The Army Commissioning Programs
	Army Enlisted to Officer Commissioning Programs Army Promotion Links Promotions Selection Boards Evaluations Career Options The U.S. Army offers enlisted soldiers several ways to earn a commission and join the Officer Corps. The following are descriptions of each of the Army Enlisted to Officer Programs: USMA Westpoint Officer Candidate School (OCS) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Warrant Officer U.S. Military Academy at Westpoint Each year about 200 active-duty soldiers are offered admission to the U.S. Military Academy or the Preparatory School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Although some soldiers are offered direct admission to West Point, most attend the Prep School first. All applications are made directly to West Point. Soldiers not directly admitted to West Point will be automatically considered for admission to the Prep School. Each year about 200 active-duty soldiers are offered admission to the U.S. Military Academy or the Preparatory School. In addition to having a sincere interest in attending West Point and becoming an Army officer, applicants must be: U.S. citizens unmarried with no legal obligation to support dependents under 23 years of age prior to July 1 of the year entering USMA under 22 prior to July 1 of the year entering the Prep School a high school graduate or have a GED of high moral character Soldiers who meet the basic eligibility requirements, have achieved competitive SAT or ACT scores, and achieved better than average grades in their high school curriculum are especially encouraged to apply. Soldiers must obtain an endorsement from their company or lowest-level unit commander. While this endorsement constitutes a nomination, soldiers are also strongly encouraged to obtain additional nominations from their congressional nomination sources. Back to Top Army Officer Candidate School OCS is a 14- week program that consists of the Basic, Intermediate and Senior Officer Candidate Phases. To successfully complete OCS, you will have to: Pass 3 standard Army Physical Fitness Tests. Run over 60 miles in formation within standards. Foot march over 50 miles within standards. Complete a 3, 4, and 5 mile release run within standards. Complete the Combat Water Survival Test, and confidence and conditioning obstacle courses. Pass a land navigation written test, and successfully complete a day and night land navigation course finding the right number of points. Receive academic instruction in 10 areas, pass 9 academic tests and successfully complete training on 67 pre-commissioning common core tasks (must score 70% or greater on all academic tests). Serve in numerous evaluated leadership positions in both a garrison and field environment attaining a successful rating. Meet the Army's standards of conduct and discipline. All applicants must— a. Be United States citizens. b. Achieve a General Technical Aptitude Test (GT) score of 110 or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). c. Soldiers must take and obtain a passing score on the Scholastic AssessmentTest (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). A passing score on the SAT is 850 or higher; a passing score on the ACT is 19 or higher. SAT/ACT scores must be dated within six years of the application. A soldier who wishes to retake either test will do at his/her own expense. Retaking the ACT requires a 60–day waiting period, while the SAT can be retaken only once during any fiscal year. d. Pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and meet the height and weight standards of AR 600–9. e. Have a SECRET security clearance. f. Have completed at least 90 semester hours of study from an accredited college or university and be able to complete a bachelor degree in 1 year or less (except for Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross recipients). (See para 3–3b.) Soldiers who do not have a bachelor degree but have college credits from several sources must submit copies of transcripts along with a letter from the installation education advisor that certifies the completion of 90 or more semester hours of college credit. g. Achieve a score of 80 or higher on the English Comprehension Level Test (ECLT)/American Language Course Placement Test (ALCPT) if the applicant’s primary language is other than English. h. Be of good moral character. It cannot be concluded that a person is of good moral character during the pendency of a suspension of favorable personnel action under AR 600–8–2. (See para 1–7f.) i. Have no convictions by civil or military courts. (This does not apply to minor traffic violations with a fine or forfeiture of $250.00 or less). An applicant must not have been judged to be a juvenile offender. This applies even if the court sentence, or any part of it, was suspended or withheld, or such conviction was in any way removed from court records by satisfactory completion of a period of probation. This also applies to adverse juvenile adjudication. (See table 1–1 for waiver of prior convictions by civil or military courts.) j. Have not been previously disenrolled from officer candidate training. k. Be at least 18 but less than 30 years of age at the time of enrollment. l. Have completed advanced individual training (AIT) (enlisted personnel). m. Have had a type “A” medical examination within 9 months of the date of the application. Applicants must meet 1 AR 350–51 • 11 June 2001 procurement medical fitness standards (except height and weight) prescribed in AR 40–501, paragraph 8–14, and possess a physical profile serial of at least 222221. (Height and weight standards stated in c above apply.) n. Have accumulated no more than 10 years of active Federal service when appointed as a commissioned officer. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) The purpose of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program is to educate and train highly qualified young men and women for careers as commissioned officers in the United States Army. The Army ROTC units are located at selected colleges and universities throughout the United States. Upon graduation and successful completion of required courses and training, a Midshipman is appointed a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. While attending a university as a scholarship student, active duty Marines who are selected as Marine Option NROTC scholarship recipients are released to the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) and do not receive pay and allowances. The Marine Corps conducts two selection boards per year. The Early Board in November, and the National Board in February. Selected applicants for the Marine Option NROTC Scholarship Program are awarded scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process, and receive full tuition, books, fees and other financial benefits at many of the country's leading colleges and universities. Back to Top The general eligibility requirements for the program are as follows: Be a U.S. Citizen Be 17 years of age by September 1 of the year starting college and less than 23 on June 30 of that year. Applicants must not have reached their 27th birthday by June 30 of the year in which college graduation and commissioning are anticipated. (Applicants who have prior active duty military service may be eligible for age adjustments for the amount of time equal to their prior service, on a month-for-month basis, for a maximum of 36 months, provided they do not reach their 30th birthday by June 30 of the year in which graduation and commissioning are anticipated.) Be a high school graduate or possess equivalency certificates by August 1 of the same year entrance into the four-year ROTC Scholarship Program is anticipated. Be physically qualified by Army standards. Have no moral obligations or personal convictions that will prevent conscientious bearing of arms and supporting and supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic. Have no record of military or civilian offenses. Apply for and gain admission to ROTC colleges. (Admission to an ROTC institution is not required during the selection process. However, notification of admission must be received before the scholarship can be activated.) Achieve qualifying scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of 1000 composite, or the American College Test (ACT) of 45 composite. Both the SAT/ACT math and English scores must be from the same test. Applicants cannot combine their best math score and their best English score to achieve the qualifying score for application Warrant Officer Army Warrant Officers are technical and tactical leaders who specialize, throughout an entire career, in a specific technical area. The Army Warrant Officer Corps comprises less than three percent of the total Army. Although small in size, the level of responsibility is immense and only the very best will be selected to become Warrant Officers. Back to Top More Army Career Options

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