You graduated PLC and walked across the parade deck. Now, you’ve graduated college and are ready to officially become a 2ndLt. Unlike your OCC peers, the events, location and timing of your Marine commissioning will be almost entirely up to you to plan.

Uniforms

Take note, even though uniforms come “tailored” you will need to get them redone by a tailor in your area. Add another two weeks onto the processing time from the Marine Shop or TBS for personal tailoring. Another consideration, most Lieutenants are going to commission from the PLC program about the same time. There is a big wave of Marines getting commissioned after spring and fall graduation. So, keep this in mind when ordering uniforms.

When your uniform arrives make sure your OSO and OSA check it over. I saw one 2ndLt commission without anyone realizing his EGA’s were both facing outboard.

Commissioning officer

Any officer with an active commission may commission you. It does not have to be your officer selection officer.

In fact, your Officer Selection Officer and Officer Selection Assistant do not even need to be physically present. Any officer (regardless of service branch) who has not resigned their commission (i.e. active, reserve or retired) can be the commissioning officer. Just make sure your OSO is informed if you want someone else to do it. Your OSA will be your default first salute, if you don’t have someone else in mind.

Venue

Venue is entirely up to you. Common ones include community centers, churches, cemeteries, and private residences. Ideally, it will have a sound system to play the National Anthem, Marines Hymn, and Anchors Away. These are part of the ceremony. Some people also want a slideshow.

Ceremony

The ceremony is up to your discretion. Required events include, the oath of office, pinning of your rank, first salute (don’t forget a silver dollar), and your closing remarks. Otherwise, you can plan these events and any additions as you want.

Flags

For the Marine commissioning ceremony you will need to acquire matching full size American and Marine Corps flags. If your OSO is close by, they will likely bring these. However, if your OSO is flying to your Marine commissioning ceremony, safe to assume you will need to find these yourself. Check with a local OSO, Recruiting station, VFW or Marine Corps league for the flags and stands.

Your commissioning is a big event. It’s the day you officially enter the Marine Corps and start your career as a officer. Next stop, TBS and the fabled fleet!

Thank you to friend of the blog and Nutrition Coach Erin for contributing this guest post. Erin has worked in Afghanistan and the US with military service members and CrossFit athletes working toward optimal human performance. See how her advice and coaching could help you improve your training and your life before you’re stuck with OCS or boot camp food.

Don’t just train smart. Eat smart to survive OCS on “Boot Camp Food”

Everyone has heard the old adage “You can’t out train a bad diet”.

As cliché as that sounds, it’s true.

You can’t expect your body to function at an optimal level if you are not feeding it high quality foods in adequate amounts.

Especially for YOU–the one needing to perform at the highest level.

The Athlete: Marine recruit or officer candidate.

I commend you.

For even considering joining an elite force and subjecting yourself to the ass whooping that you are going to receive during boot camp is not for the faint-hearted, and for that, I take my hat off to you.

I am not here to blow up your head though; I am here to advise you to get your shit together nutritionally.

Quickly.

That is if you want your body to withstand the beating.

But before I continue, let me introduce myself.

My name is Erin Burkes and I am NOT a Marine.

What I am though is a nutrition coach to those looking to fuel performance at a high level, a wife to a former Marine, and a badass chick who voluntarily subjected herself to a life of war for 4 years.

Almost a decade ago, I was privileged to have the opportunity to work with some of the finest men and women we have: Marine RECON and Army Special Forces in Afghanistan.

Oorah!

Living four consecutive years in the sandpit I began to truly understand the impact that training and nutrition can have on the body especially in a high demand, high stress environment.

What you need to know about nutrition before you’re stuck with OCS or boot camp food

In this article I want to explain how you can optimize your nutrition so your body will be prepared to perform as an endurance athlete.

Let me preface with this: during OCS or boot camp food choices will not be yours.

You will eat what and when your instructor tells you to. This is not always optimal from a performance standpoint but there are things you can do prior to OCS that will help you sustain the demand.

For that reason alone, nutrition and overall health prior to OCS will be very important.

You might be wondering HOW you can improve your performance through your diet.

Let me explain.

CARBOHYDRATES

I mention carbohydrates first because they are critical for an athlete’s performance for two really important reasons:

1. ENERGY

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for our brains and bodies to function properly. When carbs are eaten they are eventually digested and broken down into smaller sugar molecules called glucose. These glucose molecules are stored in the liver and muscles to be used for fuel, especially during physical activity. This may vary, but approximately 50% of calories should come from carbs to fuel performance.

2. MUSCLE GAIN

Without an adequate amount of stored glucose in the body, other nutrients, such as fat or muscle protein, are utilized to make energy. With the correct amount of carbohydrates available to muscles, protein can be free to do its main job of repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue, which maximizes muscle gain.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR THE RECRUIT?

As exercise increases, muscle glycogen (where we store carbohydrates) becomes used up, which causes a higher need for carbohydrates. If you enter OCS already depleted of glycogen, your body will use protein and fat for fuel, which will decrease recovery rate and decrease performance output dramatically.

CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES

• STARCHES- grains, whole wheat bread/pasta, whole grain tortillas, oatmeal/cereal, quinoa, beans, rice/brown rice, potato/sweet potato, corn
• FRUIT- fresh is best
• DAIRY- low fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese
• VEGETABLES- fresh is best

PROTEIN

Proteins are the building blocks for maintenance, repair, and growth of lean muscle mass. It is also essential to optimize immune function. Aim for 0.8g-1g/lb of bodyweight and if more carbohydrates are needed, you can go as low as 0.5g-0.8g/lb of bodyweight.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR THE RECRUIT?

The longer you exercise, the more muscle tissue is sacrificed. When you exercise beyond 2–3 hours, you need to provide protein from a dietary source or your body will “borrow” amino acids from your muscle tissue. This creates performance problems both during exercise (due to increased levels of fatigue) and during your post–exercise recovery (due to excess lean muscle tissue damage). During prolonged physical activity, you, the endurance athlete needs to make sure that both complex carbohydrate and protein intake are adequate to delay and offset this muscle cannibalization process.

PROTEIN SOURCES

• LEAN MEAT: chicken, turkey, lean beef, flank steak
• FISH-salmon, cod, halibut, mahi mahi
• SEAFOOD
• EGGS/EGG WHITES
• DAIRY- yogurt/cheese, cottage cheese
• WHEY PROTEIN

FAT

Fats are needed to carry fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) to tissues, they are important in the making of cell membranes, they’re needed to create bile (which helps to break down fat), cholesterol (a type of fat) is required to make important hormones such as testosterone, and fats play a crucial part in maintaining energy during exercise.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR THE RECRUIT?

While the body has a limited ability to store carbohydrates, it has a much larger capacity to store fat. As athletes we would like to be able to tap into our fat stores as much as possible so we can spare our carbohydrates for later in our performance. Eating enough calories for maintenance or a slight surplus (yes, having a bit of fat on your body) will help your performance and recovery in bootcamp.

FAT SOURCES- 1:1 ratio of Omega 3:Omega 6

• Omega 3 fatty acids are not produced by the body; they must be consumed from our diet. Omega 3’s reduce inflammation and will aid in recovery after intense training sessions.
  • Fish- salmon, halibut, herring, mackerel, sardines, trout oysters
  • Dairy- eggs, milk, yogurt
  • Grains and nuts- flaxseed, peanut butter, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
  • Vegetables- brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower
• Omega 6 fatty acids are much easier to consume in the American diet since these fats are found in processed foods.
• Flaxseeds, flaxseed meal
• Hempseeds
• Grapeseed oil
• Seeds-pumpkin seeds and raw sunflower seeds
• Nuts- pignolia (pine) nuts and pistachios
• Borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant see oil
• Acai

HYDRATION

A general rule of thumb is to consume half your bodyweight in ounces per day and an additional 500mls for every hour of training. If intense training occurs during hot/humid conditions or for prolonged periods of time, consuming a sports drink with electrolytes before, during and after will be more beneficial to restore balance.

To wrap this up, there are many things nutritionally that a recruit can do to prepare the body for intense training like boot camp. If the diet is not optimal before training begins, performance will be slighted and the body will suffer. Recovery is just as important for performance than performance itself especially for excessive and repeated bouts. Consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats and water while preparing for boot camp so your performance will be maximized for OCS.

Good Luck!!!

-Erin

Thank you to Erin for her advice on training and fueling before you’re stuck with OCS or boot camp food. If you’re interested in receiving coaching on nutrition or other needs, direct message (or email) us.

The day has finally come when you get to see your Candidate walk across the parade deck at Marine Officer Candidate School Graduation! It’s been a long 10 weeks as they have been away in Quantico.

Here are our tips for getting the most out of the Family Day and Marine Officer Candidate School Graduation.

• Most importantly, check out our insiders’ guide to family day and graduation.  It has a thorough rundown of the events and considerations.
• You will spend several hours outside. Dress warmly in the winter and stay hydrated. I can’t overstress this. Bring snacks to Marine Officer Candidate School Graduation.
• Make meal reservations. The surrounding area gets overwhelmed with families around OCS graduation.

• Take pictures and video. Ask your candidate if they would like pictures with their platoon staff.

The location of graduation and commissioning change based on the season and availability of base buildings. The OCS Training Command Website is also a great resource for up to date information on Marine Officer Candidate School Graduation. Marines will be briefed by their platoon staff with pertinent information.

Thanks to Emmalyn O’Connor for contributing this article on the USMC Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy. O’Connor is a senior in high school, Commanding Officer of her NJROTC unit, an NROTC Marine Option Scholarship recipient, and a class of 2017 graduate of the USMC Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy.

What is the summer leadership and character development academy?

The Marine Corps Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy is a week-long camp held at Camp Upshur, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The program is highly competitive; this year, 196 students will be selected to attend. There is no cost to the program; plane tickets will be covered as well. The application deadline is April 1st. We had the unique opportunity to meet Marine Corps leaders and Holocaust survivors this year. The platoon commanders and platoon sergeants of the Summer Leadership and Character Development Academy are all Marines from reserve units around the country. Their civilian jobs range from FBI agents and Secret Service agents to police officers and financial advisors.

Program Requirements

• Applicants must be between 16-18 years of age and have completed their sophomore or junior year of high school.
• Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Participation in sports, leadership or community service.

In addition to these program requirements, applicants are required to submit a full body photo (professional attire or a JROTC dress uniform if applicable), one reference letter, a high school transcript and a completed Initial Strength Test (IST) form. The IST consists of 2-minute crunches, pull-ups (males), flexed arm hang (females) and a 1 ½ mile run. When I submitted my application, I did 100 crunches (max), a 50 second flexed arm hang, and around a 12:30 1 ½ mile.

First Impressions

Students arrive for check-in at the National Marine Corps Museum in Triangle, VA. Those who arrive early in the morning are given the opportunity to explore the museum while waiting for the rest of the student’s arrival. Afterward, you are bussed to Camp Upshur where you will be “greeted” by the academy’s staff. You will also be issued uniforms and bedding for the week.

There is no guarantee that the program’s schedule will include the same events as last year’s, but I imagine it will be very similar. On the first day, we went to Officer Candidates School and did a modified version of the Confidence Course. As someone who had never done anything remotely like this, I was a bit nervous. My platoon was tasked with the monkey bars first. When it came to my turn, I only made it halfway through on my first attempt because I didn’t have enough momentum. This was extremely embarrassing to me, but I tried it again and finished with quarter-sized rips on my hands. Fortunately, the corpsman was able to sufficiently wrap my hands and I was able to tackle the rest of the course along with my platoon. The course truly does instill confidence; my platoon and I felt on top of the world afterward.

That same day, we visited the Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President, Vice President, and other DOD officials: HMX-1. After learning a brief history of the squadron, we visited the hangar bay and climbed atop a V-22 Osprey.

MCMAP

Leaders from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) paid the academy a visit. After a brief demonstration of a few advanced moves, the students were able to try some basic moves out for themselves. Personally, I drew many similarities from the martial art I have experience practicing, Combat Hapkido. My favorite part about MCMAP was the leadership “tie-in” (essentially a leadership lesson) after we trained.

Leadership Evaluations

Some events of the summer leadership and character development academy are modeled after Officer Candidates School. We students participated in a Leadership Reaction Course (LRC). I was the student platoon sergeant at the time; my job was to essentially delegate each task to a student in my platoon based off of what I knew about their knowledge and skill set. These tasks required prompt decision-making skills and most were timed events. Your Marine platoon commander and platoon sergeant will pay close attention to how you react to each event; so it is important to remember that the wrong decision is better than no decision.

Following a class on leadership ethics, we participated in a PRAC APP (practical application) called the Field Leadership Ethics Exercise (FLEE).

In short, our scenario consisted of aiding starving civilians‒some of which were hostile‒we had to make decisions, such as who to trust, based on what we learned in our ethics class. During the first rotation (which lasted about 15 minutes), the whole platoon argued back and forth. It was chaos. By the third rotation, everything flowed smoothly, we were able to communicate properly, and there were no “fatalities.”

PT

The physical fitness aspect of the summer leadership and character development academy was moderately challenging, in my opinion. We only had PT in the morning twice, one being an introductory PT, and the second being another IST. The day before graduation, every platoon participated in the “platoon challenge,” which was a timed event.

Obstacles were scattered throughout the camp; student platoon sergeants were responsible for navigating their platoons to the next event. Some events included completing the O Course as a platoon for time, while some required the entire platoon to complete a total of 100 pull-ups. Afterward, the summer leadership and character development academy staff exemplified servant leadership by serving the students breakfast. This was a fun and memorable way to end the week.

The Holocaust Museum, Washington D.C., and the Sunset Parade

We traveled off base and spent a day in D.C. First, all platoons went on a guided tour of the Holocaust Museum. It was truly an unforgettable experience. I will never forget the tears in my Marine Platoon Sergeant’s eyes when we walked through the room that contained all of the shoes.

Many of those shoes were small: they were the shoes of a child. This affected him personally because he had two kids back at home. After the tours, we entered an auditorium and listened to a Holocaust survivor’s story. This was one of the most humbling things I’ve ever had the chance to experience.

After visiting the Holocaust Museum, we split into groups and toured D.C. My group decided to see the Declaration of Independence, the White House, the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War memorials. Finally, we were treated to the Sunset Parade, which took place at the Marine Corps War Memorial. At the end of the parade, I was asked to march the platoon from the memorial to the busses nearby. Knowing that there was a Brigadier General and other high-ranking Marines nearby, I said “Yes, sir!” smiling on the inside.

Motivational speakers

My favorite speaker was Navy Cross Recipient Chief Warrant Officer 3 Anthony Viggiani. I remember him walking down the aisle in the classroom, and instantly feeling motivated. This man rescued his men from a cave of snipers, took a bullet to the leg, and still continued to fight, “I made a promise to my men, and I’ll be damned if I don’t keep it” he said. I also recall him saying that while receiving the Navy Cross was an honor, it was “Just a ribbon and medal.”

Sometime during the week, we traveled to the main part of the base and listened to a speech from former Deputy Commandant Lieutenant General Bailey two weeks before he retired. He was extremely personable and tried to answer all of our questions.

Lastly, a member of the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) visited us and spoke about First Lieutenant Travis Manion, a US Naval Academy graduate. During Travis’s first stay at home, he and his brother-in-law attended an Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field. As they were leaving the stadium, Travis’ brother-in-law joked with Travis that if he tripped him and broke his leg, Travis would not have to return to Iraq and could stay home in Doylestown. Travis turned to him and said, “Hey Dave, if not me, then who?” Travis Manion was later killed in action on April 29th, 2007.

I highly recommend summer leadership and character development academy to any current high school sophomore/junior who is looking for a challenging leadership experience. This academy is comparable to the Service Academies’ Summer Seminars. It’s also a great resume builder; my platoon from 2017 has several successful graduates. We have two appointed to the Naval Academy, one appointed to West Point, one enlisted in the Army, one enlisted in the Air Force, one enlisted in the Marine Corps, and I have received the NROTC Marine Option Scholarship. During my officer interview, I drew a lot of my leadership experience answers from summer leadership and character development academy.

Again, I highly recommend this program. High school sophomores and juniors: do it. Just apply! You won’t regret it.

Thank you to West Texas+New Mexico OSO Captain Wisotzkey for sharing his advice to candidates who lack the perfect credentials.

As an OSO, one of the most common questions I get from applicants is “how do I make myself more competitive for a selection board?”

Sometimes this is due to the applicant wanting to crush the competition, but more often than not, it’s because they feel like they are below average in a certain category, such as GPA, physical fitness, leadership experience etc.

The response to their question is simple – stand out.

Five Ways to Stand Out

Below are five ways that can make applicants stand out throughout the application process and ultimately get selected on a board.

1. Submit a biography and/or professional resume

After being issued an application, your OSO will give you a checklist of all required documents.

A lot of them are pretty standard, such as birth certificate, transcripts, test scores, etc. However, we can always add more to your package. Some OSOs will ask for these items regardless, but even if they don’t, always submit a professional resume and simple one page biography. It does not need to be anything fancy; I recommend a one page typed document.

Your package for a selection board will end up with a decent amount of documentation enclosed; letters of recommendation, your 100 word statement, OSO evaluation, etc. By adding a resume and biography to the stack, it demonstrates professionalism and the perception you actually care about the selection board and are willing to go out of your way to distinguish yourself.

2. Never miss an opportunity to demonstrate improvement

This is primarily in regards to physical fitness. For some reason, most applicants are afraid of the PFT. Yes – I know that you want to get a good score, but doing one set of pull-ups, one set of crunches, and running 3 miles is not asking for much. It is recommended that you run at least one PFT a month throughout the application process. This not only shows that you are improving on physical fitness, it also shows your dedication to the program. OSO’s will submit every PFT you have done to the selection board. The boards care more about just a high PFT score, they also look for how many PFT’s you have conducted and how much you improved. For instance, if you are in the program for 6 months and your PFT score remains a 265 the entire time, you are not demonstrating improvement.

However, if the first time you run a PFT you fail to get a first class but 6 months later you are running a 265, that demonstrates dedication and hard work. Even if you have a great PFT score, always be willing to run another one to show you are maintaining your fitness.

If your OSO asks you to run a PFT, it’s because you need one, not because we want to watch you work out.

3. Timeliness

At any given time, OSO’s are working with dozens of applicants and every applicant is different.

Some need waivers, some have medical issues, some need help with physical fitness, some have families, some are on the fence about applying, some are waiting to bring their GPA up, etc. We cannot keep track of every single applicant’s personal life, especially considering we are meeting new applicants on a weekly basis. If you are serious about applying, it is imperative that you submit what is asked of you in a timely manner.

The majority of the requirements for PLC or OCC are not difficult. We do not ask for documentation that should be hard to come by and completing the application is easy.

Turn all required documents in as soon as possible and always be asking what your next step is.

As an OSO, I will never neglect an individual who is quick to respond and is always ready to go when I ask for something. However, I will neglect the guy I met four months ago, issued an application to, and haven’t heard from until it was convenient for them.

This is a competitive process and the overall goal is to build Marine Officers – by demonstrating you can already handle yourself like a Marine Officer, you will definitely stand out.

4. Participate

Similarly to not neglecting PFT’s, do not neglect to attend the events, workouts, and pool functions your OSO hosts.

These events are to help YOU prepare for OCS. Do not make repeated excuses as to why you cannot attend events. We understand that everyone has personal schedules, but more often than not, our events are planned at least a month in advance.

These events demonstrate that you are eager to attend OCS, willing to learn as much as you can, and more than anything, are truly valuable for you. An OSO’s “pool” consists of candidates that have already been through OCS and are waiting to commission, those that are contracted and even selected to attend OCS, and those who are in the application process. There is an invaluable amount of information you can learn from surrounding yourself with other members of the pool. The Marine Corps thrives on relationships and these events can be a great way for you to network and start making friends who aspire to go through the same thing you want to. Do not be afraid to try new things and fail.

If you have never climbed a rope before and your OSO organizes an event for you to learn, do not be ashamed – you will have to do this at OCS, why not learn now?

Go out of your way to learn new skills and demonstrate how eager you are to attend OCS.

5. Relationship with your OSO

Above all, your relationship with your OSO is paramount.

As mentioned above, we work with dozens of applicants with a million different stories and backgrounds. It gets very difficult to keep track of everyone, so by you keeping in touch with us and doing the things we ask you to do, you will definitely be on our good side.

Keep in mind that your OSO is the sole individual that prepares your physical package that is presented to a selection board. We also submit an OSO evaluation on every individual. While selection board members will evaluate you on your GPA, test scores, PFT score and background, they value what we have to say more than anything.

They trust that as Marine Officers, we know what our institution is looking for. We will speak to your character, integrity, professionalism, and dedication – even if you don’t have the best GPA or PFT. For example, if you graduated with a 2.3 GPA but it was because you worked full-time all through college to pay for – that demonstrates character and hard work.

On the contrary, if you graduated with a 2.3 GPA because you were lazy and would rather party than focus on school, it is hard for us to defend. If you consistently show improvement on every PFT and never miss an event, we will recognize you are someone who truly wants to be there.

OSOs are not recruiters

Do not think of OSO’s as recruiters. While we are on recruiting duty, we are much more than recruiters; there is reason we’re called Officer Selection Officers vice officer recruiters. Our job is to find qualified applicants, get them through the application process, and submit them to a selection board. We do not get extra “points”, bonuses, or absolutely anything if you are selected. In fact, the one thing we do get is increased liability. If you get selected and fail to ship to OCS because you get cold feet, that is an issue. If we feel like there is even the remote possibility that could happen, we are probably not going to recommend you get selected for OCS and more often than not, selection boards listen.

Living Marine Corps values

Bottom line, it is our job to make Marine Officers and we truly take pride in doing so. We want to find and assist the future generation of officers that we want to serve alongside and that we trust enlisted Marines to follow. Our Corps Values are Honor, Courage, and Commitment. If you consistently demonstrate our Corps Values and never back down from a challenge, it will not go unnoticed.

My former Officer Selection Assistant used to have this quote on his white board behind his desk:

“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you” – Derek Jeter

That quote encapsulates the entire process of becoming a Marine Officer. If you demonstrate that you are truly committed and will stop at nothing to become a Marine, you will get selected.

This post originally appeared on the Sandboxx blog as History of Women in the Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps has a long and proud history that every recruit will learn about when they begin their journey to becoming a United States Marine. With the founding of the Marine Corps in 1776 it wasn’t until 1918 that women became a part of that history. Since then the role of women in the Marine Corps has evolved and expanded as our women Marines continue to push through barriers and pave the way for all women Marines to follow.

History of Women in the Marine Corps

It all began in 1918 when the Secretary of Navy allowed women to enroll into the Marine Corps for clerical duty. The first women credited to joining the Marine Corps was Opha May Johnson. Opha May’s service began on August 13,198 during World War I. During that year 300 more women joined the Marine Corps Reserve for clerical duty.

For the next 100 years women would continue to prove their worth and place in the United States Marines. Here are just a few of the many landmarks made by women in the Marine Corps:

1943

Captain Anne Lentz becomes the first woman commissioned officer.
Private Lucille McClarren becomes the first enlisted woman.

1947

T/Sgt Mary Frances Wancheck of Bobtown, Pennsylvania became the first Woman Marine to rate a “hash mark.” (Hash marks are worn on uniforms and indicate length of service.)

1948

Enlisted and Officer women were sworn in as regular Marines instead of being considered as part of the Marine Reserves.

1949

Annie Neal Graham becomes the first black female Marine to enlist.

1952

The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve participates in color raising ceremonies at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D. C.

1953

Staff Sergeant Barbara Olive Barnwell becomes the first female Marine to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal for heroism.

1978

Col. Margaret A. Brewer becomes the first female general in Marine Corps history.

2013

Pfc Christina Fuentes Montenegro,  Pfc Julia Carroll and Pfc Katie Gorz become the first female marines to graduate from the Marine Corps’ enlisted infantry training course.

2017

The first female graduates from the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course.

These are just a few of the many accomplishments the women in the Marine Corps have made.  Today women continue to define themselves, making up 8.3% of the Corps women have been proving to be an essential part of the Marine Corps.

Training for women in the Marine Corps

Enlisted Women

The first battle begins at boot camp. All enlisted women in the Corps, regardless of geographic location, are sent to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina for 12 weeks of boot camp training. Boot camp will be the first test for all recruits wish to earn the title of United States Marine. The mission of MCRD Parris Island is:

“We make Marines by recruiting quality young men and women and transforming them through the foundations of rigorous basic training, our shared legacy, and a commitment to our core values, preparing them to win our nation’s battles in service to the country.”

Part of successfully completing requirements to graduate from boot camp will include passing a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT). Women and men have different qualifications to pass these tests. The female PFT qualifications for enlisted females are as follows:

Boot camp will be physically and mentally demanding, learn more about how to prepare for Marine boot camp. After graduation at MCRD Parris Island, new Marines will be sent to the School of Infantry where they will further their training based on their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).

Women Officers

For those who wish to become an officer in the Marine Corps, 12 weeks of training will begin at Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Quantico, Virginia. OCS will screen candidates to ensure that they have what it takes in order to lead Marines and to win battles. The mission of OCS is:

“To educate and train officer candidates in Marine Corps knowledge and skills within a controlled and challenging environment in order to evaluate and screen individuals for the leadership, moral, mental, and physical qualities required for commissioning as a Marine Corps officer.”

The female PFT qualifications for female officers are as follows:Women in the Marine Corps TodayUpon successfully graduating as an Officer in the United States Marine, training will continue at The Basic School (TBS) and then on to further training based on their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Learn more about OCS from a successful Female Marine Officer.

Today women in the Marine Corps continue to push through barriers and pave the path for women Marines to follow. The Women Marines Association’s is a non-profit Veteran’s association with a mission to ensure that women’s history as Marines will continue to be told and passed on to a new generation of Marines. With chapters across the country members strive to help all past, present, and future women Marines. Below are a few videos showcasing the amazing accomplishments our Marines are making.

Learn more on how to prepare before marine boot camp or grab one of these books about women in the Marine Corps:

• Leading From the Front
• When Janey Comes Marching Home: Portraits of Women Combat Veterans
• Hesitation Kills

Make sure to download the Sandboxx app to send/receive mail faster at boot camp or OCS.

I’m a reservist thinking about going to OCS. What is the main difference between being an officer and an enlisted Marine? Especially on the aviation side of the Marine Corps.

My Story

So I started out enlisting in the Marine Corps right out of high school, eventually commissioning as an officer, and finally becoming a pilot (KC-130J).

I wasn’t with aviation when I was enlisted but worked as a maintenance officer in my squadron, so I have some insight as to the roles/responsibilities/life of enlisted Marines in aviation.

Enlisted roles

Enlisted Marines in a squadron mainly work in positions that are part of their MOS (or job) such as administration, supply, training & operations, maintenance (engine mechanics, airframe mechanics, avionics mechanics, electrician, etc..).

The main difference between an enlisted vs officer Marine in a squadron would probably be their scope. On the enlisted side, the role/responsibilities are focused on the maintenance department and primarily within their division or shop.

Obviously, the more senior and experienced they are, the larger their scope (or bubble) and effect throughout the squadron is.

But at the end of the day, their scope/affect stays mainly within their shop or the maintenance
department.

Officer roles

Pilots in the Fleet Marine Force fill many positions within their squadron. These duties, known as “ground jobs” are in addition to their pilot duties.

So while you (as a pilot) are learning, training, and becoming more proficient at flying and fighting your aircraft; you are also filling vital positions that keep the squadron running. These positions can include administration/legal officer, operations (day to day flights, future plans), training officer, maintenance (division officer, maintenance officer), logistics officer. Each of these positions is very important and together they allow the squadron to run.

Every officer is responsible to keep their section running while making sure they can support the operational objectives of the squadron.

In addition to keeping the squadron running, officers are also tasked to ensure the well-being of the Marines in their charge. Marine NCOs and SNCOs are also responsible for this, but officers are charged with more Marines including those NCOs and SNCOs.

My personal experience

When I was a junior enlisted Marine my responsibility was to learn and become proficient in my job. Train, increase my fitness, learn, train…. etc.

As I progressed my responsibilities grew, but not out of my team or section. When I became a Corporal (NCO), my responsibilities increased significantly.

I was my platoon’s training NCO, in charge of ensuring my platoon was properly trained and ready for combat. I worked with my Battery training chief to do this. So my scope increased to the next level of my unit.

So after a couple of years, I was leading a portion of my platoon.

When I first checked into my squadron I was assigned as the Fiscal Officer in Charge (OIC) and as a Flight Duty Officer (FDO). My duties in fiscal were to ensure everyone in the squadron was paid for their travel expenses and manage the squadron’s budget; as well as lead 5 Marines that worked in the fiscal shop. As an FDO, I managed/coordinated the current and next days flights and flight crews.

The job also entailed coordinating between our operations and maintenance departments and outside units that we were working with. About halfway through my tour, I was transferred to the maintenance department to be a the Airframes Division Officer. As the division officer, I managed 4 different shops (airframes, safety and survival, corrosion control/HAZMAT, and flight equipment) and lead over 70 Marines.

The job is just not dealing with maintenance in my division, but working with the other divisions and the head maintenance officer to get airplanes fixed and flying. In addition, I would work with operations to ensure required maintenance is complete while best supporting the squadron’s mission.

Who gives the first salute?

The first salute lives on as a tradition to honor the enlisted service member who has had the most impact on you. Many candidates choose a Sergeant Instructor they were particularly impressed with or ask a family member or mentor who has served for this honor. For PLC candidates, it is common to have your OSA render the first salute. There aren’t many restrictions on who can give the first salute, so long as they served on the enlisted side. Many NROTC Midshipman or prior service Marines choose someone from their unit for this honor.

Customs and courtesies

• The enlisted member of choice renders the first salute to the new 2ndLt.
• The 2ndLt returns the first salute and cuts (drops) the salute first.
• The 2ndLt shakes hands with the enlisted servicemember, passing them a silver dollar (with the other hand) as they do. This provides an opportunity to pass a word of thanks or advice from either party.

Where do I get A silver dollar? (Yes, quality matters).

While silver dollars are easy to come by,

you should buy a high-quality silver dollar to give to this service member. Ideally, the silver dollar will come with a display case.

A silver dollar minted 100 years before the commissioning year or minted in another significant year add a nice touch to the custom.

Wondering about the worth of a silver dollar? Use Coinflation to calculate it’s worth and metal composition.

You can find some good silver dollar choices at JM Bullion or at Amazon.

Thank you to Candidate C, who very graciously volunteered to answer our questions about OCS Medical and the physical challenges of being a officer candidate.

How far did you get in OCS?

• Unfortunately, after completing 5 weeks at OCS, going on the 6th week, I found out I had a stress fracture and was dropped at OCS medical.

What did you learn?

• Throughout my time at OCS, I learned many things. First and foremost, doing exactly as I was told made things much easier. In other words, use common sense.
• The one thing I learned overall is no matter who you are, you are going to fail at something. However, when I did fail, I had to learn from that and push myself even harder and not lose focus of my end goal. Also, if you want to get something done, you can’t rely on others to help you most of the time. Yes, you’re supposed to be working as a team, especially considering you want to lead Marines, but that’s not always the case. Even though others may not help you much, you still want to help others because you want to be a leader and not a follower.
• Lastly, anything is possible; it’s all about how bad you want something. Having a good mental attitude at OCS is what helped me get through my time there while enjoying most of it.

What could you have done differently?

• I would have studied more ahead of time, considering you’re sleep deprived and don’t have much time to study.
• After failing at something, I shouldn’t have let it go to my head as much as I did. Next time, when I fail at something, I will take it instantly with a grain of salt, conquer it, and come back stronger.
• Another major thing I learned, after I left OCS, was I should have changed my insoles in my boots. I wore the same ones for 5 weeks straight and I’m pretty sure that played a huge role in developing my stress fracture, especially since the pain was mostly felt while in boots.

How was OCS medical? What kind of care did you receive?

• When many think of OCS medical, they always have this idea in their mind that they’re going to get dropped, if they go to OCS medical. However, that’s not the case. When you go to medical, they want to get you in and out of there as soon as possible. The only reason I was dropped and wasn’t able to continue training is because my injury could have eventually resulted in surgery and never being able to train at OCS again. The care I received was excellent, while I was at OCS medical. They always updated me throughout the process. I was always being helped throughout my time at medical.

If you plan to go back, how will things be different for you?

I definitely plan to go back, more than likely next year, as soon as I am completely healed. Things will be different. I’ll know what to expect, what to do that will save me time, and what not to do.

Tell us about your overall OCS experience.

• Despite many complaints about how horrible OCS is, it really isn’t that bad.
• If you are well off physically and you have a good mental attitude, you will make it through just fine.
• It was an awesome experience that not many get to go through. Yes, you may not get very much sleep, but as my grandma always says, “I can sleep when I’m dead”.
• I definitely learned a lot at OCS. At OCS, I learned what I needed to put at the top of my priorities and what I could put off at a later time.

Any parting words of advice for future candidates?

There is quite a bit of advice I would give future candidates.

• Specifically, for females, learn how you want to do your hair, before you arrive at OCS. If you leave it long, make sure you figure out how to do your hair in a bun, before arriving at OCS. I started off the first week doing a sock bun, but it was a pain, especially when putting a Kevlar (helmet) on my head. So, I switched to a twist bun with braids, since it only took me about 5-10 minutes.
• Secondly, for all candidates, if you go when sleeves are rolled, make sure you know how to roll your sleeves, before arriving at OCS. Go out, buy an old MARPAT blouse, and practice; check out YouTube, to see faster ways of rolling sleeves and that way they come out looking on point every time.

• Expect to fail at something, while you are at OCS.
• Try and break in boots ahead of time. Also, make sure to change out your insoles in your boots.
• Next, do not take anything personally. Your staff is only there to help you succeed and everything they are doing is for a purpose. Take everything with a grain of salt.

Do not forget why you’re there. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Remember, if you get dropped, it’s not the end of the world; just have to conquer it and come back stronger. Lastly, it is the Marine Corps; it’s called “the few, the proud” for a reason.

Tips for Gaining Personal Leadership Experience

•  I coached sports after high school and returned each year to help the team prepare for the regional and national championships. I was an average athlete, but, being able to list accomplishments as a coach helped a lot.
• I also coached other levels from novices to masters-level athletes and volunteered with athletes with disabilities, which included many prior service members.

Much of this was pro-bono but paid off in experience. A huge benefit of coaching was learning to speak in public. It wasn’t unusual to deliver a brief to a race director, Olympian, or board members of the sports governing body.  That also helped my command evaluations and billet performance evaluations at OCS. High school in particular also gives you the chance to manage small groups and mentor.

• I volunteered at my church a lot and managed small content creation teams. I acted as an editor, but mainly I managed other content creators and published their work.
• I spent one spring break doing flood relief with the Red Cross.
• I volunteered as an English Conversational Partner for the ESL program at my college.
• Bottom line, don’t be afraid to volunteer. A lot.

Tips to gain “platoon-level” leadership experiences

• Many candidates volunteered with an organization that interested them.
• Camp counselors or similar roles are very common.
• Many candidates take leadership positions in a club or professional organization.
• Some candidates had trouble getting leadership positions in clubs. So they created their own club, where they were the president.

You could create a Semper Fi society or something of the like if there is not already one. It can be simple like starting a religious study or a tactics and strategy club.

• Being the captain of a team looks really good.
• School Alternative Service break.

Community Service

• Red Cross
• Boys and Girls Clubs (or mentor at-risk youth.)
• Habitat for Humanity
• Check with local high schools or sports teams for mentor or coaching opportunities.
• Volunteer in a prison.

Other Ideas

• The first thing you should ask yourself is, “What am I passionate about?” Then find something that will allow you to do that. If you care deeply, it usually works out in your favor and it’s easier to get leadership positions when you like it.

Check with the career center at your college. They have relationships in the community and can set you up with some amazing opportunities. They’ll also know what kind of leadership activities appeal to higher education boards and certain types of jobs. You won’t be the first one they’ve helped get into OCS or one of the service academies. They will also be able to look at any past leadership experience and find ways to balance it and make you more interesting via new opportunities.

• Reread your LinkedIn and resumes. Often, there is work history you have forgotten about that will stand out to a board.
• Volunteer as a docent or naturalist at a museum, aquarium, etc
• Seems obvious, but ask for a leadership position at work or in an existing group. Often leaders are willing to co-lead or create a new position.
• Check out Toastmasters, they are a well known public speaking and leadership organization.
• Check in with your local VFW and see where you can volunteer or lead in some capacity.

Good luck on your path to becoming a Marine Officer. Leadership by example starts long before OCS, the habits you develop at home will help or hurt you in Quantico.