Regional Training Institute

OCS at the Regional Training Institute, Camp Edwards, MA

An officer in the U.S. Army is a leader of the finest soldiers in the world. As an officer in the Army National Guard, you will lead other soldiers in training, in disaster response and homeland security missions in the US, and supporting operations overseas. To meet these challenges, officers are problem-solvers, motivators, role models, strategic planners, and versatile managers. They are driven to achieve success and never accept defeat.

Massachusetts Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School at the Regional Training Institute, representing the first part of the Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC 1), is a leadership school that is both mentally and physically challenging. Training is stressful and prepares candidates to perform under pressure, make competent decisions, and act with initiative.

The MAARNG Officer Candidate School 
Program of Instruction is divided into four phases.

Phase 0 takes place over three Inactive Duty Training (IDT) periods at Camp Edwards. Program in-processing; introduction to OCS, its environment and standards; drill and ceremony; and land navigation instruction and practical exercises are executed to prepare candidates for Phase I.

Phase I is conducted during a 2-week annual training period in Connecticut and combines candidates from the entire Northeast region. As an Officer Candidate during Phase I, you will learn the basic leadership skills required of a commissioned officer in garrison and field training. Candidates are faced with both physical and mental challenges, designed to develop and evaluate your determination and desire to excel. Candidates who successfully complete the requirements of Phase I progress to the next stage of OCS.

Phase II is conducted during 12 IDT periods mostly at Camp Edwards. This phase integrates an intense academic program with the same physical and mental rigors that you faced while in Phase I. Instruction in Phase II is designed to develop and enhance the basic technical, tactical, and leadership skills that today's commissioned officers must possess.

In Phase III, all of the skills that you have learned will be put to the test in a field environment for a 2-week annual training period at Fort McClellan, Alabama. As a Phase III candidate, you are tested on both leadership abilities and your ability to work as a member of a team. It is an intense training experience that demands application of the skills learned during your previous three phases. Upon completion of Phase III and meeting all the requirements of OCS, you will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

A list of OCS Requirements can be found here.

Head over to the Officer Career page for more information.

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