marine rotc or platoon leader class or officer canidate school
c/Commander
Active member
This is taken from one of my posts in another thread about a similar topic:
Alright, I'll lay out the different Marine Corps commissioning sources:
USNA: Assuming you are accepted and get through Plebe year, you will elect to go to Leatherneck between 2/c and 1/c years. This is a 4-week evaluation/familiarization period at MCB Quantico for Marine-select hopefuls. At this point, if you don't do well at Leatherneck, you will not be selected as a Marine officer. After commissioning, you will go to The Basic School for six months. Near the end of TBS, you will select your MOS. This is the only way to become a Marine Corps officer without going to OCS.
NROTC: You apply for a Marine Option scholarship. The purpose of your first three years in the program is to prepare you for a six-week session at Marine OCS (technically called "Bulldog", but it is identical to the Seniors portion of the PLC program). If you graduate from OCS, you will have another year of NROTC to get your degree/commission, and then you will go back to Quantico for TBS. After this, the track is identical to USNA.
PLC: Comes in two flavors, "Juniors/Seniors" and "Combined". J/S is two six-week trips to OCS in Quantico. The name is misleading, as you can actually do Juniors after your freshman year of college. Seniors will always be immediately before your senior year. You will commission after you graduate and then go to TBS.
"Combined" is a ten-week program that takes place immediately before your senior year. After you graduate, your track is identical to Juniors/Seniors.
OCC: Identical to PLC-Combined, but you must have a college degree or be a college senior to apply.
The difference with PLC and OCC to NROTC/USNA is that when you apply to PLC or OCC, you apply for an Air, Ground, or Law contract. This means that, for example, if you apply for and receive an Air contract, you will go to flight school after TBS, assuming that you remain physically qualified.
Note that, in all cases, you must have a bachelor's degree to become a Marine officer. There is no way to go from enlisted to officer without said degree.
Alright, I'll lay out the different Marine Corps commissioning sources:
USNA: Assuming you are accepted and get through Plebe year, you will elect to go to Leatherneck between 2/c and 1/c years. This is a 4-week evaluation/familiarization period at MCB Quantico for Marine-select hopefuls. At this point, if you don't do well at Leatherneck, you will not be selected as a Marine officer. After commissioning, you will go to The Basic School for six months. Near the end of TBS, you will select your MOS. This is the only way to become a Marine Corps officer without going to OCS.
NROTC: You apply for a Marine Option scholarship. The purpose of your first three years in the program is to prepare you for a six-week session at Marine OCS (technically called "Bulldog", but it is identical to the Seniors portion of the PLC program). If you graduate from OCS, you will have another year of NROTC to get your degree/commission, and then you will go back to Quantico for TBS. After this, the track is identical to USNA.
PLC: Comes in two flavors, "Juniors/Seniors" and "Combined". J/S is two six-week trips to OCS in Quantico. The name is misleading, as you can actually do Juniors after your freshman year of college. Seniors will always be immediately before your senior year. You will commission after you graduate and then go to TBS.
"Combined" is a ten-week program that takes place immediately before your senior year. After you graduate, your track is identical to Juniors/Seniors.
OCC: Identical to PLC-Combined, but you must have a college degree or be a college senior to apply.
The difference with PLC and OCC to NROTC/USNA is that when you apply to PLC or OCC, you apply for an Air, Ground, or Law contract. This means that, for example, if you apply for and receive an Air contract, you will go to flight school after TBS, assuming that you remain physically qualified.
Note that, in all cases, you must have a bachelor's degree to become a Marine officer. There is no way to go from enlisted to officer without said degree.
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c/Commander
Active member
Any time - feel free to PM me or use this thread if you have any specific questions.
I was told by a recruiter at school that the PLC program is six weeks for two summers and then there is no contract that must be fulfilled. He said the PLC training pays $8,000 each summer and that there is no obligation after the training. This seems weird to me. Why would the military pay $16,000 and pay for food lodging transportation gear and training if they are not getting anything in return? Basically I am wondering if one was to go through the 12 weeks and accept the $16,000 what are the obligations after? Or is there none and one could take the money and never have to serve?
thanks,
cuaero
thanks,
cuaero
c/Commander
Active member
I can guarantee you that you will NOT be getting $8000/summer for OCS. You will get E-5 pay, which comes to $3000 or less for the whole six-week period.
You can take the money and never have to serve, but you will not make it through twelve weeks in Quantico if you don't want to be a Marine officer. That's why they give you the out
You can take the money and never have to serve, but you will not make it through twelve weeks in Quantico if you don't want to be a Marine officer. That's why they give you the out