FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Leaders from the U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico,1st Mission Support Command (1st MSC), conducted an Officer Candidate School (OCS) board at the command headquarters, Nov. 19, to evaluate Soldiers who want to become commissioned officers in the Army Reserve.
Lt. Col. Carlos Diaz, 1st MSC Chief Information Officer, was the president of the board. The other two members of the board were Maj. Ruben Abreu, 1st MSC Officer in Charge of the Defense Support to Civil Authorities mission, and Capt. Francheska Cebollero, Personnel Officer from the Mission Command Support Group brigade.
"If a Soldier has superior leadership skills and meets the requirements for OCS, I recommend them to apply. It is a long process, but it is definitely something rewarding," said Cebollero
Members of the 5th Battalion, Army Reserve Career Group (ARCG) traveled to Puerto Rico to support and organize the board.
“ARCG helps Soldiers to commission and get positions in the Army Reserve. We follow the same standards, the Army standards,” said Sgt. 1st Class Fernando Landron, Army Reserve Officer Accessions Non Commissioned Officer (NCO).
OCS is open to qualified Soldiers who hold at least a four-year college degree. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous, 12-week school, receive their commissions as a Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army Reserve.
“Once the Soldier meets the basic requirements for OCS, we provide them a checklist to start the formal process, which ends with the OCS graduation. We at the ARCG facilitate and assist troops along the way,” said Landron.
The OCS selection process is rigorous because U.S. Army Officers are expected to be leaders who can rise to any challenge. Officers inspire their subordinates and learn to bring up the best in others and themselves, always breaking barriers and getting the mission accomplished.
“It takes time, it is not something that happens overnight. You need to be consistent, so when a board opportunity is available, you must be ready to attend,” said Staff Sgt. Waldemar Pizarro, one of the OCS applicants from the 1st MSC.
If selected, Soldiers could serve in one of the 15 different branches to include engineer, finance, logistics, military police, signals, ordnance, transportation, quartermasters, cyber operations and others.
“My goal is to stay in the Army Reserve, preferably on logistics or finance due to my education and experience,” said Pizarro. “I have a bachelor’s on finance, a master’s degree on international business, and I am currently working on a second master’s degree on Supply and Logistics,” Pizarro concluded.
Soldiers interested in accepting the challenge to attend OCS, should email Sgt 1st Class Fernando Landron at fernando.e.landron.mil@mail.mil.
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