer in the marine corps?

Nope, you just need to have a degree!

I'm 5'7" and about 154 lbs. I've never been skinny but I'm definitely not fat. People are shocked when I tell them I'm 154 lbs. I'm just built solid. I know for my height, my weight limit is 160 lbs. Are they really strict about that for applicants? Can I still make tape give or take a couple extra lbs? Thank you!

So I’m 5′5″ and usually sit around 150 lbs, but cut a little weight for weigh-ins and stuff. If you’re within 10 lbs of your max allowed weight, they’ll tape you. Sounds like you’re similar to me in that we solidly built girls, and unfortunately the Dept of the Navy doesn’t understand that the taping system makes no sense (although there’s currently a push to change the tape test). You should be able to find a chart online that they use to find out your “body fat percentage” using your height and measurements of your hips+waist-neck. They didn’t tape at MEPS even though I was 1 pound under my max, but your OSO will have to tape you whenever you weigh in if you’re in that 10 lb range. I’ve been in crossfit and powerlifting, plus a lot of other sports involving leg strength which means, I got da booty lol so my BF% always came out over the allowed amount (except when I managed to cut a few inches just to tape). But, my OSO wrote a letter to his CO and was like “look, she’s definitely not Jabba the Hut, she works out and has a big ass, that’s just how it is.” So the Major cleared my paperwork to get sent to the board lolThat was my experience with all of that stuff. I made weight when I got to OCS and they didn’t tape us there unless we were over our weight. I don’t exactly know what happened in that situation, but I know the SIs would comment on the amount of food someone was eating if they were on the re-weigh list which happened a couple weeks into training.

I've been seeing a guy in the marine corps for about 5 months. He's a 30 y/o Gunny. After I finish OCS next year, can we still date per the fraternization policy? He's a Chief DI over at the depot in San Diego. So I don't think I'd ever be working with him.

Ya know I actually don’t remember the regs on that, but if he’s a gunny he definitely knows the rules so you should talk to him about it. 

What exactly happens after PLC? You graduate, then finish your bachelors, but you don't get pinned until after receiving your bachelors, correct? I'm doing the Junior year 10 week summer course next year. Will I have to do OCS again once I return for my commission? Or do I just go to the next scheduled commissioning ceremony if I pass PLC? Sorry if that's confusing...

So if you’re doing the 10 week course, you just have to graduate from OCS and upon graduation from university you’ll then receive your commission. I’m not sure if all other universities do it, but Texas A&M is pretty much 1/2 military school so they had commissioning ceremonies the same weekend as graduation.The only reason you’d have to go twice is if you were doing the 2 6-week PLC courses.Does that make sense? lol

the-treble said: All the skivvies we had to wear in enlisted boot camp were white. Nothing else allowed. Dunno how it works for officers.

Yeahh, they really didn’t give a shit with us lol