Enter as enlisted or officer?

[CategoricalImperative]

Greetings!

I am going to present to you the history, facts, options, and questions that I have.

History: I am getting my BA this week at the age of 19 (not a geek just because I'm young), no military experience, and believe that it is my civic duty to join the military. As far as I know I qualify to be an officier.

Facts: I have braces which prevent me from going to boot camp until next year. I WANT to go through boot camp and military police MOS school.

Options:
I have been told I could either:
Option 1. Enter as an enlisted, train until my braces are off one year later, then go to boot camp and military police MOS, then eventually apply for OCS. (I have qualms about this option because it does not guarantee I will get into OCS.)

Option 2. Enter OCS. (I have qualms about this option because I don't think this allows me to go through military police MOS and boot camp.)

Questions:
Question 1. In the case that I choose option 1., could I write it in my contract so that I am guaranteed to enter OCS after I finish boot camp and MOS school?

Question 2. In the cse that I choose option 2., could I write it in my contract so that I can go through boot camp and military police MOS despite entering through OCS?

Question 3. How do you get accepted into OCS? Does anybody that has a BA and meets all the prerequisites just automatically get in? Or is there a interview process? (If I automatically get in, then that solves everything, and I will have no more qualms for option 1.)

Thanks!

[shutterm4]

In order to become an officer candidate, you have to have 60 credit hours of school. in order to become an officer you have to have 90. i dont believe that any particular degree is required, just the fact you went to school. As far as basic goes, i do believe you have to go to basic to become an officer, i dont think you would have to go to the mp AIT. Talk to a recruiter in your area about it.

[matthew.ritchie]

[Note: I answered this fellow's private message in greater, personal detail, but have provided a more generic version for the public forum]

From a general standpoint, an individual tends to have better control over his destiny in the Army National Guard than in any other service component. This largely stems from the fact that our personnel velocity is so low, so we tend to have a more family, community atmosphere than in the active component. It's nothing to have Soldiers serve 20+ years in the same armory (although less common now, and pretty well impossible for officers, however). Let's address your options in order:

1. Enlist as MP, attend OCS later. You're right technically, you have no formal written guarantee you'll attend OCS later. As a practical consideration, however, the Guard is short on lieutenants. Since it's harder to get a lieutenant than a regular enlisted Soldier, we basically try to get everyone to OCS who is qualified. In addition, for political reasons the states want to maintain their OCS programs, and put a great amount of effort to keep them running. Thus, while you have no formal written guarantee, I can state that it is very much in your state's best interests to send you to OCS. As a result, it reflects favorably on your unit commander if you attend OCS (and even more if you pass). You'll probably find that your unit commander will pester you to attend OCS, because you meet basic standards (see Commissioning Guide for eligibility standards and application procedure). When I was a howitzer battery commander, I basically had a quota to send at least one Soldier to OCS every year (and more if I had them), and if I had no takers I had a very awkward one-sided conversation with my colonel.

2. Wait, and enlist with OCS option. That can work, and there's nothing fundamentally wrong with that option. Your losses here will be all opportunity costs -- the money, experience, years of service that you could have earned while you were waiting for your orthodontia appointment. Having read the response above, it would seem that you really have no advantage to waiting.

If you enlist with the OCS option you'll attend Basic and then OCS (no AIT, because you're not on the path to service as a traditional enlisted Soldier). Any Soldier in a commissioning progam (whether ROTC, OCS, or even West Point) has no guarantee of his officer career field. Officers are generalists, enlisted are specialists -- therefore, you ask for what you want and take what you get (although if there are vacancies you can switch later in your career). You'll work with your state's Officer Strength Manager

Of your two options, I recommend enlisting sooner rather than later, and get started on this procedure. I see no advantage to waiting.

[Recondo67]

Well, CategoricalImperative, I think if you go to OCS before your MP training you'll get trained in all of the aspects of being an MP and not just in one of the enlisted specialty. MP officers have to be trained to command in all areas of operation. Just remember...if you act in a way that your maxum can be universalized, you'll be doing the right thing.:)