ima program usmc 2018-2021

I remember almost becoming a drafted Marine in late 1965.It was the very first Vietnam draft, years before the lottery began. After my entire initial draftee group showed up with one small bag at the Federal Building and were sworn in, we received our very first military order. Sit down and stay motionless. We obediently sat in place in the folding chairs arranged in wide rows.An obviously pissed-off Marine Gunnery Sergeant with two aides holding clipboards started marching behind each row of chairs. One, two, three, YOU! One, two, three, You! keeping a quick step cadence as he rushed through the semi-filled auditorium. They marched militarily up to the front, did a sharp about-turn (I recognized the stuff, having had a few years of college ROTC) and with his face flushed red yelled at the top of his lungs, All identified as YOU! On your feet ‡ MARINES!The stunned “recruits” shambled out looking poleaxed. Having experienced months of fraternity initiation hazing by Marine Reserve Officer-Candidates, I almost swooned at my close call. No disrespect intended, at all ‡ but if I had wanted to be a Marine, I would have enlisted thus. Willing to serve did not equate to being consciously masochistic.I later heard about the particularly heinous hell experienced by the unfortunates drafted into the otherwise totally-volunteer corps. Think they may have done it once or twice during WW2, also.Army service overseas was no holiday, but still …. there is pain and there is pain!

It's been my sole focus to answer this question for the last two years, and I think a lot of the resources mentioned here are great but I've noticed there are three strategies that successful students consistently use better than anyone else regardless of what resources they use:1. Focus on habits, not goals2. Learning alone is painful3. Build thingsNote: some of this is borrowed from my answer to another Quora question: How can I prepare for Bloc?1. Focus on habits, not goalsIt seems counterintuitive that you shouldn't focus on goals, but hear me out -- it's all about leverage. Anyone who works with me knows that I dweebishly reference the R'as Al Ghul scene in Batman Begins pretty much 3-4 times a day:Our investors at Bloc are getting tired of board meetings starting with Batman clips.R'as tells Bruce: "Rub your chest, your arms will take care of themselves."If you focus on building the habit of programming for 20-30 hours a week, you will reach your goal of being a web developer. If you focus on the goal of being a web developer in X months, you get nothing from that but stress and insecurity about how far along you are. Focus on the habit, not the goal. Rub your chest, your arms will take care of themselves.So here's what you should do right now: put 15 minutes a day on your calendar to spend time programming. Don't do more than 15, just focus on doing 15 minutes a day. If you can do it successfully with no excuses for a week, try bumping it up to 20 minutes a day. Don't try to overextend yourself by doing an hour a day right off the bat, this is going to be a 10,000 hour marathon so we're focusing on developing the habit right now. The number of minutes you put in isn't as important as you showing up each day.2. Learning alone is painfulWhen I was learning web development, the two biggest social components to my learning were having a mentor and belonging to a community.Having a mentorI worked at a small startup called merge.fm while in college. I learned more in the summer I spent working with one of their cofounders than I did in the entire previous year at my university. There's just something about working alongside an expert who knows more than you that really accelerates your learning, you're able to pick up on how they think and unveil what you don't know you don't know. There's a reason why mentorship used to be the de facto standard of learning a new trade, it's very effective.Belonging to a communityFor me, the two communities I belonged to were the Illini Entrepreneurship Network (a student organization at my university) and HackerNews (a large hacker/startup oriented online community).I didn't learn what objects and classes were from HackerNews, but I learned a different category of things. I learned that nobody likes Javascript. I learned that Rubyists are the hipsters of programming. I learned that Bret Taylor, Rich Hickey, and John Carmack are programming gods, and that software companies that are truly serious about coffee have kitchens that look like labs.In short, I learned how to talk shop. That turns out to be important when you're working with other developers, but it's also the thing that makes you feel like a developer.3. Build thingsIn the first year of learning web development, I built:A Digg Clone (from a Sitepoint book on Rails, I believe it's out of date now though)An E-Commerce App (from Agile Web Development with Rails 4)A GeekSquad-esque App (personal project)A Realtime, Online Classroom (personal project)A Foreign Language Flashcard App (class project)I think building real projects is important for many reasons, but the most important one to me is because it's fun. That's something that is tragically lost in classical education, but I think it's important enough to be on this list. Look for resources that show you how to build things, http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ is a good one.4. Be a cockroachI secretly added a 4th item for those of you who've stuck around to read this far down the page.Paul Graham once told the founders of Airbnb:"You guys won’t die, you’re like cockroaches."You'll probably want to quit learning how to code at some point. Like anything worthwhile, it's difficult and will make you feel stupid at times. This is why #1 on this list is so important -- stop worrying so much about whether you're making progress or how much longer it'll be until you feel like you've "made it." All you have to do is focus on showing up, for 10-30 hours a week. Be as mindless as a cockroach about everything else, and don't "die."I made the statement years ago which is often quoted that 80 percent of life is showing up. People used to always say to me that they wanted to write a play, they wanted to write a movie, they wanted to write a novel, and the couple of people that did it were 80 percent of the way to having something happen. All the other people struck out without ever getting that pack. They couldn’t do it, that’s why they don’t accomplish a thing, they don’t do the thing, so once you do it, if you actually write your film script, or write your novel, you are more than half way towards something good happening. So that I would say was say my biggest life lesson that has worked. All others have failed me.Woody Allen

See: Marine Commissioning Programs - USMC OFFICERShort answer: all Marine officers (except those commissioned from a Service Academy ‡ a couple hundred per year, and almost all will be from the Naval Academy ‡ or who are accepted as an “interservice transfer” after commissioning in another Service ‡ about 2 per year) will go thru Marine OCS.Longer Answer:Some will not go thru Marine OCS at all:Any officer commissioned from any Federal Service Academy (every cadet or midshipman can request to be commissioned in a different Service from their Academy, but their Service and the gaining Service must agree, and the total numbers are quite small ‡ something like not more than 2% of all Academy graduates in any given year can “cross-commission” into another Service. A “cross-commissioned” officer from any Federal Service Academy will NOT attend USMC OCS…but the selection and approval process used by the USMC will rigorously examine all aspects of that officer’s character, experience, performance, and will reject anyone that they don’t think meets the same bar as a Naval Academy graduate). No Federal Service Academy graduate who is commissioned into the USMC is required to complete any flavor or length of Marine OCS.US Naval AcademyUS Military AcademyUS Air Force AcademyUS Coast Guard AcademyUS Merchant Marine Academy.No “inter-service” transfer of any officer commissioned by any branch of the Armed Forces, at any grade, will be required to complete Marine OCS. (As for “cross-commissioned” officers from an Academy into the USMC, the screening and approval process for these officers is very rigorous…there are very few applications, and of those, very few are approved…typically only a couple per year, and they are often prior-Marine officers who subsequently joined another Service such as the Army and are asking to come back “home.”)Inter-service transfers are approved by both the “losing” Service, and the “gaining” Service, if either says no, then the deal is off.An officer who is approved for inter-service transfer will have a date set, that is agreeable to both Services involved (and maybe even the officer, too!), and at midnight on that date, the officer’s commission will seamlessly convert from one Service to another. They will go bed as a full commissioned officer in one Service, and wake up after midnight as a full commissioned officer in another Service.The gaining Service determines what grade the officer will have, how much seniority within that grade they will have, what occupational specialty (MOS in the Army and Marines) they will have, whether they require advanced or remedial training in that MOS, where they will serve their first duty station, etc.All officers who accept inter-service commission into the USMC will be ordered to attend the 6-month Basic Officer Course (better known as “The Basic School,” or TBS) in Quantico, VA, as their first duty station, before they do anything else or go anywhere else. After TBS, they will be ordered into whatever MOS the USMC requires, wherever they require it, as “good of the Corps.” (They do try to take into consideration previous skills, especially law degrees and aviation qualifications, but those are NOT guarantees…the Corps only guarantees an officer to serve according to “the needs of the Corps.” I.e., wherever they want you.)Some will go thru a single 6 week OCS (NROTC Marine-option).This is usually scheduled in the summer between the junior and senior years of college, and upon completion the midshipman returns to their NROTC program and college to complete their senior year, graduate with their degree, and be commissioned into the USMC.Failure to complete OCS for any reason other than a relatively minor medical issue typically results in a process resulting in disenrollment from NROTC, possible recoupment of all $$$ the NROTC program spent on behalf of the midshipman up to that point, possible required enlisted service for a specified number of years of active duty in either the USNR or the USMCR, or in some cases, transfer to a Navy-option (if the NROTC decides the midshipman has potential to serve as a Navy officer but for some reason was disqualified from Marine service).Some will go thru two separate (usually two consecutive summers) 6 week OCS: “PLC Junior and PLC Senior.”Typically, PLC Junior will be the summer between the sophomore and junior years, and PLC Senior will the summer between the junior and senior years (hence their names…Junior and Senior).Failure to complete OCS for any reason other than a relatively minor medical issue typically results in a process resulting in disenrollment from PLC, possible recoupment of $$$ the PLC program spent on behalf of the candidate up to that point, possible required enlisted service for a specified number of years of active duty in the USMCR.Some will go thru a single 10 week OCS (Officer Candidate Course [OCC], some PLC [as the PLC Combined Course], MECEP, ECP, RECP, MCP-R).OCC is for a civilian to go directly to a commission as an officer of Marines.After approval of all qualifying requirements, the candidate is enlisted for an 8-year Military Service Obligation (MSO), and given a date to begin the 10 week OCS.Graduation from OCS = immediate commissioning into the USMC as an officer.Failure from OCS = typically, release from active duty and either complete discharge from all MSO or perhaps some combination of voluntary/involuntary enlisted service in the USMCR.Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) requires the completion of 10 week OCS before the enlisted Marine is allowed to transfer to their college to begin their undergraduate studies.Only prior-enlisted Marines can apply for MECEP, and it is highly competitive.MECEP Marines remain on active duty, as enlisted Marines, and will continue to be eligible for promotions until they are commissioned after completing their baccalaureate degrees.MECEP Marines will join a NROTC program at their college, and will in fact be de facto staff members, expected to set the example and teach various subjects to the other midshipmen, prepare them for their own OCS experience, and more.Failure at OCS = generally, since they remain enlisted Marines, as long as the failure was not for a serious medical condition, or egregious honor violation, or something disciplinary, it is understood that OCS is outrageously difficult…so most other enlisted Marines don’t hold a plain inability to complete OCS against the Marine. And since 2021. when the USMC began sending “to-be-MECEPs” to OCS before they begin college, if they fail for simple reasons or a medical problem, they will just be returned to their previous Marine unit to carry on with their enlisted career. It’s possible they may apply again, if their failure was for a minor reason, and they can convince the MECEP selection board they should get another chance, or perhaps they’ll become a warrant officer instead.Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP) is for enlisted Marines only.They must already have an undergraduate degree before they apply for ECP.They must complete a 10 week OCS, and will then be commissioned as Marine officers.Failure at OCS = generally, return to their previous enlisted unit and specialty, and carry on with their enlisted life. Unless the failure was for a serious medical condition, or egregious honor violation, or something disciplinary, it is understood that OCS is outrageously difficult…so most other enlisted Marines don’t hold a plain inability to pass it against the enlisted Marine. It’s possible they may apply again, if their failure was for a minor reason, and they can convince the ECP selection board they should get another chance, or perhaps they’ll continue as active duty (or perhaps eventually reserve) enlisted Marines, becoming a Staff NCO, or perhaps they’ll continue as reserve enlisted Marines, becoming a Staff NCO, or perhaps becoming a warrant officer instead.Reserve Enlisted Commissioning Program (RECP) is for currently serving reserve enlisted Marines with a college degree.Upon selection by the RECP board, the Marine will be ordered to active duty to complete a 10 week OCS.Graduation = immediate commissioning as a reserve officer of Marines, with a reserve drilling unit service obligation after they complete their Initial Active Duty Training obligations (TBS, then MOS school, then any other required courses for their intended MOS and billet). Then they report to whatever reserve unit (not necessarily the same as the one they came from…) they will serve in, and are separated from active duty status, and begin serving their reserve obligation of a minimum of one weekend per month and 2 weeks per year for up to 6 years.Essentially, this program takes a very competitive, highly qualified enlisted reserve Marine with a college degree, sends them to OCS, and upon graduation, commissions them as a reserve officer, and trains them, and then sends them to serve according to the needs of the Corps in a Marine reserve unit for 6 years…but as an officer of Marines.Failure to complete OCS = similar to ECP, since no prior funds were used to subsidize any education for the Marine, if they fail OCS for a minor reason such as medical, etc., they will simply return to their previous enlisted reserve status, in their same reserve unit, and continue with their reserve career. They might be allowed to try again, if they reapply and have a really good package to overcome their previous failure…or perhaps they’ll continue as reserve enlisted Marines, becoming a Staff NCO, or perhaps becoming a warrant officer instead.Meritorious Commissioning Program-Reserve (MCP-R) is for extremely well qualified reserve enlisted Marines who already have at least 2 years of college.Upon selection to MCP-R, the reserve Marine will be ordered to active duty to complete a 10 week OCS.Upon completion, they will immediately be commissioned as reserve officers of Marines with a reserve drilling unit service obligation after they complete their Initial Active Duty Training obligations (TBS, then MOS school, then any other required courses for their intended MOS and billet). Then they report to whatever reserve unit (not necessarily the same as the one they came from…) they will serve in, and are separated from active duty status, and begin serving their reserve obligation of a minimum of one weekend per month and 2 weeks per year for up to 6 years.Essentially, this program takes a very competitive, highly qualified enlisted reserve Marine with at least two years of college credits, sends them to OCS, and upon graduation, commissions them as a reserve officer, and trains them, and then sends them to serve according to the needs of the Corps in a Marine reserve unit for 6 years…but as an officer of Marines. But unlike RECP, where the officer already has a college degree, the MCP-R officer does not have a college degree…and they must get one…quickly, because they cannot be considered for promotion to Captain/O-3 unless they have a baccalaureate degree. And the USMC isn’t going to prany extra funds beyond the reserve paycheck for drill weekends for the reserve MCP-R officer.Failure to complete OCS = similar to RECP, since no prior funds were used to subsidize any education for the Marine, if they fail OCS for a minor reason such as medical, etc., they will simply return to their previous enlisted reserve status, in their same reserve unit, and continue with their reserve career. They might be allowed to try again, if they reapply and have a really good package to overcome their previous failure…or perhaps they’ll continue as reserve enlisted Marines, becoming a Staff NCO, or perhaps becoming a warrant officer instead.Failure to obtain a baccalaureate degree within the parameters of their contract and the law, might result in complete separation from all military service (as a breach of contract), or revoking their reserve commission, and returning them to their prior reserve enlisted status to continue service. All officers have a 6 year “probationary period” after they are commissioned, and it is relatively easy to revoke a commission during that probationary period.See the link for descriptions about each program, which are also called “sources of commission,” or “officer procurement programs.”

Talk about your undergraduate research (senior thesis), any academic honors, any projects you assisted with, and note one or two strong writing samples. I don’t know for sure what their application entails, but many graduate programs want to know about these.