Marine Corps Officer Active Duty & Reserves

The Marine Corps is an elite organization rooted in history and tradition, that prides itself in molding young Americans into leaders and developing quality citizens to serve our nation for years to come. Marine Corps Officers serve first and foremost as leaders of Marines, expected to train, coach and mentor their Marines. Marine Officers also serve as subject-matter experts in a specific field; expected to plan, coordinate, and oversee operations of various scales in different environments. Opportunities are available for Active Duty (full-time) and Reserves (part-time). 

All program participants undergo leadership evaluation at Officer Candidates School (OCS) before commissioning as Second Lieutenants, followed by the leadership academy known as The Basic School (TBS), where newly commissioned Lieutenants learn to lead Marines in professional and tactical environments. After completion of TBS, Marine Corps Officers are assigned a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) based on a match between preferences and performance. 

This career path is available to college students and graduates through two distinct programs:

• Seniors and Graduates: Officer Candidates Course (OCC) provides you with an opportunity to start your career right away, provided you meet the qualifications to become an Officer. 
• Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors: The Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) program provides you with an opportunity to conduct the required (and paid) OCS training during the summers between academic years. Students partaking in this program have the unique advantage of accumulating pay seniority while finishing school and receiving to tuition assistance.

Upon completion of training, Marine Corps Officers can expect to report to their duty stations with the skills and capabilities to lead and manage operations at the platoon, company, or battalion level.   

Highlights and benefits of the program include:

• Unparalleled leadership experience from the very beginning; equivalent of corporate-level management capable of handling operations involving 45 to 1,600 people at a time. 
• Technical expertise and certifications in a field of preference to include aviation, logistics, communications, combat arms, cyber security, intelligence, foreign affairs, finance, administration, and more.
• Competitive pay, benefits, and financial stability; to include a tax-free allowance to cover the cost of living, home loan benefits, educational benefits, and more. 
• Longevity benefits; to include education and career-variety opportunities, a generous pension system, a 401k retirement system, and more.
• Work-Life Balance; reasonable work tempo, paid extended weekends attached to federal holidays, and 30 days of paid vacation per year. 

Before applying, ensure to meet the following minimum qualifications:

• U.S. citizenship
• 1000+ SAT, 22+ ACT, or 74+ ASVAB score
• Attending, planning to attend, or graduated from an ACE accredited university
• Physically active or willing to train to standards of a Marine Corps Officer
• 35 years or younger (can be extended up to 42 for exceptionally qualified applicants)