Officer Candidate School

Units hold annual OCS briefings for prospective candidates. An OCS class starts each year. The OCS candidates choose a branch of service such as Infantry, Field Artillery, Medical Corps, etc. once they near graduation. They will usually report back to their parent unit to become an officer within their unit. While at OCS the candidate will be paid on an E6-SSG scale. I highly encourage any interested applicants to speak with OCS graduates within your unit, most units have officers that were products of the State OCS program. For more information, contact your unit full-time personnel or a unit recruiter. You can also speak with your unit commander.

Eligibility Information

AGE

• Minimum age: 18 years of age prior to appointment as Second Lieutenant (2LT).
• Maximum age: 30 years of age (waiver may be granted to 32 years and 6 months by the State or by National Guard Bureau to age 35) prior to completion of OCS and appointment as 2LT.

CITIZENSHIP

• Must be a citizen of the United States of America.

MENTAL

• Achieve a General/Technical (GT) score of 110 or higher on the Armed Forced Vocational Apptitude Battery (ASVAB)/Armed Forces Classification Test (AFCT).
• Achieve a score of 90 or higher on Subtest 3 or 4 of the Officer Selection Battery (OSB) Test.

EDUCATION

• Have demonstrated understanding and proficiency in the English Language.
• High school graduate or GED.
• Must possess 60 college credit hours to start OCS.
• Must possess 90 college credit hours prior to graduation and appointment as 2LT.
• For further promotion you will need to have completed your bachelor's degree, an associates degree will not suffice.

CHARACTER

• Applicant must be of good moral character.

LEADERSHIP

• Applicant must possess qualification as a potential leader and have the ability to deal effectively with people.

MEDICAL

• Medical requirements are prescribed in NGR 40-501 and Army Regulation (AR) 40-501.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

• Must be eligible for a SECRET security clearance.

PHYSICAL FITNESS

• Applicants must complete a diagnostic APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) before entrance into the course, and pass the APFT with minimum score of 180 in accordance with (IAW) Field Manual (FM) 21-20 by the end of Phase I Training.

GRADE

• Enlisted personnel below Staff Sergeant (SSG) will be promoted to pay grade E6 under the provisions of NGR 600-200.