College Reserves ➡️ Commission?

M

maschneider93

USAFA 2025
Joined
Sep 29, 2020
Messages
124
Considering enlisting in Marine reserves before and during college, but also would like to become an officer down the road. Spoke with recruiting office today and they told me if I am in the reserves in college, I can commission almost immediately after I get my degree with no OCS or ROTC. Can anyone second this?
 
"Can" ≠ "Will." Keep in mind a recruiter's only job is to enlist, not commission, and their stats drive their success and, thus, evals.

If there's anywhere that it is more likely than other places, I would think USMCR is it. In the ANG/USAFR enlisted corps, there are quite a few enlisted airmen -- 24% and 32%, respectively -- with undergraduate and even masters degrees. Some of your future USMCR enlisted peers are early enough in their careers where they, too, desire to commission and would be your competition. And nearly 16% of them already have degrees and, more importantly, experienmce is the Corps.

This might help: https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2018-demographics-report.pdf

Start at page 96. USMCR stats are on page 98 and are excrpted below for your reading pleasure:
1614718457862.png

If you're a solid Marine and a good leader, it'll likely happen for you...but there's no promise and you definitely shouldn't enlist counting on a commission if you'd otherwise be disgruntled.
 
I would recommend talking to an OSO as they'll have the most updated information on the commissioning programs.
 
maschneider93 said:
Considering enlisting in Marine reserves before and during college, but also would like to become an officer down the road. Spoke with recruiting office today and they told me if I am in the reserves in college, I can commission almost immediately after I get my degree with no OCS or ROTC. Can anyone second this?
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What you appear to reference is the "Direct Commissioning Program". Most services have this, usually for Doctors, Dentists, Attorneys, Engineers, and other "specific" needs. You go to a short major specific school, then Commission as a Reserve Officer with an initial AD obligation (I think). If you want to be an "operational officer" it is likely you will need some form of OCS, even with a degree. Those programs are very competitive and there is no guarantee that if you enlist, graduate, that you will get selected for a commissioning program.
 
maschneider93 said:
Considering enlisting in Marine reserves before and during college, but also would like to become an officer down the road. Spoke with recruiting office today and they told me if I am in the reserves in college, I can commission almost immediately after I get my degree with no OCS or ROTC. Can anyone second this?
Click to expand...
Don't let this recruiter ruin your life. They don't care about your career goals as long as they meet their quota. Assume most of the things they say are BS(Baloney Sandwiches)
 
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