After several years of growth, the Army is scaling back on opportunities for soldiers to attend Regular Army Officer Candidate School and tightening selection requirements, according to a story in the Army Times. The change is among several for the OCS selection program for fiscal 2011, including changes in the age limit and waivers.
The maximum age for OCS eligibility has been reduced from 38 to 35. Waivers are not authorized.
I am SPC and have masters degree, but can’t go to OCS , because no recommendation from commander, because my unit doesn’t send enlisted to OCS,… but they want me to continue in army, keep army as my rest of life career,…I paid thousands of dollars to pay tuition from my own pocket to earn those degree,…..I am not gonna re-enlist,…. Army doesn’t want my service,….it will keep ordinaries and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for them, but would expel the extraordinaries
Amy, your experience is from the perspective of one command…one O-3 at the company level, one O-5 at the battalion level, etc. If your command culture is not in keeping with your goals, switch commands. Whether or not you want to “be up front”, with your current command, on this issue is entirely up to you. When/if you approach your command, do so armed with preparation. Do your homework regarding the applicable ARs which govern applications for OCS. Persistence, Amy, is the key. Perhaps your command, upon noting your professional tenacity, would be inclined to recognize your desire to better yourself. It certainly can’t hurt to try, Amy. All they can do is get pissed off…DO NOT let that stop you from attaining your goals.
Godspeed, Amy!