12th MARINE CORPS DISTRICT
RECRUITING STATION LOS ANGELES
Official U.S. Marine Corps Web Site
OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL
"The mission of Officer Candidates School is to train, evaluate, and screen officer candidates to ensure they possess the moral, intellectual, and physical qualities for commissioning, and the leadership potential to serve successfully as company grade officers in the Fleet Marine Force."
Officer Candidates School (OCS) is the physical and mental proving ground for those who seek to lead Marines. Designed to screen and evaluate candidates to determine if they have the leadership potential to serve as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, OCS proves there are no shortcuts to becoming one. You will be assessed on your grasp and implementation of battlefield-tested leadership traits. Decisiveness, judgement, bearing, moral courage- these are just a few of the boxes that must be checked on your evaluation. Your instructors will put your leadership skills, academic abilities and physical fitness to the test. Complete this grueling challenge and you will earn something most will never attain- a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
"Ductus Exemplo"
Lead by Example
