So yeah I’m doing the Ocs thing. So far it isn’t too bad. I’m about 4 weeks from graduating. I’m doing pretty good so far. This is just a quick message, but I’ll try to post more later or answer any questions that come up.
So you’ll become an officer?
Hopefully I’ll be one in 4 weeks (my graduation day is April 17). So far it isn’t too bad, right now we are doing the field exercises. I just have to make sure I stay in good enough shape for the physical fitness test and pass the history test (which is A LOT of information). The biggest worry is this 10 miles road march next Friday since our pack is heavy and we have a lot of weapons to carry (such as the M240B). I’m a little worried about this one since the last 7 mile one almost killed me (I wasn’t the only one). I got lucky in that my company gets the most freedom and liberty out of the battalion. I should be graduating on this Thursday, but the processing company moved so slow and processed recruits ahead of us, so I missed my original class day.
Good luck
Glad to hear that you’re moving up in the military world, Info! 
How heavy are those packs?
Well we just finished our 10 mile ruck with a pack about 35 to 45 pounds, plus interceptor vest with plates (which adds about 20 pounds). I actually did pretty good. I carried a M16 with a 203 attachment for 3.5 miles and then I carried a M240B (which is a medium machine gun weighing about 28 pounds). for about 4 or 5 miles. Then I needed a break and carried an M16 for most of the rest of the way. The funny thing is that some people just carrying M16s for the whole thing bitched at me for going too fast. Just 3 more weeks and I’ll be done and only one hard week left. After Monday April 7, I’ll be home free since I’ll take my final test. I’m feeling pretty good since I did so well with on the road march.
Congratulations man. What rank will you be when you’re done? How fast do you get promoted when you’re there?
Cool, sounds like you’re doing pretty well for yourself then. The army’s not fucking with you anymore then?
Well, I’ve graduated now, but to answer the questions. I’m now a 2nd Lieutenant, but I should make 1st Lieutenant in 18 months and around 3 years I should be a Captain. As for the Army fucking with me, it happened up until graduation and will probably continue throughout my career. The only difference is that the higher the rank I get, the less the Army wants to fuck with me. My responses were slow since I didn’t have easy access to the internet. However, I graduated so it’s all good now. I’m back home for a couple of weeks helping recruiters and then I’ve gotta find something else to do until my next school starts in July.
Congratulations!
Where does Captain fall in the food chart? What kinds of duties and tasks are associated to that? What does it mean in terms of deployment? And what does the Army have anything to do with the Marines?
As far as a Captain in the food chain, it is pretty high. A Captain is usually in charge of a company (which has about 150 people in it). CAptain accept missions and prep a company for deployment. As for the Army and Marines, some training is shared and then on deployments the Army and Marines sometimes work together on joint missions.
You can refuse??
Yeah, such as if the unit isn’t ready or doesn’t have the capabilities to complete the mission. If that happens, then they will look at another unit for the mission. Don’t get me wrong, higher may still say, “fuck that, you’re going,” but commanders do have a say. Besides, it is a common courtesy to allow the commander to accept the mission. Accept probably was the wrong word, more like receives.
I’m glad to hear you’re doing so well! Keep up the hard work.
Wow, it seems like you’re progressing very quickly. Good luck.
It’s sort of interesting to follow your progress, as anyone under a Sergeant would have to do the physical part of any campaign when I was doing my compulsory time. The COs had it all pretty “easy” (of course, if we screwed up, it meant our NCOs screwed up which meant the CO screwed up and we all suffered from it.) Of course, conscript, 6-12 months, child’s play compared to yours.
Still, three years and Captain? Isn’t that like, the third or fourth CO rank?