FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - "One soldier left, no soldier left behind", said Officer Candidate Juston Jones, as he and another classmate turned around to walk the last leg of the road march with the last soldier.
Five officer candidates had two and a half hours to complete a seven-mile road march on service road here. The officer candidates are enrolled in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's Officer Candidate School Traditional Program; a three-phase program that is trained throughout the year.
The first phase is a two-week annual training that focuses on land navigation.
According to Officer Candidate Barry Wood, this is the "shock and awe phase" and focuses on details and forming a proper mindset. This is the phase where people drop out. Five remain out of the eight who began. The second phase takes place over a year's worth of drill weekends. The third phase is also a two-week AT. These five are in the second phase and are slated to graduate Sept. 26, 2010.
"I came to OCS here at Fort Indiantown Gap and it fit my lifestyle, fit what I needed and they were able to work with me as an individual and as a team member," said Officer Candidate Eric Jackson.
Officer Candidate Barry Wood said the best part of the training here is the attention he gets from the TACs, or Teaching Assessment Counselors.
Officer Candidate John Cale of West Virginia said he wanted to become an officer to be the same kind of quality mentor to younger soldiers that he had as he rose through the enlisted ranks to sergeant. Cale said a major part of the program here is learning about trust.
"The soldiers here accepted me as part of the group and made me feel welcome," Cale said, being the only out-of-state candidate in the class.
In addition to the traditional option, potential officer candidates have the option of choosing the accelerated option, in which the three phases are compressed into a continuous nine weeks. Jones said he chose the traditional option because it fit better with his life and his many responsibilities.
The requirements for entering OCS are to score high on the Graduate Management Admission Test and to have top scores on the annual physical fitness test. The candidate must also be willing to go the distance to exceed standards.
"This is for the strong, not for the weak," said Jackson, adding that strength of mind and body are necessary to complete this training and become a good officer.
The Officer Candidate School program of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard here has what it takes to develop, as Cale said, "all assets of becoming a leader."
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