No doubt everyone who has read this far is asking the question -"Why should I attend Officer Candidate school?" There are a number of sound advantages in becoming an officer. One advantage, an old familiar friend that everyone understands - dollars and cents.

Higher Pay as an Officer: How much more pay? Consider the pay of an E-4 with four years of service, as opposed to that of a second lieutenant right out of OCS who has the same number of years service (per weekend drill). E-4: $273.04 / O-1: $428.68     

Prestige: Young men and women who aspire to climb the ladder of success can attain another goal by selecting the OCS route. An officer is, by virtue of his assignment and training, a leader.

Greater Service: As an officer, you have an opportunity to serve your country in a leadership role. Not all candidates become officers. In fact, only about 50% achieve this goal. As an officer, you will have an opportunity to assist in the planning and preparation of your unit’s training. You can look forward to greater service with more challenging responsibility.  As a commissioned officer you will acquire leadership and management skills that are in high demand in the military as well as in your civilian career.

Schooling Opportunities: After completion of Officer Candidate School, there are numerous service schools available for an officer to attend. Those assigned to Infantry or Armor units may have the opportunity for Airborne or Ranger Training. It is also possible to attend flight training through the National Guard.

This web-site is  for Alabama National Guard OCS applicants only, All other  applicants should address questions and concerns to their home-state Regional Training Institutes. Alabama OCS cannot process other state applications nor can they answer questions concerning other states policies and regulations. All inquiries should be made thru your state RTI