Officer Candidate Course | Quantico

Officer Candidates School
TESTING AND TACTICS
“Endurance”

The Crucible Continues – Alpha & Delta Company Face New Challenges

This week at OCS, the pressure ramps up for Alpha and Delta Company. They’ve conquered a series of evaluations, but the journey isn’t over yet! Buckle up, because Week 8 throws them into a new chapter filled with rigorous challenges and demanding assessments. It’s a testament to their dedication and perseverance as they continue their transformative journey to become Marine Corps Officers.

Putting Tactics into Action with Field Exercise 

Officer Candidates School throws candidates headfirst into practical application. Field Exercise 3  (FEX3 ) serves as a critical training ground where they’ll:

  • Sharpen Military Tactics: Candidates will actively learn and refine essential military tactics through real-world scenarios.
  • Develop Battlefield Decision-Making: FEX  provides a dynamic environment to hone their ability to make quick and effective decisions under pressure.
  • Test Leadership Skills: Leading a fire team through FEX ‘s simulated combat situations allows for practical application of leadership principles learned previously.

This immersive training experience prepares them for the complexities of battlefield leadership and tactical execution. FEX 3 is a pivotal step in their transformation into confident and capable Marine Corps Officers.

Owning the Night – Night Land Navigation

Marines are known for dominating the battlefield—day or night—and it all starts here. This week, your candidate will be tested in night land navigation, a skill that demands focus, precision, and confidence under pressure.

Under the cover of darkness, they’ll navigate unfamiliar terrain using only a compass, a map, and their training to locate designated points. There’s no GPS, no margin for error—just grit, judgment, and the ability to stay calm and decisive when visibility is at its lowest.

This is where they prove they can lead when others hesitate—owning the night, the mission, and the moment.

SULE: Leadership Under Pressure

Candidates will head out into the field again for the field exercise SULE (SULE 2). Your candidate has experienced a SULE before, but with each event introduces a new challenge. Candidates will start the day with the rising sun as they board buses and get dropped off at various locations throughout the base. Since each candidate is required to be a Fire Team leader, the SULE will take a full day to complete. Your candidate will be fueling up on MREs to get them through the exercise.

Finishing Strong – The Timed Endurance Course

The week culminates with a timed Endurance Course. Candidates from Alpha and Delta Company will tackle their Timed Endurance Course at OCS, a 3.2-mile run that begins with an obstacle course and continues through the wooded trails of the training area. Along the route, they will navigate hills, crawl under ropes and through lanes, scale cargo nets, and ford water obstacles. This course is designed to push their physical limits while testing their ability to overcome diverse challenges in a timed environment, reinforcing their endurance and resilience. The grueling Endurance Course caps off another demanding week for your candidate. But don’t worry, they’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (just like we are!).

Stay tuned—your candidate’s journey is far from over.

Next week brings The Forge, the culminating event that brings together everything they’ve learned, endured, and overcome up to this point. It’s the ultimate test of their leadership, resilience, and readiness to earn the title of Marine Corps Officer.

The finish line is near—but first, they’ll have to prove they’re ready.

Semper Fidelis,
SgtMaj (ret) Paul Davis