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Military.com Forums Army Discussions Army Reserves & National Guard California National Guard OCS website: Will help answer the who what, when, where and why of OCS training. Civilians can join OCS by coming on board as 09S (OCS candidates). Shoot your questions to the boards.|
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This will give you a quick idea of some of the events that are currently going on in OCS, Prerequisites, etc.
http://www.calguard.ca.gov/ocs/index.htm For civilians who desire to come get commissioned in National Guard OCS, you need to join by summer so you can get Basic Training out of the way (9 weeks)plus your time to process. Before going to the OCS processing. Every state is different; however Calif: Recruits in October (symposias in North (Camp Parks) and South (Los Alamitos) of State) November thru Jan processing OCS commissioning packets, security clearances, physicals, etc.(still recruiting; however the longer you wait, the more issues that may not get resolved fast enough for you to join. (Drill in Jan is usually the end of recruiting for OCS) Feb - Record PT testing Mar - Officer Candidate indoctrination program Apr - May (training for summer) Jul-Jul-Aug (summer OCS training in S.Dakota with other region G OCS candidates) - You only go for 2 weeks if you are a traditional OCS candidate. - Accelerated OCS (501) takes 8 weeks, 6 in S. Dakota, and 2 weeks in Ft Lewis, Wa Your longest wait will most likely be for the a security clearance, which may cause you to train with the Tradional OCS folks. 12-18 months is the normal processing time. Every state should have an OCS website, so use google to help you. Type the state you desire, national guard. Most states have similar websites. California has 40 million people, so it makes CA the largest market to target. GO GUARD!!! Maj Tim Hoskinson |
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Issues or Concerns?
Major Hoskinson |
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Any questions reference Recruiting, Processing, and Training Timelines??
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what about medical waivers. I recently went to meps and failed the hearing test. I did get a medical waiver and went back, signed up for 11 bravo, got my date. Is it possible to go to ocs under these conditions?
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See NGB Memo and Ch 2 AR 40-501:
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/arng/ocs/requirements.htm e. Medical. (1) Officer candidates must pass a physical examination in accordance with AR 40-501, chapter 2, prior to the first day of OCS. However, in exceptional circumstances The Adjutant General (TAG) may allow a candidate to enroll in OCS without a completed physical. The candidate must complete the required physical NLT 90 days following the completion of OCS Phase I or be disenrolled. Candidates allowed to enroll in OCS pending the physical must be counseled in writing that they may be disenrolled later due to physical defects, injuries, and/or diseases if the condition is disqualifying. Applicants for OCS must meet all procurement medical fitness standards prescribed in AR 40-501, chapter 2, or receive all necessary waivers for disqualifying conditions from NGB-ARS (see subparagraph 4). In these cases, entrance into training does not constitute grounds for later qualification or waiver. (2) Chapter 2 physicals are valid for appointment for two years from the date of examination provided there is no significant change in the individual's medical condition. If the chapter 2 physical is more than one year old at the time of commissioning, the soldier must complete DA Form 7349R, Initial Medical Review-Annual Medical Certificate. The State Surgeon or appointed medical officer must screen and approve the DA Form 7349R. A certified copy of the DA Form 7349R, DD 2807-1 and DD 2808 must accompany the applicant's OCS enrollment packet/file. AR 40-501, Ch 2 states: http://docs.usapa.belvoir.army.mil/jw2/xmldemo/r40_501/head.asp 2-7. Hearing The cause for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction is a hearing threshold level greater than that described in paragraph c below. a. Audiometers, calibrated to standards of the International Standards Organization (ISO 1964) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI 1996), will be used to test the hearing of all applicants. b. All audiometric tracings or audiometric readings recorded on reports of medical examination or other medical records will be clearly identified. c. Acceptable audiometric hearing levels (both ears) are: (1) Pure tone at 500, 1000, and 2000 cycles per second of not more than 30 decibels (dB) on the average (each ear), with no individual level greater than 35dB at these frequencies. (2) Pure tone level not more than 45 dB at 3000 cycles per second each ear, and 55 dB at 4000 cycles per second each ear. The short answer is how bad is your hearing, if it is within acceptable range you may be okay. You should get in the guard as you're doing, then apply for OCS once you've completed Basic and AIT. Maj Hoskinson |
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Howdy:
I'm a bit of a late bloomer and will be joining the Guard (barring trouble at MEPS) a couple of months before my 36th birthday. I hope to go through basic this summer. Past that I'm not sure what to do. I really would like to be a 46R (broadcast journalist) for a while, then go to OCS, but I am afraid that I'm too close to the 38 year old ceiling. Any advice? Regards, T. Thoms |
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Your best option provided you clear the MEPS obstacle is to enlist as an OCS candidate (09S), this will get you into the program immediately and ensure that you are able to complete the program and be commissioned before you turn 40 years old. If you wait there's a significant chance you will get delayed or deployed and miss your opportunity for OCS. |
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Good to see the site is getting alot of hits. Have all your questions been answered to get started with submitting your OCS packets for those of you that are interested. Pass the word along to others who may be interested.
NG OCS will take a significant amount of time and energy, so clear your plate as much as possible to support your goal of being commissioned. Also, if you find that you have too many irons in the fire, make sure you get with your OCS cadre to discuss options. Get those packets started, security clearance updated, Updated CH 2 commissioning physical, etc. If you start with a completed packet by the fall, you'll be in great shape. Get yourself in excellent shape and maintain it. Maj Hoskinson |
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Maj Hoskinson,
I was getting ready to go to Meps. I am 37, with Degree. BUT, have a felony, non violent. Do you know if I could ever get into OCS. I was looking at WO. I got a waiver approved last time but it had "no sensitive MOS's" in it. When they raised the age, I have a second shot, but was curious if OCS is out. Any thoughts? Thank you. LB |
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How long ago was the felony? Time is your best friend, though it is running out for Officer. You should join now and apply for warrant officer if you run out of time for officer (40 yrs old minus 1 day). You need to get into the system and get on board with a unit. For WO, you have until 46 years old, you should be able to work that in time. However you only until age 39 to come onboard. Major Hoskinson |
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Since officer training is being restructured, and the Basic Officer Leader Course Phase 1 includes OCS, will college graduates with no prior service be required to attend Basic Combat Training, or will they begin their training with OCS?
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Do not believe there will be a change; however some minor modifications to further integrate all training . BOLC just integrates all training into phases. In other words OCS will still be OCS. In order to go to OCS you must have attended at a minimum BT. Why? well BT is the beginning for anyone...You have to get physically and medically qualified, and pass the basic training requirements. This is just part of the process. There may be some minor modifications along the way to bring all of the phases together, however once BOLC is fully on line, they will be able to determine the final modifications that may be required to make it better. |
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Are there any bonuses available to non-prior service applicants with a college degree, who are enlisting under the 09S option? Specifically, is the new $6,000 bonus available to people with the aforementioned qualifications, and when is it disbursed?
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26414&archive=true |
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article indicates....To be eligible for the $6,000 bonus, individuals must attend either Officer Candidate School, a college or university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program without a scholarship, or receive a direct commission without attending either program. The law prohibits the Army from giving the $6,000 to new officers with ROTC scholarships or West Point degrees. Receiving a bonus on top of a taxpayer-funded education would be “double-dipping,” Patterson said in a Thursday interview in his Pentagon office. To get the bonus, eligible officers or officer candidates must also agree to specialize in a branch the reserve components have defined as “critical,” finish Officer Basic Course in that branch and commit to serving in a reserve unit for six years, Patterson said. Disbursement may be all at once or half now, half later (mid point). Seems like the article answers most of it, what are you not clear on??? |
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"The accessions bonus is reserved for individuals to be commissioned as officers, including enlisted personnel in all Army components who are eligible for an officer commission."
It doesn't specifically address whether the bonus is available to civilians, who choose to enlist under the 09S option, causing me to wonder whether someone must already be an enlisted member to receive the bonus upon attending OCS. |
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I would guess that since you start enlisted in the NG by going through BT to start the road to commissioning. with a college degree you'd start out as an E4, then once you are fully accepted into the OCS program you are paid as an E6 until you commission. You'd have to address the specifics with a recruiter, and if the $6k option is there, insure it is put in your enlistment contract. As always, if you're not comfortable with the answers you are getting, then ask another recruiter for a 2d opinion. Make sure it is detail out "in writing" on your contract so you are comfortable with the outcome. Maj H |
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Guard soldiers we're ramping up for another great year for OCS in CA. Any more questions, issues, post them to the boards. Maj H
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I have a few more questions:
Will OCS provide transportation to Camp San Luis Obispo? I've heard that it is provided, but isn't guarenteed. Will some California candidates have the opportunity to attend the accelerated program that begins in January, which I believe is in Alabama? The California OCS website contains the weighted criteria for acceptance into an accelerated OCS program, beginning with people who are close to age 39, and ending with exemplifying Army values. Are the criteria weighted in that order, or are the criteria given equal consideration? Do recruiters help OCS applicants compile their packets, or are potential Officer Candidates responsible for assembling and submitting their own OCS packets? What is the average age of Officer Candidates in California? |
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It varies, it early 2003, the average age was approx 31.5 years old. |
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Major Hoskinson:
Thanks for your responses. It's nice having someone close to OCS available to answer questions, since some of the information that I've received from recruiters has been unreliable. |
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Military.com Forums Army Discussions Army Reserves & National Guard California National Guard OCS website: Will help answer the who what, when, where and why of OCS training. Civilians can join OCS by coming on board as 09S (OCS candidates). Shoot your questions to the boards.
