The United state army presents the big picture the big picture in 19 41 was one of our agency The only need to train leaders fast lots of them trained in the disciplines of compact, get that chest up in the air get it up and thousands of men swell their chestnut proudly choosing for service officers. Hey oh ah at the direction of the us war Department, men and women in the United States army begin their training to be Commission new officers to the officer candidate program. It was army chief of staff general George Marshall visions to establish a rigorous training program and the first class beginning July 19 41 at Fort benning Georgia hello everyone I'm Don There and graduate from Fort benning in September of 19 69 of the graduates from that first class in September, 19 41 many would go on to be the leading sources of commissioned officers during world war. Two of the 800000 or so officers who served in the army during world war two record show more than half were graduates and well over half of the combat leaders were products of the officer training, schools, those fame 90 day wonders with Vide leaders for the rapidly expanding army of more than eight million soldiers by late 19 45 after the war, many would lead distinguished careers from 19 46 to 19 65 the program have been flowed depending on the army's needs, which picked up in the early 19 fifties. Korea. You could call is the proving ground of the infantry school The officer requirements of the Korean war reactivated six schools and by the end of 19 52 close to 17000 candidates at graduated from those schools. However, all reactivated schools accept artillery engineer and infantry were close by the end of 19 52 and the engineer classes with clothes. Two years later More complex, then came Vietnam very candy for breakfast enter I can hear you as the army rapidly expanded, show with the need for junior officers so, yes, cranked up again as the need to produce trained officer sort six new schools for added to two already in existence in fact, the majority of the junior combat leaders in Vietnam were citizen soldiers turn combat leaders during the height of the Vietnam conflict. It's estimated that more than 50 percent of the company grade officers who fought in Vietnam where graduates but changes were ahead In April, 19 73 the branch material officer candidate course, was created at Fort benning to replace all other courses. Then in 19 76 with the end of the gender separate army. The women's army corps program for an Alabama merge with the course at Fort benning. Since that time has continue to provide well trained junior commissioned officers to the total force for all basic branches of the army. Today, all army Yes is consolidated at Fort benning upon graduation within 12 weeks. The young officers attend their respective branch schools. Our numbers are big and there is active Association that continues to encourage candidates enrolled in the program and supports them once their Commission off in some of the better known former candidates visit soon to be second lieutenants long before Bob Dole was the us senator long before he was a presidential candidate. He was in the candidate at Fort benning 19 44 Bob Dole was commissioned a second lieutenant just before being sent to Italy to fight in world war two Everyone appreciated his visit to the battalion in the battalion area at Fort benning is the memorial walk it's lined with bricks and pavers. Honoring the history and heritage of graduates past and present I had the opportunity to visit Fort benning in two thousand 17 in my role as a news reporter, I couldn't go there without filing report here is my story as it appeared on Tv in knoxville tennessee okay. my The army officer candidate school is about learning leadership for 75 years young men and women have been put to the test in this training at Fort. Benning Georgia challenges candidates to make sure they have actual in adaptive leadership capabilities have a team that line when candidates successfully complete their training and assume command of a platoon the whole equation. Changes in the modern army they're taught to be critical thinkers capable of executing a command with minimal guidance to be successful to graduate from this rigorous program, a candidates value system has to be straight in there a most of all, we want To be of absolutely strong moral character, what the demands of combat today and the fact that these candidates within six months of graduating yes, I will be leading soldiers deployed to Iraq. Afghanistan or Syria. They absolutely have to be the moral compass for the opportunities that they're leading a group of us all, former candidates who later became arming officers, got to meet and talk with men and women who will represent about one third of the second lieutenants Commission into the army Today is officer candidates first attend basic training for 10 weeks before beginning. 12 weeks of from graduating the newly commissioned officers to bridge training at 16 different army schools around the country. So many places in the civilian world. You don't have the opportunity to be a leader you're constantly a follower um so I wanted the opportunity to get that experience. All candidates are required to be College graduates marcus us re says the training has changed everything from how to be effective leader to better understand Myself and keeping strong self discipline, sir, what the army is growing me. The 50 years ago Commission, thousands of officers every year as the Vietnam war grew 40 to 50000 new officers, were needed. But rotc in West point reduce bless and less six new schools are added back, then, as the demand for junior officers, increased the training and today's modern army is different. It's computer eyes weeks are spent indoors Owning skills by using a computer fired weapon which tells you immediately whether you hit your target or not. The idea is to improve accuracy here before you go into the field. You know the old days you know when I came through right here when you came through was the Joe sergeant looking at you and uh and now it's the computer tells you if you tilting the weapon to party taking so if you're not getting a good side, metal of honor recipient Charles kettles is a no graduate when the program began in world war, two the need for commissioned officers was intense as to theaters of war were being fought and there was little room for a disciplined officers, colonel cavill says today's candidates receive training never imagined by those who came before Your cable or up even better train angel, but I'm fully confident they can pick up the ball and run for 11 thing that hasn't change. Push-ups. But one thing that will change the number of candidates coming to the program next year. It will double in our 75 year history. We are the mechanism to rapidly grow the the officer population over for the challenges of Our difficult but the ultimate reward of serving your country can't be measure the legacy of the is being maintained by the non profit United States army officer candidate school. Alumni Association. It represents all the officer's Commission through ocs regardless of previous school locations and branches, as a member, our mission is to serve and honor the program and its graduates and to further the ideal and promote the welfare of the yes the officer corps and the United States army. you You can join us by going online to dot alumni dot. Org also find out about the memorial walk. How you can honor someone who made you into a leader. Remember the motto standards. No compromise. It was the model in 19 41 and still is today. I'm done. There. Thank you for watching