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Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School (OCS) are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Military service. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ...

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. A military academy is a military educational institution. ...

Australia

Main article: OCS Portsea

Main article: Royal Military College, Duntroon

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. OCS Portsea is the abbreviated title of the Officer Cadet School of Australia-Portsea. ... Royal Military College The Royal Military College, Duntroon is Australias military academy where Staff Cadets train for commissioning into the Australian Army as a part of the Australian Defence Force There are two streams of Cadets: from the Australian Defence Force Academy, and by direct entry. ... Royal Military College The Royal Military College, Duntroon is Australias military academy where Staff Cadets train for commissioning into the Australian Army as a part of the Australian Defence Force There are two streams of Cadets: from the Australian Defence Force Academy, and by direct entry. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

Singapore

Main article: Officer Cadet School (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. Other schools within the SAFTI MI complex include SAF Advanced Schools and Singapore Command and Staff College. Officer Cadet School (OCS) is one of the several training establishments within the SAFTI Military Institute camp complex. ... The SAFTI Military Institute (SAFTI MI, Simplified Chinese: 新加坡武装部队军训学院) is a Singaporean military training institution specialising in the training of officers from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). ... The Singapore Command and Staff College (SCSC) is one of five officer schools of the SAFTI Military Institute of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). ...

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. The Singapore Armed Forces (abbreviation: SAF, Malay: Angkatan Bersenjata Singapura, Simplified Chinese: ) comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). ...

Unlike other countries, OCS is the only route to a commission in 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. In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... A military academy is a military educational institution. ...

OCS in Singapore lasts approximately 38 weeks. 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. Military history is composed of the events in the history of humanity that fall within the category of conflict. ... Military law is a distinct legal system to which members of armed forces are subject. ...

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. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... This article is about a military rank. ... Three types of mariners are seen here in the wheelhouse: a master, an able seaman, and a harbour pilot. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... In general context, airman can refer to any enlisted personnel in the U.S. Air Force or Other Ranks in the Royal Air Force (in which airwoman is also seen). ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ...

People may earn a commission in the United States Armed Forces through OCS or OTS, by staff appointment, through Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), or through one of the four military academies. The Officer Training School is a training program for non-commissioned officers and recent college graduates of the United States Air Force to acquire commissions as officers. ... The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program of the United States armed forces present on college campuses to recruit and educate commissioned officers. ... A military academy is a military educational institution. ...

• The Officer Candidate School of the United States Navy is at Naval Air Station 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 who come from the United States Naval Academy. Entrance to OCS is obtained through the Platoon Leaders Class and Officer Candidates Class programs. Naval ROTC midshipmen in the Marine Option also attend for one six-week session prior to commissioning.

• The Officer Candidate School of the United States Army is a 14 week long program held at Fort Benning, Georgia. Candidates with no prior military service will first attend Basic Training. There are also National Guard Officer Candidate Schools that allow a National Guard soldier to train without deviating from the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" training program; this is called 'Traditional', as it is the original method for the National Guard, and take 18 months to complete. National Guard soldiers do have the option to attend the Federal course, if offered or attend an accelerated 8 week program which happens in conjunction with other states. Both Federal and state programs are accredited by the U.S. Army Infantry School. Upon completion of either OCS programs, graduates are commissioned as Second Lieutenants (2LT) and then attend the rest of their Basic Officer Leadership courses. In 2006, the officer commissioning programs changed, making the entire process, 'Basic Officer Leadership Course', occurring in three phases (BOLC I, II & III). Phase I is the original commissioning source (OCS, ROTC, USMA, Direct) and BOLC 2 is a brief Infantry course and may be held at Ft. Benning as well as other posts around the US. BOLC III is the Officer Basic Course which trains the new officers into their Basic Branch skills.

• The Officer Training School of the United States Air Force is at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

• The Officer Candidate School of the United States Coast Guard is at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.