After 75 years, more opportunities for enlisted to become officers

A recent change in eligibility now allows enlisted personnel up to age 33 to apply to become officers. Also, there’s no longer a requirement to serve in the Army for six years before going to Officer Candidate School.

The current guidance, which was published in 2015, about 10 months prior to the 75th anniversary of OCS, is contained in Military Personnel Message 15-270 “FY16 U.S. Army Federal OCS Program Announcement.”

“The resulting Army Readiness from OCS accessions is stronger today than it was even a decade ago,” said Jon Banco, chief of Human Resource’s Command’s Officer Accession Branch. “With a few adjustments to screening criteria and the requirement to hold a Baccalaureate Degree, we ensure a competitive environment for the new officer and a more diverse and stronger officer corps for our Army.”

Officers graduating this year will begin their commissioned careers on an equal academic footing as their U.S. Military Academy and ROTC counterparts, without the burden of having to enter a degree completion program before they become captains, as was the case in previous years, Banco said. All second lieutenants graduating from OCS entered training having already completed their baccalaureate degree.

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