Question 1

How long is Army OCS?

Accepted Answer

Federal OCS is a 12-week course (BOLC A). After you commission you attend your branch-specific BOLC B, which runs anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks depending on branch, and possibly follow-on schools like Airborne or Ranger before you reach your first unit.

Question 2

Where is Army OCS located?

Accepted Answer

Federal OCS is run by 3d Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, part of the 199th Infantry Brigade, at Fort Benning, Georgia. State OCS run by the National Guard is a separate program with its own packing list — this site covers Federal OCS.

Question 3

How do I report on Day 1?

Accepted Answer

Report at the time and place in your welcome letter — historically the pavilion across from Building 83. Wear conservative civilian business casual. If you do not have a CAC, military ID, or dependent ID, stop at the I-185 Visitor Control Center near the main gate for a visitor pass first. Expect to be outdoors and on your feet most of the day.

Question 4

What should I wear on the first day?

Accepted Answer

Conservative civilian casual attire: a collared shirt, chino-style slacks, and closed-toe shoes. Prohibited: athletic or sports clothing, t-shirts, loungewear, headgear, open-toe shoes, heels, ripped jeans, and any mixing of civilian and military clothing.

Question 5

Is there really a packing list inspection on Day 1?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You will lay out your gear on Day 1. Unauthorized items are confiscated and candidates missing required items can be dropped from the course. Bring a printed copy of the packing list and check it item by item before you travel.

Question 6

How much money should I bring?

Accepted Answer

Plan on about $350 in cash for class dues, which cover class events, challenge coins, clothing, and the class gift — the exact amount varies by class. Separately, if you arrive without previously purchased uniform items, the first-week Clothing & Sales trip can run close to $2,000, so make sure that is accessible on a card.

Question 7

What is a six-week supply and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

You are required to report with roughly six weeks of consumables: hygiene items, laundry detergent, razors, foot powder, and feminine hygiene products. You will not have regular shopping access early in the course, so under-buying here is a common and avoidable mistake.

Question 8

Can I bring my cell phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but personal electronics are a restricted item. GPS-enabled devices including phones and smart watches are only used at designated times. Set expectations with your family before you arrive — long stretches without contact are normal, especially early on.

Question 9

Are smart watches allowed?

Accepted Answer

No. The packing list specifically requires a wristwatch that is NOT GPS enabled, and stand-alone GPS devices are unauthorized. Bring a plain analog or basic digital watch. Save the smart watch for after commissioning.

Question 10

Can I bring my laptop?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a personal laptop or tablet is recommended, but it is permitted during authorized study time only. Network access on post is available for a fee. A CAC reader is worth bringing so you can reach Army systems from your own machine.

Question 11

What OCIE do I need to bring?

Accepted Answer

All in-service candidates (Active, National Guard, and Reserve) bring the Section H items on their OCIE record: ACH helmet, MOLLE rucksack, IFAK, TAP or FLC with pouches, assault pack, hydration system, modular sleep system, the full ECWCS Gen III set, entrenching tool, and duffel and barracks bags. Candidates who were never issued items on the list get a CIF trip during the course.

Question 12

Do I need cold weather gear in the summer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cold weather equipment is required in all seasons as a contingency in case you are recycled into a later class. Bring the full ECWCS Gen III system regardless of your class start date.

Question 13

What about prescription medications?

Accepted Answer

Bring your medications in their original containers with a written list of dosages, and hand carry your medical and dental records. Note that performance supplements and over-the-counter medication are restricted items — declare what you have rather than hiding it.

Question 14

Do I need military glasses?

Accepted Answer

If you need vision correction, bring two pairs of military-issue glasses with your current prescription, plus protective mask inserts if required. Contact lenses and civilian eyewear are authorized generally, but contacts will not be worn under field conditions. You also need APEL-approved ballistic eyewear.

Question 15

What items are unauthorized?

Accepted Answer

Tobacco and nicotine products, unapproved weapon cleaning agents, stoves and hotplates, bayonets or knives over 3 inches, pornography, alcohol outside designated times and places, performance supplements and OTC medication, stand-alone GPS devices, minimalist running shoes (racing flats, spikes, toe shoes, barefoot simulators), and video game hardware. Glass containers of any kind are also out.

Question 16

What is restricted rather than banned?

Accepted Answer

Restricted items are held or limited at first and may be granted later in the course: food including gum and candy, cosmetics, hair nets and curlers, perfume and cologne, body sprays, personal electronics, laptops and tablets, GPS-enabled items, civilian clothes, and scented lotions.

Question 17

How should I prepare physically?

Accepted Answer

Arrive already able to pass a record Army Fitness Test — there is no time to get in shape after you report. The course includes tactical road marches under load, timed runs at varying distances, combatives, the Leadership Reaction Course, and the Combat Water Survival Test. Ruck with weight and swim before you show up.

Question 18

How is the course structured?

Accepted Answer

Candidates move through three designations: Basic Officer Candidate, Intermediate Officer Candidate, and Senior Officer Candidate. Phase 1 covers basic leadership skills and the gates — record AFT, Leadership Reaction Course, and Combat Water Survival Test. Phase 2 applies that in the field, ending with an intense 18-day training mission.

Question 19

How does branching work?

Accepted Answer

Branching is done during OCS for active duty candidates. Branches are chosen by candidates based on their class ranking and the branches available to that class, so your performance across the 12 weeks directly shapes your options.

Question 20

Will I be able to leave the battalion area?

Accepted Answer

Not at first. You start in an immersion environment and your limited free time is spent inside the battalion area. As the class matures through the course, the company commander may grant additional privileges, including passes later on.

Question 21

What uniforms will I actually wear?

Accepted Answer

OCP daily, APFU for PT, business casual civilian attire for social and academic events, and your service uniform (AGSU, or ASU until the 1 October 2027 mandatory possession date) for formal events, senior phase inspections, and graduation.

Question 22

Do I need to sew on my rank and patches?

Accepted Answer

Sew-on is recommended for the 2LT OCP top rank patch and required for the patrol cap rank patch. Sewn-on US Army and name tapes are authorized on the ACU. Bring a sewing kit and expect to use it, or budget for the alterations shop on post.

Question 23

What about hangers and wall lockers?

Accepted Answer

Bring twelve matching hangers. Wall lockers are inspected and uniformity matters — mismatched hangers are an easy, avoidable deficiency. Two combination locks are required and key locks or luggage locks are not allowed.

Question 24

What is the silver dollar for?

Accepted Answer

The silver dollar on the packing list is for your first salute after commissioning — you present it to the first enlisted Soldier who salutes you as an officer. It is one of the OCS traditions covered by class dues and tradition, so do not skip it.

Question 25

Can I receive mail?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it matters more than you expect. You will get a mailing address after you arrive. Keep care packages modest — storage space in the barracks is limited and unauthorized items in a package become your problem.

Question 26

What happens if I get injured?

Accepted Answer

Report it. Depending on the injury you may be recycled into a later class to recover rather than dropped. Trying to hide an injury through a 12-week course with road marches and a field phase generally turns a recoverable problem into a disqualifying one.

Question 27

What are the most common packing mistakes?

Accepted Answer

Under-buying consumables, showing up with unbroken-in boots, bringing a GPS watch, bringing glass containers, forgetting cold weather gear in the summer, mismatched hangers, and arriving without the OCS-specific insignia items that are personal purchase rather than issue.

Question 28

Any tips for success?

Accepted Answer

Arrive fit, arrive with the complete packing list, and arrive quiet. Help your squad — OCS evaluates you as a leader, not as an individual performer. Keep your gear labeled and your locker squared away so inspections stop being a source of stress, and read your welcome letter carefully because it outranks anything you read online.

FAQs

FAQs