Officer Candidate School (OCS) is the U.S. Army’s main training academy for prospective Army Officers. The school is generally open to qualified enlisted Noncommissioned Officers, along with civilians who hold at least a four-year college degree. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous, 12-week school receive formal commissions as U.S. Army Officers and assume the ability to command Soldiers.

Officers do not have easy jobs. The men and women you lead will count on you to make the right decisions when the going gets tough. Officer Candidate School is designed to give you a framework for your role as a unit commander. You will learn tactics training, how to deal with mental and emotional stress, and how to give orders. By the end of the course, you will know how to lead.

The benefits of becoming an Officer rival those from the very best jobs in the civilian world. But your experience as an Officer will also signify to others that you have the fortitude to lead in any situation, no matter the environment, no matter the stakes.
In order to qualify for Officer Candidate School as a civilian, you must be: