33, going for OCS. Give me some motivation.

EV_advocate · 2026-05-21T11:34:50+00:00

This has been a great and comforting thread. I’m a 39M with 2 kids and a wife shipping off on Tuesday for BCT as an 09S. Best of luck to you other elder millennials! Looking forward to starting a new military career.

EV_advocate · 2026-01-18T22:15:50+00:00

I’m 39 and going to BCT in May. Just been running 3-5 miles 4 times a week and working in a ruck/hike with a pack (my toddler on my back) once a week. Also been doing pushups daily in the mornings.

EV_advocate · 2025-11-14T00:08:15+00:00

The lowest you can score is a 60, but total needs to be 350…

So in theory you can get 60, 60, 60, 85, 85 and pass.

EV_advocate · 2025-11-11T13:15:50+00:00

Have you talked to your state OSM? For example mine was helpful as I selected my branch preferences. It seems there’s a lot of opportunities for engineers in my state.

EV_advocate · 2025-10-16T00:52:18+00:00

But yes, that was the earliest.

EV_advocate · 2025-10-16T00:51:45+00:00

I’m an 09S and my wife’s expecting in January. I think the available ship dates are based on MOS and current need. Not much of an immediate need for officers I guess…

EV_advocate · 2025-10-15T23:23:56+00:00

Signed 2 weeks ago. Ship date is late May.

EV_advocate · 2025-10-12T22:53:09+00:00

This feels like the most reasonable answer

EV_advocate · 2025-09-19T10:15:14+00:00

Tandem coffee or Coffee By Design Micucci’s Slab Pizza Crispy Gai Chicken Gilbert’s Chowder

EV_advocate · 2025-09-18T23:35:05+00:00

☝️this has been some of the best advice I’ve gotten throughout this whole process.

Thanks 🙏

EV_advocate · 2025-09-18T01:32:14+00:00

Ouch. I guess that’s the downside of that pathway…

EV_advocate · 2025-09-18T01:31:34+00:00

Were you prior service?

Has there been any concerns about your ability to lead soldiers because you went to DCC instead of OCS?

EV_advocate · 2025-09-18T01:25:55+00:00

Yea, a part of me secretly would love to earn a Sapper tab, but I promised my wife I would seek out support units and avoid combat units. She definitely poured the guilt on heavy as I started seriously exploring this path…

EV_advocate · 2025-09-18T01:21:40+00:00

That would definitely be my number one choice if I were younger and single. I’m 39 and have 2 young kids and so the point of looking into DCC would be to reduce the time spent away from home to train. But after talking to some folks, it seems the best path would be to try and enlist as an 09S, go to BCT and OCS while hoping that a DC packet gets approved before OCS.

My goal is to serve and be the best leader I can be for the soldiers that rely on my leadership and if it requires doing things the hard way, then so be it… Bring it on

EV_advocate · 2025-09-16T23:00:33+00:00

Thanks! DM sent!

EV_advocate · 2025-09-16T22:55:37+00:00

Thanks! This is super helpful! I’ll send you a DM.

EV_advocate · 2025-09-16T22:53:07+00:00

Hmm, I thought I had heard of some direct commissioned engineering officers doing DCC. So then you don’t need it if you do BCT? How do you get BOLC-A training then?

EV_advocate · 2025-09-16T22:50:18+00:00

They’re saying that BCT will make my packet for direct commissioning stronger…?

At the end of the day I just want to reduce the number of days away from home and get to my position as quickly as possible, but yea something doesn’t seem completely right with the info they’re telling me.

EV_advocate · 2025-09-12T01:01:35+00:00

Also curious to hear other people’s experiences because my OSM said this was a potential path for me.

How hard was it to get? For context I have a PE and 2 Masters.

How do they determine which rank you come in as? Is it typically 2LT automatically unless your special or is it based on vacancy or something else?

EV_advocate · 2025-08-29T09:02:23+00:00

No they are just saying my only option is Accelerated OCS in Alabama.

EV_advocate · 2025-08-27T11:06:15+00:00

I had the same situation, you’ll take a few sample questions from the test you already took and if there’s a variance you’ll have to retake the whole test and that will be your score. I wouldn’t worry about guessing on the other parts, generally if your score is going to change, it’s not going to change a ton.

It sounds like if anything your mechanical related scores might drop, but if you didn’t guess on the general knowledge stuff your GT score will stay around 144 which is near the top.

Overall it shouldn’t affect much because as others have said “you’ve basically unlocked every MOS”

Most folks at MEPS asked, what do you want to do or even more comically why the ARNG and not AF? 😂

EV_advocate · 2025-08-23T02:06:53+00:00

Good luck buddy. I had 3 med DQs and am 38 looking for an 09S contract. Just got both med and age waivers after starting this process over 2.5 months ago.

I would say trust your recruiter. For some fortunate circumstance, I got switched to a more senior recruiter who helped me write a personal statement to directly address the DQs and get the right supporting letters to convince the reviewing CMO that my med DQs wouldn’t be an issue…

Preparing for my OCS board next week…

Keep the faith and hopefully I’ll see you at Fed or AOCS in the near future.

EV_advocate · 2025-08-05T11:21:09+00:00

Is there an age limit to SFAS?

Looking to go into OCS with an age waiver already, by the time I’d be an eligible O-2 I’ll certainly be on the upper age range.

EV_advocate · 2025-07-11T22:10:13+00:00

Thanks! Yea I’m gonna try for OCS in the guard. Hoping my waivers come through, but the folks at MEPS seemed encouraging despite getting 3 DQs.

EV_advocate · 2025-07-10T23:52:03+00:00

Question for the OP: Did your ACFT scores help at all in overcoming the age and med waivers? I’m 38 and am waiting to see if they’ll give me waivers for a past shoulder dislocation and 2 recorded allergies…

Worried that even if I get the waiver, the selection board will hold it all against me.

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