Military rank
Officer candidate
or
officer aspirant
(
OA
) is a rank in some militaries of the world that is an appointed position while a person is in training to become an
officer
. More often than not, an officer candidate was a
civilian
who applied to join the military directly as an officer. Officer candidates are, therefore, not considered of the same status as
enlisted
personnel.
In several
NATO
countries, the term
officer designate
(
OF-D
) is used. In the
NATO rank scale
, it comes below the grade of OF-1 and above the grade of Student Officer.
[1]
Ranks designated as OF-D include
dokimos efedros axiomatikos
in the
Hellenic Army
, and
chu?n uy
("officer designate") in the Vietnam People's Army. In the
German Armed Forces
, officer designates are enlisted personnel and have a corresponding rank code.
Finland
[
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]
In the
Finnish Defence Forces
, officer candidate is a service rank, equivalent but senior to sergeant, that is given to conscripts who completed the Reserve Officer School (RUK). At the end of their conscript service, officer candidates are promoted to the rank of
second lieutenant
.
Germany
[
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]
In the
German Armed Forces
, officer designates are enlisted personnel. Soldiers accepted for officer training are given the annotation (
OA
) for
Offizieranwarter
("Officer Aspirant") to their rank. Then the designate progresses through the ranks of
Fahnenjunker
(OR-5),
Fahnrich
(OR-6) and
Oberfahnrich
(OR-7) in the
German Army
and
German Air Force
. Officer designates in the
German Navy
go through the corresponding ranks of
Seekadett
,
Fahnrich zur See
and
Oberfahnrich zur See
instead.
Officer designates in the army and air force wear the same uniform and insignia as the corresponding NCOs; added a silver metal tissue cord on their shoulder straps. A distinction to this is the insignia of the
Oberfahnrich
. His service and dress uniforms, including the shoulder straps, are sowed the silver piping, indicating the officer career instead of the NCO piping. However, his rank insignia on mounting loops for the field uniform are identical to the non-commissioned
Hauptfeldwebel
; plus the cord of the officer designate.
The navy doesn't use a silver cord to indicate the officer designates; instead a golden nautical star is displayed. The rank insignia of
Seekadett
and
Fahnrich zur See
is the same as for the corresponding NCOs, but exchanges the anchor symbol with the nautical star. The rank insignia for
Oberfahnrich zur See
is lent to the
Leutnant zur See
, displaying the nautical star and a golden half-stripe ? also on the field uniform.
Indonesia
[
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]
In the
Indonesian National Armed Forces
, an officer candidate (
calon perwira
) is one who wants to earn a commission as an officer in the armed forces.
Officers in the Indonesian National Armed Forces are commissioned through one of four major commissioning programs. Upon graduation the candidates are promoted to the rank of
second lieutenant
, thus becoming
commissioned officers
. The four programs are:
- National Armed Forces Academy (
Akademi TNI
): a four-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions, preparing men and women to take on the challenge of being officers in the armed forces (Army:
Military Academy
, Navy:
Naval Academy
, Air Force:
Air Force Academy
);
- Officer Candidate School
: a 28-week program that is attended by senior NCOs or warrant officers from all services;
- Career Officer Program for college graduates: a 7?8 month program that is designed to recruit civilian professionals (e.g., doctors, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists) into the armed forces;
- Pilot Short Service School: a 34-month program to train pilots to serve in the armed forces
Philippines
[
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]
In the
Philippines
, an officer candidate ("OC") is a civilian who holds a baccalaureate degree and who wants to earn a commission as an officer in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
. Upon admission to the
Officer Candidate School
, officer candidates are appointed as probationary second lieutenants and probationary ensigns.
Cadet vs Officer Candidate
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]
The words
cadet
and
officer candidate
are synonymous in referring the rank below second lieutenant. In the Philippines, officer candidates are referred to
RESCOM
,
AFPOCS
and
PCGOBETC
students who had baccalaureate degree, foreign service academies and reserve officer pools
[3]
undergoing 4 months to 1 year of rigorous military training.
[4]
[5]
On the other hand, cadets are referred to students of military schools such as
PMA
,
PNPA
,
PMMA
,
MAAP
and ACP undergoing 4 years of military training while completing their college degree.
[6]
United Kingdom
[
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]
In the
British Armed Forces
, officer candidates (or potential officer candidates) are civilians or
enlisted
persons who apply to join the service as an officer. This does not infer rank or salutation. On joining the Armed Force, they then become designated as
Officer Cadets
.
United States
[
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]
Officer candidate
[
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]
U.S. Army
[
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]
In the
United States Army
, officer candidates attend either the Federal
Officer Candidate School
(OCS) at
Fort Moore
, Georgia, or
Army National Guard Regional Training Institutes
(RTIs). RTIs follow the same curriculum and requirements as OCS and commission graduates who receive federal recognition into the Army National Guard. Soldiers who attend OCS are usually prior service enlisted personnel, though civilians with college degrees can enlist and go directly to OCS after basic training.
[7]
Additionally, Warrant Officer Candidates attend the Warrant Officer Candidate school and are also officer candidates.
With regard to rank, a U.S. Army officer candidate exists in a gray area. AR 600?20, Army Command Policy, places their rank as outranking all enlisted members of the service and rank directly below all officers. They are not yet officers. They are enlisted soldiers who lose all rank status when reporting to the course. Regardless of pay grade, traditionally, but technically incorrect, candidates are outranked by any course cadre or permanent party enlisted soldiers they may encounter. Although their status does not correspond to a position of authority within the standard U.S. Army ranks, candidates serve in leadership training roles at the platoon or company level. They are addressed as "candidate" by the OCS cadre. During the first few weeks of indoctrination, candidates are treated much the same as a new
recruit
. In the final weeks of training, OCS platoons may achieve "senior" status and senior officer candidates may be addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by more junior candidates, but never by other enlisted ranks.
The
pay grade
for a U.S. Army officer candidate is
E-5
(Federal OCS), or
E-6
(state OCS) on the enlisted pay scale, unless the candidate previously achieved a higher enlisted rank.
[8]
For example, an
E-7
who becomes a candidate would continue to receive
E-7
pay. The OCS uniform is stripped of the rank patch which is replaced by the letters "OCS." Upon commissioning, a candidate becomes a
second lieutenant
.
U.S. Marine Corps
[
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]
In the
United States Marine Corps
, officer candidates are trained by Marine officers and staff non-commissioned officer Marines at the
Officer Candidates School
in
Quantico, Virginia
.
U.S. Navy
[
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]
In the
United States Navy
, officer candidates are trained at either the
Officer Candidate School
or Officer Development School in
Newport, Rhode Island
. A parallel program known as
Aviation Officer Candidate School
(AOCS) at
NAS Pensacola
, Florida, previously produced officers slated to become
naval aviators
,
naval flight officers
, air intelligence officers and aircraft maintenance duty officers not otherwise procured via the
U.S. Naval Academy
or
NROTC
. A major distinction between the two programs was the use of enlisted
Marine Corps
drill instructors
in the AOCS program, a vestige from the World War II and early 1950s period when AOCS graduates were given the option of being commissioned in the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps before proceeding to flight training. AOCS was disestablished in 1994 due to
BRAC
action and merged into the current OCS program in 1994.
Officer candidate is also the rank to which participants in the active duty commissioning program "
Seaman to Admiral 21
" are appointed. STA 21 officer candidates are appointed to the rank at the
Naval Science Institute
and go on to hold the rank while training with the
Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
at NROTC-affiliated universities. While attached to their colleges or universities, officer candidates are looked to as mentors to the midshipmen throughout the school year. They must maintain 2.0 GPAs, and are urged to assist midshipmen in developing their own leadership abilities.
STA 21 OCs maintain their enlisted pay grade and eligibility for enlisted advancement. The number of sailors selected each year to participate in the "Seaman to Admiral 21 program" varies from year to year. Fiscal year 2010 admitted about 200 candidates, FY11- 115, and FY12- about 75. Currently, the program has been downsized to only admit 50 candidates.
The rank of officer candidate is denoted by an officer's uniform with no insignia except for a line officer's star device on white and dress blue uniforms. If the candidate has never had prior service, rank is typically that of Officer Candidate Under Instruction Second Class (OCUI2).
[9]
On khaki and working blue uniforms, fouled anchors are worn on the collar points until candidate officer status is achieved, at which time OCs wear the bar insignia similar to their senior/midshipmen 1st class counterparts at the U.S. Naval Academy and in NROTC.
U.S. Coast Guard
[
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]
In the
United States Coast Guard
, Officer Candidates (OC) are trained at the
Officer Candidate School
(OCS) located at the
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
in
New London
,
Connecticut
.
Officer trainee
[
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]
U.S. Air Force
[
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]
In the
United States Air Force
, officer candidates are known as Officer Trainees (OT) and are trained at the
Officer Training School
(OTS) at
Maxwell AFB
, Alabama.
Similar to the Army officer candidates, Air Force officer trainees exist in a gray zone with regard to rank, and their status does not directly correspond to a position of seniority or authority within the standard Air Force ranks. Typically, they are referred to or addressed as "OT," and during the first few weeks of indoctrination, are treated much the same as a new recruit. The pay for an officer trainee, however, is equal to an
E-5
on the enlisted pay scale, unless the candidate previously achieved a higher enlisted rank than E-5, e.g., an
E-7
who becomes a candidate would continue to receive E-7 pay, and so on. Once commissioned, the new officer advances to the pay rate of
O-1
, unless they have at least four years of active duty service, in which case they are paid the higher O-1E rate in recognition of the prior enlisted service. Such pay continues at promotion to the next two grades ("O-2E" and "O-3E"), but is discontinued at the grade of
O-4
.
OT rank insignia loosely parallels that of
Air Force ROTC
and
United States Air Force Academy Cadet Insignia
, except in the case of the directly commissioned
chaplains, lawyers, and medical personnel
.
|
---|
Flag rank officers
|
Pay grade
|
Army
|
Marine Corps
|
Navy
&
Coast Guard
|
Air Force
|
Space Force
|
Special
|
General of the Armies
|
none
|
Admiral of the Navy
|
none
|
none
|
Special
|
General of the Army
|
none
|
Fleet Admiral
|
General of the Air Force
|
none
|
O-10
|
General
|
General
|
Admiral
|
General
|
General
|
O-9
|
Lieutenant general
|
Lieutenant General
|
Vice Admiral
|
Lieutenant General
|
Lieutenant General
|
O-8
|
Major General
|
Major General
|
Rear Admiral
|
Major General
|
Major General
|
O-7
|
Brigadier General
|
Brigadier General
|
Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
|
Brigadier General
|
Brigadier General
|
Commissioned officers
|
Pay grade
|
Army
|
Marine Corps
|
Navy
&
Coast Guard
|
Air Force
|
Space Force
|
O-6
|
Colonel
|
Colonel
|
Captain
|
Colonel
|
Colonel
|
O-5
|
Lieutenant colonel
|
Lieutenant Colonel
|
Commander
|
Lieutenant Colonel
|
Lieutenant Colonel
|
O-4
|
Major
|
Major
|
Lieutenant commander
|
Major
|
Major
|
O-3
|
Captain
|
Captain
|
Lieutenant
|
Captain
|
Captain
|
O-2
|
First Lieutenant
|
First Lieutenant
|
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
|
First Lieutenant
|
First Lieutenant
|
O-1
|
Second Lieutenant
|
Second Lieutenant
|
Ensign
|
Second Lieutenant
|
Second Lieutenant
|
Warrant officers
|
Pay grade
|
Army
|
Marine Corps
|
Navy
&
Coast Guard
|
Air Force
|
Space Force
|
W-5
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Five
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Five
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Five
(Navy only)
|
None (discontinued before creation of
CW5
)
|
None
|
W-4
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Four
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Four
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Four
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Four
(discontinued)
|
None
|
W-3
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Three
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Three
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Three
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Three
(discontinued)
|
None
|
W-2
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Two
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Two
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Two
|
Chief Warrant Officer, Two
(discontinued)
|
None
|
W-1
|
Warrant Officer, One
|
Warrant Officer, One
|
Warrant Officer, One
(Navy only)
|
Warrant Officer, One
(discontinued)
|
None
|
Enlisted
personnel
|
Pay grade
|
Army
|
Marine Corps
|
Navy
&
Coast Guard
|
Air Force
|
Space Force
|
E-9
(special)
|
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
|
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
|
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (Navy only)
|
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
|
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
|
Sergeant Major of the Army
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
|
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
|
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
/
Coast Guard
|
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau
|
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
|
E-9
|
Command Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
|
Sergeant Major
Master Gunnery Sergeant
|
Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer
Command Master Chief Petty Officer
Master chief petty officer
|
Command Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant
|
Command Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant
|
E-8
|
First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
|
First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
|
Command Senior Chief Petty Officer
(Navy only)
Senior Chief Petty Officer
|
Senior Master Sergeant
|
Senior Master Sergeant
|
E-7
|
Sergeant First Class
|
Gunnery Sergeant
|
Chief Petty Officer
|
Master Sergeant
|
Master Sergeant
|
E-6
|
Staff Sergeant
|
Staff Sergeant
|
Petty Officer First Class
|
Technical Sergeant
|
Technical Sergeant
|
E-5
|
Sergeant
|
Sergeant
|
Petty Officer Second Class
|
Staff Sergeant
|
Sergeant
|
E-4
|
Specialist
/
Corporal
|
Corporal
|
Petty Officer Third Class
|
Senior Airman
|
Specialist 4
|
E-3
|
Private First Class
|
Lance Corporal
|
Seaman
|
Airman First Class
|
Specialist 3
|
E-2
|
Private
|
Private First Class
|
Seaman Apprentice
|
Airman
|
Specialist 2
|
E-1
|
Private
|
Private
|
Seaman Recruit
|
Airman Basic
|
Specialist 1
|
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"NATO official document"
(PDF)
. Retrieved
7 September
2010
.
- ^
Langenscheidt´s Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the English and German language: "Der Große Muret-Sander", Part II German-English, Second Volume L?Z, 8th edition 1999,
ISBN
3-468-01126-1
; p. 1.381
- ^
"PNoy thanks AFP-OCS, swipes at critics"
.
Manila Standard
. Retrieved
2020-07-03
.
- ^
Inquirer, Philippine Daily (2014-02-23).
"No PMA clique in AFP, says chief of staff"
.
INQUIRER.net
. Retrieved
2020-07-03
.
- ^
Romero, Alexis.
"Noy attends non-PMA officers' graduation"
.
philstar.com
. Retrieved
2020-07-03
.
- ^
"ROTC infuses balance in PH military: prof"
.
www.pna.gov.ph
. Retrieved
2020-07-03
.
- ^
"Officer Candidate School"
.
Army.com
. Archived from
the original
on 2007-04-04.
- ^
Army Regulation 350-51
United States Army Officer Candidate School
. June 11, 2001. Chapter 5-2. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^
"Pages - InfoViewPage.aspx"
. Archived from
the original
on 2020-08-06
. Retrieved
2020-01-11
.
External links
[
edit
]