Officer Candidate School (OCS) length varies by branch and program:
- U.S. Army OCS is typically a 12-week-long program held at Fort Benning, Georgia for federal candidates, focusing on leadership and soldier tasks
. The Army National Guard offers a "Traditional" OCS lasting about 16 months and an "Accelerated" OCS lasting 56 days, designed for Reserve and National Guard soldiers
- U.S. Coast Guard OCS is a 17-week-long program, the longest among the five military services, held at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut
- U.S. Navy OCS runs for approximately 13 weeks, training candidates for leadership roles at sea and ashore
- U.S. Marine Corps OCS is a six-month course focused on training competent leaders
- Some state National Guard or State Defense Forces have their own OCS programs, which can last from 11-12 months up to 16-18 months depending on the state
In summary, OCS length ranges from about 8 weeks (Army accelerated) to 6 months (Marine Corps), with the most common federal Army OCS lasting 12 weeks and Coast Guard OCS lasting 17 weeks.
