Photo By Sgt. Claire Charles | Officer Candidate Alyssa Aponte conducts a security patrol inside a building with...... read more read more
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Officer Candidate Alyssa Aponte, a native of New Britain, Conn., participated in a culminating field exercise of the Officer Candidate School (OCS) here.
Candidate Aponte, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing, will become a commissioned officer at the completion of OCS. Although Aponte had the option to apply for a direct commission in the Army Nurse Corps, she decided to enroll in OCS.
“I kept hearing how challenging the course was and wanted to take it on,” said Aponte.
She was accepted into the OCS program with the 169th Regiment Regional Training Institute, Connecticut Army National Guard. OCS is an 18-month, rigorous program that emphasizes high physical standards and trains candidates to be proficient military leaders.
“OCS develops leadership while pushing you to exceed your limits and create new limits for yourself,” said Aponte. “In order to succeed in this challenging course, you must have dedication and be willing to work twice as hard to exceed the standard.”
Candidate Aponte reflected on how her father, a former Marine, provided her with motivation, encouragement and guidance during the most challenging times at OCS. My father always emphasized that discipline will help me accomplish any goal I set in life, said Aponte.
“OCS focuses on troop leading procedures, the operation order process, land navigation, physical readiness training (PRT) and incorporates a culminating field training exercise and evaluation,” said Cpt. Kristopher Mall, instructor, Detachment 1, 166th Regiment Regional Training Institute, Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
OCS requires that candidates exceed academic and physical standards throughout the three-phase program. OCS graduates become commissioned officers who exemplify the Army values and effectively lead Soldiers, said Cpt. Mall.
While participating in the field training exercise of the three-phase OCS program, Aponte recalls one of her most proud moments while at OCS.
“During a June drill, I briefed my classmates on the operation order and was able to effectively execute the mission in front of leadership and my instructors,” said Aponte. “Effective execution and task completion gave me the confidence to participate in the last phase of OCS.”
Aponte will graduate next year with a nursing degree and will continue her military career as a commissioned officer.
She dedicates her commission to her grandfather who passed away this year and was a motivating factor for completing the program.
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2020 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 375684 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 381 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldier Spotlight: Meet Officer Candidate Alyssa Aponte, by SGT Claire Charles, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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