Officer Candidate School

Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School (OCS) are institutions which train enlisted men in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country.

How OCS is run differs between countries and services. Typically, it is of a short duration (less than a year), and the focus of the course is on military skills and leadership. This is in contrast with service academies which include academic instruction leading to a Bachelor degree.

Australia

Officer Cadet School of Australia - Portsea (OCS Portsea) commenced training officers for the Australian Army in 1951 and continued through to the end of 1985. Since OCS Portsea's closure in 1985, all Australian Army Officer training has been conducted at the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra.

Singapore

In Singapore, Officer Cadet School is a school within SAFTI Military Institute, which serves as the main center for training officers of all ranks. Within the SAFTI MI complex include SAF Advanced Schools and Singapore Command and Staff College.

Like the other schools on SAFTI MI, OCS is a tri-service institution which trains officers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. A great deal of symbolism exists within the SAFTI MI complex to remind officers and aspiring officers of the tri-service nature of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Unlike other countries, OCS is the only route to a commission the SAF. Even selected cadets who hold scholarships to train in friendly service academies must complete two thirds of OCS and receive their commission before undergoing further training overseas.

OCS in Singapore lasts approximately 9 months. The first term consists of military knowledge applicable to all services, including military history and military law. Subsequently, Officer Cadets are streamed into their services based on aptitude and personal preference, and receive training specific to their service.

United States

In the United States armed forces, Officer Candidate School (OCS) or the equivalent is a training program for non-commissioned officers, soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and recent college graduates to earn commissions as officers. The courses generally last from ten to seventeen weeks and include classroom instruction in military subjects, physical training, and leadership preparation.

People may earn a commission in the United States armed forces through OCS or OTS, by staff appointment, through ROTC, or through one of the four military academies.
* The Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy is at NAS Pensacola, Florida.
* The Officer Candidate School of the United States Marine Corps is at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. Most Marine officers are initially trained at OCS, with the exception of those that come from the United States Naval Academy. Entrance to OCS is obtained through the Platoon Leaders Class and Officer Candidates Class programs. NROTC midshipmen also attend for one six-week session prior to commissioning.
* The Officer Candidate School of the United States Army is at Fort Benning, Georgia, this is where the Federal OCS classes are held. There are National Guard OCS's in most states, accredited by officers from the Federal program.
* The Officer Training School of the United States Air Force is at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
* The Officer Candidate School of the United States Coast Guard is at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.