Earning a Commission

There are four primary ways to earn a commission. They are: the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), Officer Candidates Course (OCC), Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - Marine Option (NROTC) and the United States Naval Academy (USNA).

PLC (for college freshmen and sophomores) consists of two six-week training sessions between school years at Officer Candidates School. For college juniors, PLC is one 10-week training session at the end of the junior year.

Seniors and college graduates go through OCC, a 10-week session at Officer Candidates School. For both PLC and OCC, you are paid for your time in spent training.

With NROTC, you'll receive substantial financial assistance at many colleges and universities throughout the country. You'll spend your first two summers learning about the Navy and the Marine Corps. In your third summer, you will spend six weeks attending Marine Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia.

The USNA is a professional college for future Navy and Marine Corps Officers. Those accepted must serve five years on active duty after graduation as an officer in the Marine Corps.