Couple tips from an enlisted man's observations at OCS. I spent the last year of my enlistment (1983) as a Lance Corporal at OCS Motor Transport in support of all aspects of candidate training from PT sessions to the Fartlek, marches, field training, 3 day War and land navigation. Most important is integrity. You will not get away with lying, finger pointing (especially at enlisted) or any form of integrity violation. Marines have to be able to trust their officers and their decisions. Remember, YOU ARE NOT A MARINE. You are training to become an OFFICER OF MARINES. Huge difference. Respect all Marines as you would expect them to respect you. Marines are your weapons. It is your responsibility to guide, protect and use them effectively. Earn their respect by sharing their hardships. Trust your NCOs and heed their guidance. Never show an elitist attitude with enlisted Marines, that will kill your career. Word spreads fast and your superiors will know how you treat those in your charge. Comport yourself at all times as an officer befitting your rank and station and you will be an O4 in no time. Good luck!
Well stated. I was PLC Combined I’m the summer of 87’ as a Reagan Cold Warrior. I kept my distance from all active duty Marines as I knew that I was NOT a Marine. The DI’s made it very clear about how a butter bars should interact with all grades or enlisted Marines, especially the senior staff NCO’s. The Company Gunny, the Company First Sergeant and of course your DI’s. I always respected the AD Marines working around and for us by doing their jobs, whether it was Motor T or whatnot. One quick story moving on to TBS: after our 7 day war, or whatever # of days it was, we were all past the point of total exhaustion and I was a freaking zombie: caked in mud and crud. When we evacuated out of the training area we were told to pile into the back of an uncovered 6 x and it was raining cold bullets sometime in November. It was dark, freezing and wet and some corporal driving the truck was blazing up and down these mud roads BLARING Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin. I have to say despite my sheer and utter exhaustion I was so inspired and appreciative of that Marine blaring that radio it picked my spirits right back up. I don’t know if he did it on purpose but I wish I could’ve shaken his hand. Semper Fi
Great advice Devil Dog. When is was there at Brown Field in summer 87’ one of our DI’s or could’ve been our OIC told us not to just issue an order. Tell your Marines why you’re doing it and why it’s important (time permitting of course).
I've had several prior enlisted Marines, mustangs, from green to gold program, great men great Marines, 8 of them out of 10 great guys. 2 of them becam blue falcons like crazy. I was for the most part the set it and forget it weapon for all my officer and SNCOs, but i always stood clear of buddy &uckers all day. We had a butter bar get married as soon as he got to the unit, not prior enlisted and right before Marine Corps birthday, he forced us all to go to his wedding, voluntold, you will be there you will participate its my day yada yada. He got transferred before or first pump, the other officers knew a blue falcon too. He only made ut to silver bar 1st Lt and never made Captain. I have a retired Major close to me I'd take a bullet for any day of the week. He who sheds his blood with me shall forever be my brother.
I agree with you when you say OCS is exaggerated but it’s definitely not a cake walk. You will be walking/running in excess of 10 miles almost daily with some days over 15. The first 3 weeks are also pretty stressful and getting used to especially for non priors. It is definitely not BUD/S or SFAS but it is not easy by any means. I found that as the weeks went on it actually was even more physically demanding as fire watch increased due to the drops. So you are getting less and less sleep as the events ramp up. By week 10 even the pt studs we’re starting to feel physically fatigued. But overall you are absolutely right about when you the picture you paint before you go is not what it is. Also peer evals are crazy. I was legit the bottom in my squad the first one and by the end I had moved up to the top. Just be humble and don’t complain and help the guy out next to you when you can. The guys on day one in processing with the loud mouths literally all dropped by week 6 for me.
my experience was different ... most of the guys at the top during the first peer review (most of which were priors) stayed towards the top throughout the class. Most of the turds were either mid or low, and either stayed low or dropped out.
@@rarelibra the priors definitely stayed towards the top I think that’s probably standard as they just know the basics going in and know a bit of what to expect. But I literally was bottom on the first one and moved to the top 3rd by the last one. There was several dudes who came in heavy and we’re all gone by week 6. Like I said just PT hard, help your buddy out when you can and try not to get injured.
I wish I saw this before I went through OCS lol. But honestly the struggle and accomplishment I had in learning and improving while there is kind of what won my Platoon and Company Staff over. It really was the best worst 10 weeks of my life. It didn't turn me into a new person, but brought the real me back and I'll forever be thankful for my drill instructors and my Platoon Commander. Great video, Semper Fidelis!
Yeah we did Wednesday’s too and did evening devotion every night for a few minutes also. Not sure how long ago they implemented that but I’m glad they did
Good stuff. I know this is two years old, but sounds like things haven't changed a lot in thirty years. I went through in '88 from OU NROTC. We were one of the largest NROTC units in the country at the time and had a very intense OCS prep "course" all run by midshipmen and the AMOI. I felt I was very prepared for the course. My biggest takeaway was to figure out what was important and what wasn't. For instance in our company the uniform rules for a typical day were blacked boots and pockets ironed. After lights out(8pm at the time) I would black my boots and iron my pockets, do laundry, etc.... We had guys in my platoon that would spit shine boots and starch end press utilities every night. Well in the Quantico heat that all goes to crap in about 5 minutes. I would typically have time to write a letter, get a few things done and be in the rack by 10pm. DO NOT WASTE EFFORT ON THE TRIVIAL!!! It is very obvious to the DI's after a bit who is putting out real effort. Listen to this guy. He knows what he is talking about. Focus on leadership skills over academics and physical fitness. Counts for 50% of your grade. That's not to say don't study and don't be in shape but leadership skills are where it is at. For example in my case, Surprisingly I was 4th in the entire company in leadership(which totally shocked me fwiw), mid pack in Fitness and top 25% in academics, and finished 10th overall and tops in my platoon. That said, no one remembers that stuff once you get through TBS or even to TBS, but if you perform, show effort and are genuine, you will pretty much be left alone. I ran into both of my Staff platoon Sergeants in the fleet and they remembered me well and favorably due to the effort that I put forth. Another thing, and this manifested in TBS more than OCS, don't bitch and complain. No one wants to hear it and it isn't what a leader is about.
I remember seeing your video when I was considering the Marines 8 months ago. It felt like I sign because I was also in my senior year at the University of Utah. My OSO called me today and said I was selected to go to OCS in September. I had to come back and watch this video again!
Thanks man. You are good at breaking things down and making them easier to understand. I'm trying to get into the PLC 10 week this summer, and this info really goes a long way.
Thanks for the feedback! Good luck with the PLC 10 week! That's honestly a great way into the officer route because you don't have to give up two summers like the PLC juniors / seniors program
I went through OCS in the summers of '77 and '79, doesn't sound like it has changed too much. Run, run, run to prepare yourself. Regarding staying hydrated, they recommended that we keep one canteen filled with salt water (water with salt packets added, not sea water). Make your rack as tight as you can and just sleep on top of the covers, then you just have to tighten it up in the morning. Take responsibility for your screw ups (and those of your men when you are squad leader or platoon leader), don't make excuses. And above all, don't take it too seriously--they are trying to mind f**k you. Roll with the flow.
I have a question if you don’t mind if I ask, I plan on going to community college, and than transfer to a college with a ROTC program, is that a good idea?
@@mr.minion2981 I can’t help you with ROTC programs. I suggest contacting the specific ROTC unit you would be interested in and ask their advice. OCS has no on campus participation, it takes place during the summer between semesters.
@6 Actual, drinking salt water, even lightly salted is misguided. Drink plain water, you'll receive enough salt from your food intake unless you're purely eating unprocessed fruits and vegetables only.
@@mr.minion2981 If you go with an ROTC program, you will not attend PLC1/PLC2 or PLCC ... you will attend OCC, which is a 10-week combined program the summer before your senior year. ROTC is not a bad idea... it will acclimate you to the rigors of military life while allowing you to still enjoy your college time. If you were to go Army ROTC, you would attend a cadet basic during your freshman and sophomore year, and then cadet advanced course after you sign your contract (sophomore/junior or junior/senior year).
I’m enlisted and i run a lot but i suck at it, i ran my last pft in 26:11 and i was dying, but other marines who spend their days drinking, eating and sleeping run it in 22 or less it’s ridiculous.
Thanks for the video. Really down to earth and informative take on OCS. For the turtles, or back of the pack runners, did they catch much shit, and did it impact their time at OCS significantly, or as long as they could keep up with the squad/platoon, was it a non-issue? There's a huge gulf in the internet OCS community on PFT runtime at OCS. Some say kill yourself if you aren't shipping under 19, some say they got by fine on 22 minutes. Would be thankful for your input.
Thanks for the question! Slow runners only caught shit during certain workouts. Theres only a few PTs I can remember doing where you can visibly see who's running slower or faster than the rest (PFT, E-Course, Fartlek runs). The rest of the PTs you're running to and from stations on a grass field but not for a long period of time. The slow runners were impacted at OCS because they were stressed about the running elements of the PT session but everyone has strengths and weaknesses that will be exposed at some point- mine was weighted upper body exercises. What they want to see when that happens is a look of determination and grit, combined with intensity and visible effort- even someone in the back of the pack can practice demonstrating those traits at their level and eventually the sergeant instructors move on to focusing on another person who "looks weak". The key is to act and look strong even when you might be falling behind. They purposely move slow runners to the front of the pack before starting a run so you can self-select to start up there. ***As long as you can keep up with the platoon even in the back during these runs, you'll be good.***
Also the OCS online community as well as the TBS one and many other ones- exaggerate the crap out of stuff and its annoying BUT I will say that being able to run a 19 minute 3 mile or faster by the time you show up will help you immensely with the E-Course. That cardio conditioning buffer comes in handy a lot because you run/hurry everywhere during the day and it will help you the most on the E-Course 3 mile time and make it a less stressful event to pass. I'm finishing up editing my running course in a couple days feel free to take a look if you think that would help and if you got any other questions let me know.
@@theyouculture4587 Thanks! Intel MOS questions are usually about if you have relations with other countries or organizations right? I've got nothing to hide but the test makes me nervous for some reason.
@@leejohnston9545 They just need you to be transparent about foreign contacts if you have any. It’s okay to have foreign contacts but the more you have the longer it will take them to get you a Top Secret clearance in which some cases they might just disqualify you from some Intel MOSs’ because they won’t have you cleared by the time TBS is over
I ship out June 8 for PLC combined and I was wondering what you struggled with the most and what you found was the best way to overcome those difficulties.
I struggled the most with Transition Week- basically the first week after the sergeant instructors “pick up” with your platoon. The culture shock and chaos induced those first few days felt insane BUT the way you combat that is to honestly just learn to be extremely amused by all of it. I took it WAY too seriously and was too hard on myself about my initial performance and ability to adapt. Everyone will adapt to it. What I should have done was find those subtle moments during PTs and at night to hang around peers that didn’t stress as much as I did. There’s going to be some hilarious guys in your platoon that will make you lose your bearing during drill and in day to day stuff. The sooner you learn to laugh at the crazy stuff that happens during the day instead of think every mistake you made was a big deal, the more you’ll get outside of your own head. For the technical aspects, you will be given opportunities to learn from your failures I.e land nav, academic tests etc. They will give you the resources and strategies to be successful, it’s not all yelling and stress so just do what they teach! Hope that helps let me know if you have anything else and good luck!!
18 minutes will put you in top 1/3 of the pack, 19-21 minutes is middle pack, slower than that won’t highlight/ fail you but you’ll be more challenged by the cardio workouts
Yes you write essays with a weird format they have you use on binder paper. I got essays for not having a canteen pouch clipped in, if a white nametape fell off or got too dirty, pretty much anything you slightly do wrong. They can assign 2 max per week, some guys were just really good at appearing squared away and didn’t have to write that many. I had two every week just from dumb little mistakes. That said: ***buy a bunch of erasable pens*** so you don’t have to start over if you make a formatting mistake writing one
They do give you weekends off towards the end, it’s usually Saturday morning to Sunday evening last two weekends. Most people will walk outside the gate and Uber around town and get a hotel that one night
thanks for the video, I'm heading to Quantico this summer out of the officer selection office here in SLC. Can you give me a list of the best topics to study? Histroy, leadership traits and principles..?
I used this quizlet set: quizlet.com/377248619/ocs-knowledge-flash-cards/ There’s a bunch I found on quizlet on specific topics, I would definitely do USMC History I and II those are the more challenging topics because they’re not covered on a consistent basis like the Op Order or troop leading steps etc. My ROTC unit gave me a knowledge binder that had everything we needed to know- if you can find the local unit on campus at the U they might be able to provide that or the PLC recruiting office in SLC. The online guides from article posts are reliable as well it just takes longer to organize all the notes. Definitely recommend the quizlets if you don’t have anywhere to start yet. Hope that helps!
quizlet.com/377248619/ocs-knowledge-flash-cards/ I used this one but I also found a bunch of good ones online and you can consolidate them into one deck
Hi i wanted to reach out in hopes of a response. I am female preparing for OCS this fall. Currently best run time has been 24:06. In you're experience where do you think this would put me in a pack? What about cardio prep? I do close to 40 min a cardio daily currently consisting of military style body weight workouts. Any advice?
Hello! Sorry for the late response! Your current run time is middle pack and you won’t highlight yourself during the runs. I made some running course videos on my channel if those help. If you can run everyday I would do the 40min cardio runs Monday Wednesday Friday and then in between days should be sprints / intervals with body weight exercise stations that consist of your weakest upper body exercises. Also if you can afford to I would go to Fleet Feet or another equivalent store to get high quality running shoes with inserts so the mileage doesn’t cause over injury. Trail running would also be great for those 40min runs. Let me know if this helps!
@@feipsasannach448 What you said (PLC program) and for NROTC they go to one 6 week the summer going into their senior year. Civilians who graduated college with no commissioning program affiliation (NROTC, PLC) go to the 10 week and immediately go to TBS after. Reservists and prior enlisted doing a commissioning program have to do the 10 week OCS
If we had the internet back when I graduated from OCS back in the summer of 87’, my advice would’ve been stay out of the gym. Stupid me was a gym rat pumping mad free weights. 18” neck etc. I was the exact OPPOSITE of what condition you should be in to prep for OCS. I’d like to blame my OSO but I don’t remember whether he advised me about this. Anyway, I knew I was in trouble on Day 1 of PT when we had the old gold t shirts and scarlet shorts with our go fasters. They said it was a 5 mile run. WRONG: it was a 5 mile SPRINT. Jesus. Half way through I seriously thought I wouldn’t make it. I was 6’, 205. When I graduated I weighed 178. The civilian attire I wore TO OCS hung on me like drapery. Lesson learned, albeit too late. Beware you iron pumpers. To be successful at any Marine school you have to be able to run long distances, move your body up and over obstacles and of course do dead hang pull ups and sit ups. Dammit.
Sergeant Instructor Crisp was a good DI. Memories that are hard to forget. I was in A3. Gunny Phillip and Captain Bennet were top notch. Semper Fi @@ocsplc
@@aspen4632 dude! I wish I knew who you are bc I remember most of my friends. My rack mate Peter M. Etc. Crisp was good. I remember the time he told the 27 of us who graduated out of a 63 man admin platoon: “ 27 swingin’ hard d***s.” Great to hear from you. Semper Fi
@@aspen4632 btw, I heard in 93’ or so that our OCS classmate Ron W crashed and died in his Harrier at Cheerless Pit. RIP. He was a classmate of mine at University of Buffalo
I have a lot of time to prepare. I know I’m not changing my mind about joining. What would be good advice for someone who has a few years to get ready?
Set personal fitness goals with some of it resembling combat fitness. Challenge yourself to run a couple Spartan or Mud races every year, start taking martial arts classes (Brazilian Ju Jitsu is my go to), and really aim to improve calisthenic strength. Read books from the Commandants reading list for both enlisted and officers. My top are Among Heroes by Brandon Webb, Gates of Fire, Essential Wooden by John Wooden, and books on famous leaders and coaches. Read up on each Marine Occupational Specialty (MOS) there’s roughly 26 total and later down the road ask your unit to give you points of contact for people in each job and reach out to ask them about their experience. Consistently reading about military and civilian leadership as well as training and improving physically will serve you invaluably. Go backpacking and try it in harsh environments while being safe. People associate the Marine Corps with bad weather if they’re not used to it and talk themselves out of doing combat arms MOS’s for this reason. *while it’s fun to go shooting, don’t worry about becoming the best shot possible, they’ll teach you all you need to know Let me know if you need any other pointers!
Once a week I believe for boot camp, for OCS it was once a week. For OCS they don’t blast you through it and cut up your head they actually take a minute to do it
Hey so how dose NROTC work exactly? So you apply to join but do you need like to show them an SAT score? Or other information? A video on this would be helpful as the timeline and what you need for NROTC the marine option obviously. Has been hard to come by I don’t really know why
I did a video a couple weeks ago on NROTC explained if you would find that useful. To answer your question you will need to show them an SAT score or ACT for the application process. For my NROTC application I ran a PFT, submitted all my high school grades, SAT scores etc, got two letters of rec from my track coach and one of my history teachers, and conducted a couple in-person and over the phone interviews with the officers running the recruiting process (you’ll also submit two essays about why you want to do it and another prompt they give you) This WAS NOT done through a traditional enlisted recruiting office. Your high school should have a ROTC officer representative assigned to it. If you’re in college, you just go in to talk to them at their campus building. The NROTC website has a list of schools that have units on campus. www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Navy-ROTC-Schools/#div21 Also if you do NROTC, you’ll go to the 6 week OCS the summer before your graduate your college. You’ll go to a couple summer training events in San Diego for each summer leading up to OCS which are super valuable and really cool depending on your unit. Each unit will also have contact information and a website that you can use to get in contact with someone. If you have any other questions feel free to respond.
My prior enlisted friends said OCS was physically harder but the culture shock was worse in boot camp. OCS they make you coordinate the training schedules and give you temporary billets in the candidate chain of command so you can’t just “go through the motions” the whole time. In boot camp you don’t get any autonomy with your night routine or liberty which can make it harder for some. At OCS the intensity goes down as the class gets better at policing themselves.
I'm graduating in 2023. I've tried almost all the things a generic engineering grad should do. They all make me feel depressed and unfulfilled. I left the military stuff for last, because my mom said "if you join the military, kill me first." But I've exhausted all my options now. I've always told myself that if I fail at everything I do, I'll become a marine and go die for my country. Maybe its time.
@@jerquezhughey4372 Civilians with bachelors degrees go through an interview and application process and then go to a single, 10 week OCS increment, immediately commission at OCS graduation and go straight to TBS usually. That OCS class consists of prior enlisted and civilians who also already have a degree and it’s usually in winter 👍
I’ve always run in a model of the Mizuno Waveriders with soft/gel inserts because I heel strike esp over long distances. I went in to a Fleet Feet store and they watched me run / measured my feet and recommended these to me. These shoes have a ton of support (I still run in the ones I wore at OCS) and I never worried about shin splints with them. I definitely recommend going to Fleet Feet if you can and invest in a good pair
there is no "six week one" ... there is either PLC 1 (6 weeks) and PLC 2 (6 weeks), for a total of 12 weeks; PLCC (a combined 10 weeks), or OCC (which is 10 weeks). But I get it. I went to PLC 1 back in 1994... and the only reason I didn't graduate (as 2nd in my class), was in week 5 I lost the tip of my finger during pugil stick fighting. I was actually MEDEVAC'd to Bethesda. Crazy. I was the case study that cause the Marine Corps to have more "safe" equipment for pugil sticks. I was prior service Marines when I went, and I can tell you that all of the prior service guys found it was a joke. We were numb having been through Marine Corps boot camp. We recognized the games they played, and we didn't fall for the traps they laid. We did help the college kids (which I am assuming you were) with handling the stress and getting through the various challenges. We did have heat - Quantico is a hot and muggy place in the summer. We had heat casualties (and people got the silver bullet). We had people that had integrity violations. We had people suffer from peer reviews. It's all part of the fun and games. I was invited back in 1995 to do the combined course, but I chose to transfer to the Army and spent 22 more years in the service instead.
Couple tips from an enlisted man's observations at OCS. I spent the last year of my enlistment (1983) as a Lance Corporal at OCS Motor Transport in support of all aspects of candidate training from PT sessions to the Fartlek, marches, field training, 3 day War and land navigation. Most important is integrity. You will not get away with lying, finger pointing (especially at enlisted) or any form of integrity violation. Marines have to be able to trust their officers and their decisions. Remember, YOU ARE NOT A MARINE. You are training to become an OFFICER OF MARINES. Huge difference. Respect all Marines as you would expect them to respect you. Marines are your weapons. It is your responsibility to guide, protect and use them effectively. Earn their respect by sharing their hardships. Trust your NCOs and heed their guidance. Never show an elitist attitude with enlisted Marines, that will kill your career. Word spreads fast and your superiors will know how you treat those in your charge. Comport yourself at all times as an officer befitting your rank and station and you will be an O4 in no time. Good luck!
Well stated. I was PLC Combined I’m the summer of 87’ as a Reagan Cold Warrior. I kept my distance from all active duty Marines as I knew that I was NOT a Marine. The DI’s made it very clear about how a butter bars should interact with all grades or enlisted Marines, especially the senior staff NCO’s. The Company Gunny, the Company First Sergeant and of course your DI’s. I always respected the AD Marines working around and for us by doing their jobs, whether it was Motor T or whatnot. One quick story moving on to TBS: after our 7 day war, or whatever # of days it was, we were all past the point of total exhaustion and I was a freaking zombie: caked in mud and crud. When we evacuated out of the training area we were told to pile into the back of an uncovered 6 x and it was raining cold bullets sometime in November. It was dark, freezing and wet and some corporal driving the truck was blazing up and down these mud roads BLARING Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin. I have to say despite my sheer and utter exhaustion I was so inspired and appreciative of that Marine blaring that radio it picked my spirits right back up. I don’t know if he did it on purpose but I wish I could’ve shaken his hand. Semper Fi
Officers are still Marines dumbass
Great advice Devil Dog. When is was there at Brown Field in summer 87’ one of our DI’s or could’ve been our OIC told us not to just issue an order. Tell your Marines why you’re doing it and why it’s important (time permitting of course).
This was genuinely one of the best videos I’ve seen for OCS prep. Thank you
Thanks for the feedback!
I've had several prior enlisted Marines, mustangs, from green to gold program, great men great Marines, 8 of them out of 10 great guys. 2 of them becam blue falcons like crazy. I was for the most part the set it and forget it weapon for all my officer and SNCOs, but i always stood clear of buddy &uckers all day.
We had a butter bar get married as soon as he got to the unit, not prior enlisted and right before Marine Corps birthday, he forced us all to go to his wedding, voluntold, you will be there you will participate its my day yada yada. He got transferred before or first pump, the other officers knew a blue falcon too. He only made ut to silver bar 1st Lt and never made Captain. I have a retired Major close to me I'd take a bullet for any day of the week. He who sheds his blood with me shall forever be my brother.
I agree with you when you say OCS is exaggerated but it’s definitely not a cake walk. You will be walking/running in excess of 10 miles almost daily with some days over 15. The first 3 weeks are also pretty stressful and getting used to especially for non priors. It is definitely not BUD/S or SFAS but it is not easy by any means. I found that as the weeks went on it actually was even more physically demanding as fire watch increased due to the drops. So you are getting less and less sleep as the events ramp up. By week 10 even the pt studs we’re starting to feel physically fatigued. But overall you are absolutely right about when you the picture you paint before you go is not what it is. Also peer evals are crazy. I was legit the bottom in my squad the first one and by the end I had moved up to the top. Just be humble and don’t complain and help the guy out next to you when you can. The guys on day one in processing with the loud mouths literally all dropped by week 6 for me.
my experience was different ... most of the guys at the top during the first peer review (most of which were priors) stayed towards the top throughout the class. Most of the turds were either mid or low, and either stayed low or dropped out.
@@rarelibra the priors definitely stayed towards the top I think that’s probably standard as they just know the basics going in and know a bit of what to expect. But I literally was bottom on the first one and moved to the top 3rd by the last one. There was several dudes who came in heavy and we’re all gone by week 6. Like I said just PT hard, help your buddy out when you can and try not to get injured.
I wish I saw this before I went through OCS lol. But honestly the struggle and accomplishment I had in learning and improving while there is kind of what won my Platoon and Company Staff over. It really was the best worst 10 weeks of my life. It didn't turn me into a new person, but brought the real me back and I'll forever be thankful for my drill instructors and my Platoon Commander. Great video, Semper Fidelis!
In bootcamp we went to church only on Sundays. But in OCS you go on Wednesday’s too? That’s pretty cool I have to say
Yeah we did Wednesday’s too and did evening devotion every night for a few minutes also. Not sure how long ago they implemented that but I’m glad they did
We only had church on Sunday’s when I went to OCS last summer. We had haircuts and PX call on Wednesday.
Good stuff. I know this is two years old, but sounds like things haven't changed a lot in thirty years. I went through in '88 from OU NROTC. We were one of the largest NROTC units in the country at the time and had a very intense OCS prep "course" all run by midshipmen and the AMOI. I felt I was very prepared for the course. My biggest takeaway was to figure out what was important and what wasn't. For instance in our company the uniform rules for a typical day were blacked boots and pockets ironed. After lights out(8pm at the time) I would black my boots and iron my pockets, do laundry, etc.... We had guys in my platoon that would spit shine boots and starch end press utilities every night. Well in the Quantico heat that all goes to crap in about 5 minutes. I would typically have time to write a letter, get a few things done and be in the rack by 10pm. DO NOT WASTE EFFORT ON THE TRIVIAL!!! It is very obvious to the DI's after a bit who is putting out real effort. Listen to this guy. He knows what he is talking about. Focus on leadership skills over academics and physical fitness. Counts for 50% of your grade. That's not to say don't study and don't be in shape but leadership skills are where it is at. For example in my case, Surprisingly I was 4th in the entire company in leadership(which totally shocked me fwiw), mid pack in Fitness and top 25% in academics, and finished 10th overall and tops in my platoon. That said, no one remembers that stuff once you get through TBS or even to TBS, but if you perform, show effort and are genuine, you will pretty much be left alone. I ran into both of my Staff platoon Sergeants in the fleet and they remembered me well and favorably due to the effort that I put forth. Another thing, and this manifested in TBS more than OCS, don't bitch and complain. No one wants to hear it and it isn't what a leader is about.
Im a senior at the University of Utah, and Im considering joining the Marines as an officer. Thank you for the informative video!
I remember seeing your video when I was considering the Marines 8 months ago. It felt like I sign because I was also in my senior year at the University of Utah. My OSO called me today and said I was selected to go to OCS in September. I had to come back and watch this video again!
Did you go?
@@GoldSK96 I did, but I got medically dropped for a fractured bone during week 3. Hoping to go back in September 2024
@@LuisRamirez-hk7gb how is this looking?
@@steviker8413 it’s been such a slow process. I finished physical therapy in February and I’m still waiting for my medical waiver to be processed.
Thanks man. You are good at breaking things down and making them easier to understand. I'm trying to get into the PLC 10 week this summer, and this info really goes a long way.
Thanks for the feedback! Good luck with the PLC 10 week! That's honestly a great way into the officer route because you don't have to give up two summers like the PLC juniors / seniors program
Best of luck at Quantico.
it's called PLCC (for PLC Combined)
I went through OCS in the summers of '77 and '79, doesn't sound like it has changed too much. Run, run, run to prepare yourself. Regarding staying hydrated, they recommended that we keep one canteen filled with salt water (water with salt packets added, not sea water). Make your rack as tight as you can and just sleep on top of the covers, then you just have to tighten it up in the morning. Take responsibility for your screw ups (and those of your men when you are squad leader or platoon leader), don't make excuses. And above all, don't take it too seriously--they are trying to mind f**k you. Roll with the flow.
I have a question if you don’t mind if I ask, I plan on going to community college, and than transfer to a college with a ROTC program, is that a good idea?
@@mr.minion2981 I can’t help you with ROTC programs. I suggest contacting the specific ROTC unit you would be interested in and ask their advice. OCS has no on campus participation, it takes place during the summer between semesters.
@@6.Actual Alright, thank you.
@6 Actual, drinking salt water, even lightly salted is misguided. Drink plain water, you'll receive enough salt from your food intake unless you're purely eating unprocessed fruits and vegetables only.
@@mr.minion2981 If you go with an ROTC program, you will not attend PLC1/PLC2 or PLCC ... you will attend OCC, which is a 10-week combined program the summer before your senior year. ROTC is not a bad idea... it will acclimate you to the rigors of military life while allowing you to still enjoy your college time.
If you were to go Army ROTC, you would attend a cadet basic during your freshman and sophomore year, and then cadet advanced course after you sign your contract (sophomore/junior or junior/senior year).
Thanks. I want to become an Officer in the Marine Corp. This really helps.
So what Mos are you going to pick?
I’m enlisted and i run a lot but i suck at it, i ran my last pft in 26:11 and i was dying, but other marines who spend their days drinking, eating and sleeping run it in 22 or less it’s ridiculous.
Really be genetics 🧬
Thank you for sharing bro. Very helpful
Thank you for sharing your experience and being honest about it
Dude this video is awesome thanks!
Thanks for the advice, just subscribed to your channel.
Thank you! If you have any questions about anything I’ve talked about I’ll do my best to respond !
Thank you for the information!
Thanks for the video. Really down to earth and informative take on OCS. For the turtles, or back of the pack runners, did they catch much shit, and did it impact their time at OCS significantly, or as long as they could keep up with the squad/platoon, was it a non-issue? There's a huge gulf in the internet OCS community on PFT runtime at OCS. Some say kill yourself if you aren't shipping under 19, some say they got by fine on 22 minutes. Would be thankful for your input.
Thanks for the question! Slow runners only caught shit during certain workouts. Theres only a few PTs I can remember doing where you can visibly see who's running slower or faster than the rest (PFT, E-Course, Fartlek runs). The rest of the PTs you're running to and from stations on a grass field but not for a long period of time. The slow runners were impacted at OCS because they were stressed about the running elements of the PT session but everyone has strengths and weaknesses that will be exposed at some point- mine was weighted upper body exercises.
What they want to see when that happens is a look of determination and grit, combined with intensity and visible effort- even someone in the back of the pack can practice demonstrating those traits at their level and eventually the sergeant instructors move on to focusing on another person who "looks weak". The key is to act and look strong even when
you might be falling behind. They purposely move slow runners to the front of the pack before starting a run so you can self-select to start up there. ***As long as you can keep up with the platoon even in the back during these runs, you'll be good.***
Also the OCS online community as well as the TBS one and many other ones- exaggerate the crap out of stuff and its annoying BUT I will say that being able to run a 19 minute 3 mile or faster by the time you show up will help you immensely with the E-Course. That cardio conditioning buffer comes in handy a lot because you run/hurry everywhere during the day and it will help you the most on the E-Course 3 mile time and make it a less stressful event to pass. I'm finishing up editing my running course in a couple days feel free to take a look if you think that would help and if you got any other questions let me know.
Hey man great vid, I'm an OCS applicant right now I was wondering if you had to do a polygraph at any point during the process and what it was like.
No you won’t have to do a polygraph. If you get selected for an Intel MOS at TBS you’ll do one before MOS school
@@theyouculture4587 Thanks! Intel MOS questions are usually about if you have relations with other countries or organizations right? I've got nothing to hide but the test makes me nervous for some reason.
@@leejohnston9545 They just need you to be transparent about foreign contacts if you have any. It’s okay to have foreign contacts but the more you have the longer it will take them to get you a Top Secret clearance in which some cases they might just disqualify you from some Intel MOSs’ because they won’t have you cleared by the time TBS is over
I love USMC We was fight together KMC Vietnam war 1965
What was the fastest 3 mile time at your OCS and what the average time?
I would say around 16:00 was the fastest guy and average was around 21:00. The top 1/3 will usually run an 18:00 or max it just under that time
what happen if you can't climb rope or some obstacle course? Do they drop you?
I ship out June 8 for PLC combined and I was wondering what you struggled with the most and what you found was the best way to overcome those difficulties.
I struggled the most with Transition Week- basically the first week after the sergeant instructors “pick up” with your platoon. The culture shock and chaos induced those first few days felt insane BUT the way you combat that is to honestly just learn to be extremely amused by all of it. I took it WAY too seriously and was too hard on myself about my initial performance and ability to adapt. Everyone will adapt to it.
What I should have done was find those subtle moments during PTs and at night to hang around peers that didn’t stress as much as I did. There’s going to be some hilarious guys in your platoon that will make you lose your bearing during drill and in day to day stuff. The sooner you learn to laugh at the crazy stuff that happens during the day instead of think every mistake you made was a big deal, the more you’ll get outside of your own head.
For the technical aspects, you will be given opportunities to learn from your failures I.e land nav, academic tests etc. They will give you the resources and strategies to be successful, it’s not all yelling and stress so just do what they teach! Hope that helps let me know if you have anything else and good luck!!
@@theyouculture4587 this comment was really good info, shoulda been in your video! thanks!
How fast should I be able to run three miles before I ship out to OCS?
18 minutes will put you in top 1/3 of the pack, 19-21 minutes is middle pack, slower than that won’t highlight/ fail you but you’ll be more challenged by the cardio workouts
I've heard that they make you write essays if you misuse the customs and courtesies, like saying "I" or "yes sir" to a sergeant. Is that true?
Yes you write essays with a weird format they have you use on binder paper. I got essays for not having a canteen pouch clipped in, if a white nametape fell off or got too dirty, pretty much anything you slightly do wrong. They can assign 2 max per week, some guys were just really good at appearing squared away and didn’t have to write that many. I had two every week just from dumb little mistakes.
That said: ***buy a bunch of erasable pens*** so you don’t have to start over if you make a formatting mistake writing one
Kinda. I got assigned an essay and forgot about it. Augmented to Regular. Top gun grad
Do they give you leave on weekends towards the end of OCS? I heard they give liberty but I dont know how true that is...
They do give you weekends off towards the end, it’s usually Saturday morning to Sunday evening last two weekends. Most people will walk outside the gate and Uber around town and get a hotel that one night
J.J.D.I.D.T.I.E.B.U.C.K.L.E. /. yes sir...21 years In the Marines iv'e been to Quantico a couple of times for sure. the crossroads of the Corps.
During INDOC when was the height/weight taken and did anyone fail that and then fail the tape too? If so what happened to them? Great video, thanks!
thanks for the video, I'm heading to Quantico this summer out of the officer selection office here in SLC. Can you give me a list of the best topics to study? Histroy, leadership traits and principles..?
I used this quizlet set: quizlet.com/377248619/ocs-knowledge-flash-cards/
There’s a bunch I found on quizlet on specific topics, I would definitely do USMC History I and II those are the more challenging topics because they’re not covered on a consistent basis like the Op Order or troop leading steps etc.
My ROTC unit gave me a knowledge binder that had everything we needed to know- if you can find the local unit on campus at the U they might be able to provide that or the PLC recruiting office in SLC. The online guides from article posts are reliable as well it just takes longer to organize all the notes. Definitely recommend the quizlets if you don’t have anywhere to start yet. Hope that helps!
@@theyouculture4587 thanks man! that’s perfect. appreciate it.
Are you able to link the quizlet you used? Shipping OCC 238 and I want to brush up on the knowledge.
quizlet.com/377248619/ocs-knowledge-flash-cards/
I used this one but I also found a bunch of good ones online and you can consolidate them into one deck
Hi i wanted to reach out in hopes of a response. I am female preparing for OCS this fall. Currently best run time has been 24:06. In you're experience where do you think this would put me in a pack? What about cardio prep? I do close to 40 min a cardio daily currently consisting of military style body weight workouts. Any advice?
Hello! Sorry for the late response! Your current run time is middle pack and you won’t highlight yourself during the runs. I made some running course videos on my channel if those help. If you can run everyday I would do the 40min cardio runs Monday Wednesday Friday and then in between days should be sprints / intervals with body weight exercise stations that consist of your weakest upper body exercises. Also if you can afford to I would go to Fleet Feet or another equivalent store to get high quality running shoes with inserts so the mileage doesn’t cause over injury. Trail running would also be great for those 40min runs. Let me know if this helps!
Thank you for the video! May I speak with you about OCS when you get the chance?
Yes, I left my email in an earlier comment feel free to reach out at theyouculture@gmail.com
First, solid work on the video. My question: what determines which OCS course (6 week or 10 week) you take?
Rising Sophomores and Juniors do two 6 week trainings at OCS and receive a commission once they graduate college
@@feipsasannach448 What you said (PLC program) and for NROTC they go to one 6 week the summer going into their senior year. Civilians who graduated college with no commissioning program affiliation (NROTC, PLC) go to the 10 week and immediately go to TBS after. Reservists and prior enlisted doing a commissioning program have to do the 10 week OCS
If we had the internet back when I graduated from OCS back in the summer of 87’, my advice would’ve been stay out of the gym. Stupid me was a gym rat pumping mad free weights. 18” neck etc. I was the exact OPPOSITE of what condition you should be in to prep for OCS. I’d like to blame my OSO but I don’t remember whether he advised me about this. Anyway, I knew I was in trouble on Day 1 of PT when we had the old gold t shirts and scarlet shorts with our go fasters. They said it was a 5 mile run. WRONG: it was a 5 mile SPRINT. Jesus. Half way through I seriously thought I wouldn’t make it. I was 6’, 205. When I graduated I weighed 178. The civilian attire I wore TO OCS hung on me like drapery. Lesson learned, albeit too late. Beware you iron pumpers. To be successful at any Marine school you have to be able to run long distances, move your body up and over obstacles and of course do dead hang pull ups and sit ups. Dammit.
Brown Field summer of '87? Which company and platoon?
@@aspen4632 Alpha 3rd I believe. I’m pretty sure our platoon won the company drill competition. Big whoop huh?
Sergeant Instructor Crisp was a good DI. Memories that are hard to forget. I was in A3. Gunny Phillip and Captain Bennet were top notch. Semper Fi @@ocsplc
@@aspen4632 dude! I wish I knew who you are bc I remember most of my friends. My rack mate Peter M. Etc. Crisp was good. I remember the time he told the 27 of us who graduated out of a 63 man admin platoon: “ 27 swingin’ hard d***s.” Great to hear from you. Semper Fi
@@aspen4632 btw, I heard in 93’ or so that our OCS classmate Ron W crashed and died in his Harrier at Cheerless Pit. RIP. He was a classmate of mine at University of Buffalo
I have a lot of time to prepare. I know I’m not changing my mind about joining. What would be good advice for someone who has a few years to get ready?
Set personal fitness goals with some of it resembling combat fitness. Challenge yourself to run a couple Spartan or Mud races every year, start taking martial arts classes (Brazilian Ju Jitsu is my go to), and really aim to improve calisthenic strength.
Read books from the Commandants reading list for both enlisted and officers. My top are Among Heroes by Brandon Webb, Gates of Fire, Essential Wooden by John Wooden, and books on famous leaders and coaches.
Read up on each Marine Occupational Specialty (MOS) there’s roughly 26 total and later down the road ask your unit to give you points of contact for people in each job and reach out to ask them about their experience.
Consistently reading about military and civilian leadership as well as training and improving physically will serve you invaluably.
Go backpacking and try it in harsh environments while being safe. People associate the Marine Corps with bad weather if they’re not used to it and talk themselves out of doing combat arms MOS’s for this reason.
*while it’s fun to go shooting, don’t worry about becoming the best shot possible, they’ll teach you all you need to know
Let me know if you need any other pointers!
How many times do they give you a buzz cut at boot camp? I have a scar on my head and was just wondering lol
Once a week I believe for boot camp, for OCS it was once a week. For OCS they don’t blast you through it and cut up your head they actually take a minute to do it
I’m currently at 14 pull ups 3 min plank and 23 minute 3 mile. Would I stand a chance?
Hey so how dose NROTC work exactly? So you apply to join but do you need like to show them an SAT score? Or other information? A video on this would be helpful as the timeline and what you need for NROTC the marine option obviously. Has been hard to come by I don’t really know why
I did a video a couple weeks ago on NROTC explained if you would find that useful. To answer your question you will need to show them an SAT score or ACT for the application process.
For my NROTC application I ran a PFT, submitted all my high school grades, SAT scores etc, got two letters of rec from my track coach and one of my history teachers, and conducted a couple in-person and over the phone interviews with the officers running the recruiting process (you’ll also submit two essays about why you want to do it and another prompt they give you) This WAS NOT done through a traditional enlisted recruiting office.
Your high school should have a ROTC officer representative assigned to it. If you’re in college, you just go in to talk to them at their campus building. The NROTC website has a list of schools that have units on campus.
www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Navy-ROTC-Schools/#div21
Also if you do NROTC, you’ll go to the 6 week OCS the summer before your graduate your college. You’ll go to a couple summer training events in San Diego for each summer leading up to OCS which are super valuable and really cool depending on your unit.
Each unit will also have contact information and a website that you can use to get in contact with someone. If you have any other questions feel free to respond.
Go Utes!!
Are the test at OCS on a computer or paper?
The tests are on a paper scantron and they’re all multiple choice
@@theyouculture4587 Thanks for the info! I ship out next Saturday.
@@meganbautista6762 Good luck you’ll do well! Glad I could help a little bit !
@@meganbautista6762 Best of luck!
So if you do NROTC at a university you will have the option of either being a naval officer or a MC officer right?
You have to do NROTC Marine Option.
You pick before you start NROTC. If you choose Navy you can switch to Marine Option up until your junior year in most cases
@@theyouculture4587 appreciate it man
What do you mean the six week one?
NROTC Midshipman go to the 6 week increment. Civilian college graduates go to the 10 week if that makes sense
I just want one question answered.
How much harder is it then recruit training
My prior enlisted friends said OCS was physically harder but the culture shock was worse in boot camp. OCS they make you coordinate the training schedules and give you temporary billets in the candidate chain of command so you can’t just “go through the motions” the whole time. In boot camp you don’t get any autonomy with your night routine or liberty which can make it harder for some. At OCS the intensity goes down as the class gets better at policing themselves.
I'm graduating in 2023. I've tried almost all the things a generic engineering grad should do. They all make me feel depressed and unfulfilled. I left the military stuff for last, because my mom said "if you join the military, kill me first." But I've exhausted all my options now. I've always told myself that if I fail at everything I do, I'll become a marine and go die for my country. Maybe its time.
I feel the same way fam. My parents were Marines and highly against me joining.
Before going to the OCS, do they make you take the asvab test?
I never took one, I believe asvab is only for enlisted boot camp
If you’re prior enlisted then yes or interest for flight contract ASTB
Hey man do you go to boot camp first or do officers not go to boot?
Officers don’t go to boot camp just one of the OCS increments (10 week, 6 week NROTC, or 2x6 week PLC Juniors and Seniors)
What about civi with bachelors degree ?
@@jerquezhughey4372 Civilians with bachelors degrees go through an interview and application process and then go to a single, 10 week OCS increment, immediately commission at OCS graduation and go straight to TBS usually. That OCS class consists of prior enlisted and civilians who also already have a degree and it’s usually in winter 👍
@@theyouculture4587 I am getting my bachelors soon but I have ever taken the SAT. Does the matter or is it just the bachelors you need.
semper fi Rokmc
Semper Fi! We had a ROK Marine Captain in our TBS class! Great guy and represented well!!!
Thank you for the video, where did you say your running plan was? Crawl to run
I made some final edits and I’ll have it out next week!
What kind of “go-fasters” do you recommend to bring?
I’ve always run in a model of the Mizuno Waveriders with soft/gel inserts because I heel strike esp over long distances. I went in to a Fleet Feet store and they watched me run / measured my feet and recommended these to me.
These shoes have a ton of support (I still run in the ones I wore at OCS) and I never worried about shin splints with them. I definitely recommend going to Fleet Feet if you can and invest in a good pair
The You Culture thanks man. I go this summer for PLC 10-week
Do you know anything about Occ?
there is no "six week one" ... there is either PLC 1 (6 weeks) and PLC 2 (6 weeks), for a total of 12 weeks; PLCC (a combined 10 weeks), or OCC (which is 10 weeks). But I get it. I went to PLC 1 back in 1994... and the only reason I didn't graduate (as 2nd in my class), was in week 5 I lost the tip of my finger during pugil stick fighting. I was actually MEDEVAC'd to Bethesda. Crazy. I was the case study that cause the Marine Corps to have more "safe" equipment for pugil sticks. I was prior service Marines when I went, and I can tell you that all of the prior service guys found it was a joke. We were numb having been through Marine Corps boot camp. We recognized the games they played, and we didn't fall for the traps they laid. We did help the college kids (which I am assuming you were) with handling the stress and getting through the various challenges. We did have heat - Quantico is a hot and muggy place in the summer. We had heat casualties (and people got the silver bullet). We had people that had integrity violations. We had people suffer from peer reviews. It's all part of the fun and games. I was invited back in 1995 to do the combined course, but I chose to transfer to the Army and spent 22 more years in the service instead.
I was last.
Ether 12:27
You look like Jim from the Office