• Air Force Direct Commissioning Programs
• Air Force Reserve Commissioning Requirements
• Air Force Reserve Direct Commissioning Programs

The Air Force Chaplain Candidate Program is an exciting opportunity for seminary and other professional religious school students to evaluate their compatibility and potential for commissioning as an Air Force Chaplain. The focus is on experiencing ministry in the Air Force during summer tours of active duty.

• The Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC) Air Force Reserve Intelligence Directorate is holding a Deserving Airman Commissioning Program (DACP) Board April 24-26, 2018.
• The Reserve Airman Commissioning Program, AFI 36-2005, is designed to select highly recommended enlisted members for leadership roles as officers. Commission tendered is Second Lieutenant. Eligible enlisted members who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities may fill vacant positions in grades Captain through Major.
• When you join the Air Force as a healthcare or ministry professional, you’ll begin your Air Force career with Commissioned Officer Training—a 5.5-week program organized into four phases designed to help.
• This note solicits applications for Reserve Direct Commission Officer (DCO), leading to a commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve, designator 1655 Special Duty (Public Affairs). Reserve enlisted.

A direct commission officer (DCO) is a United States uniformed officer who has received an appointed commission without the typical prerequisites for achieving a commission, such as attending a four-year service academy, a four-year or two-year college ROTC program, or one of the officer candidate school or officer training school programs, the latter OCS/OTS programs typically slightly over three months in length.

Civilians who have special skills that are critical to sustaining military operations, supporting troops, health and scientific study may receive a direct commission upon entering service. These officers usually occupy leadership positions in the following areas: law, science, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nurse corps, intelligence, supply-logistics-transportation, engineering, public affairs, chaplain corps, oceanography, merchant marine affairs, and others.

The U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard have more extensive active and reserve component DCO programs than the other three U.S. armed services.

The U.S. Marine Corps does not offer a DCO program anymore; Navy officers provide medical, legal and chaplain services, and chief warrant officers (CWO) and limited duty officers (LDO) serve as occupational field experts.

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps exclusively use a DCO program to commission their officers.

Depending on the specialization and duty-status of the officer, 'DCOs' as they're called, will attend either Officer Indoctrination School (OIS), Officer Development School (ODS), or Direct Commission Officer School (DCO School) which vary from two weeks duration for certain Reserve DCOs to five weeks duration for Active Duty DCOs.

U.S. Army Active and Reserve Direct Commission Officers[edit]

Active United States Army direct commissions are available in the medical, legal, chaplain corps, and cyber as of November 2017. Each branch will rank the officer candidate upon completion of Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC). The United States Army Reserve uses the DCO program to bring specialized skills and backgrounds, and to fill critical shortages in the Army Reserve commissioned officer corps. A majority of the people obtaining direct commissions in the Army Reserve are prior-enlisted personnel. However, there have been instances when qualified civilians were directly commissioned as well. The general requirements for a direct commission in the Army Reserve are: 60 semester hours of college credit; the ability to get and maintain a 'secret' clearance; be physically qualified (obtain and pass a medical evaluation); an open slot or 'billet' in an Army Reserve unit; three recommendation letters from commissioned field-grade officers; and a recommendation from a direct commissioning board. Once selected, the applicant signs the oath and is sworn in by another commissioned officer. At that point the newly commissioned officer will then need to attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC) in their assigned area of concentration (AOC) before becoming fully qualified.

Direct commission officers in the Army Reserve can serve in the same specialities and hold billets as ROTC, OCS, and USMA graduates. Direct commission officers may be promoted to flag officer rank and hold command within their specialty of work.

U.S. Navy Direct Commission Officers[edit]

The United States Navy has an extensive DCO program. As of October 2019, the Navy consolidated its two-week reserve training program (Direct Commission Officer Indoctrination Course, DCOIC) with its five-week Active Duty training program (Officer Development School, ODS), also at Newport, Rhode Island.^[1]Officer Candidate School (OCS), the 12-week program that college graduates wishing to join the U.S. Navy as active duty line officers must complete, is also located at Newport.

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) of 2005 decreed that the Navy Reserve officer DCO School be relocated from Naval Aviation Schools Command at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida to Naval Education and Training Center Newport, Rhode Island effective January 2007. As a result of BRAC and other budgetary-driven actions, the U.S. Navy consolidated many of its schools at NETC, Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island.

The Navy is currently considering merging DCO School, Limited Duty Officer School, and Mustang University into one contiguous officer training program—all located in Newport, Rhode Island. As of January 2007 all Navy Reserve DCO, LDO and CWO Officers attend the same two-week course of instruction in Newport.

The U.S. Navy Reserve Direct Commissioning Program allows university-educated professionals, between ages 19 to 35 (or older, in some cases), the opportunity to be appointed as an officer in the Navy Reserve. Most DCOs hold advanced degrees (MAs, MBAs, MSs, JDs, MDs, DOs, PharmDs and Ph.Ds.) and/or significant civilian work experience. In recent years, the number of direct commissions offered by the Navy Reserve has increased due to the need for skilled officers to serve as Individual Augmentees (IAs) in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Direct Commissioning Program serves the expanded needs of the Navy in certain officer skill areas listed below in alphabetical order by category:

• Special Warfare Officer

Restricted Line Officer (including Special Duty Officer)

• Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO)
  • NOTE: Unlike AEDOs in the Regular Navy, who must first be qualified Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers with at least five years operational flying experience in naval aircraft, direct commission AEDOs in the Navy Reserve are not required to have any military flight experience
• Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO)
• Foreign area officer (Country or Regional Specialists, Non-Intelligence)
• Human Resources Officer
• Information Professional (typically, personnel have Computer Science degrees and extensive industry experience)
• Information Warfare Officer (formerly Cryptology Officer)
• Intelligence Officer
• Merchant Marine Officer
• Meteorology/Oceanography Officer (METOC)
• Public Affairs Officer

• Chaplain Corps Officer
• Medical Programs (Medical, Dental, Nurse, Pharmacist and Medical Service Corps)
• Supply Corps Officer (Logistics, Transportation, Supply Management, Customs, Contracting)
• JAG Corps Officer
• Civil Engineer Corps Officer

Air Force Direct Commissioning Programs

Limited Duty Officer (Various specialties)

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Warrant Officer (Various specialties)

Some skill areas may not have openings each year. Each year, skill area recruiting quotas are promulgated for recruiters to fill. Upon completion of their training regimen, DCOs serve on nearly every type of ship in the fleet and at shore establishments around the globe. Navy DCOs are forward deployed and are currently serving on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are an integral part of the Navy's role in the War on Terror.

U.S. Coast Guard Direct Commission Officers[edit]

The United States Coast Guard uses the DCO program to bring specialized skills and backgrounds into the Coast Guard commissioned officer corps. The DCO course is conducted by the Officer Candidate School, located at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Depending on program and background, the course is three, four, or five weeks long.

There are seven Direct Commission Officer programs:

• Aviation
  • NOTE: Individuals in this category are typically rated/designated military aviators who have previously served on active duty as officers in other branches of the U.S. armed forces. They have transferred to and are being recommissioned as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard in order to serve as Coast Guard Aviators.
• Engineering (Various disciplines)
• Prior-Trained Military Officer
• Maritime Academy Graduate From the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or a State Merchant Marine Academy

Some DCO programs may not have openings each year. While DCOs are expected to fill specific specialty areas, they are not specifically precluded from crossing into other operational or support billets in follow-on assignments.

U.S. Public Health Service (Commissioned Corps) Direct Commission Officers[edit]

The PHSCC Direct Commissioning Program allows university-educated professionals, between ages 19 to 45 (or older, in some cases), the opportunity to be appointed as an officer in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. All candidates must complete a two-week Officer Basic Course (OBC) before entering active duty.^[2] Most PHSCC DCOs hold advanced degrees (DDSs, DMDs, MSs, MDs, DOs, PharmDs and Ph.Ds.) and significant civilian work experience, and the minimum in many programs is a master's degree from a duly accredited program. One of the fields requiring only a baccalaureate degree is engineering. The Direct Commissioning Program serves the expanded needs of the PHS in certain officer skill areas listed below:

• Environmental health officer
• Health services officer
• Scientist/researcher
• Therapist (includes occupational therapy, physical therapy, registered respiratory therapist, speech-language pathology, and audiology)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Commissioned Officer Corps) Direct Commission Officers[edit]

The NOAA Corps Direct Commissioning Program allows university-educated professionals, between ages 19 to 35 (or older, in some cases), the opportunity to be appointed as an officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. All must complete a 19-week basic officer training class (BOTC),^[3] at the United States Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, before entering active duty. Many NOAA Corps DCOs hold advanced degrees (MS, MAs and Ph.Ds.) and significant civilian work experience, though the minimum requirement is a baccalaureate degree. The Direct Commissioning Program serves the expanded needs of the NOAA Corps in certain officer skill areas listed below:

• Any science related to NOAA's mission

References[edit]

1. ^Burke. 'NAVADMIN 101/19'. Navy.Public.
2. ^Commissioned Officer Training Academy
3. ^'Basic Officer Training'. www.omao.noaa.gov.

External links[edit]

• U.S. Army
• U.S. Navy
• U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Public Health Service

Overview:

The Coast Guard aviation community consists of approximately 800 pilots and an enlisted workforce of approximately 2,500. Together, these pilots and aircrews fly 5 types of aircraft in the Coast Guard’s inventory, representing 200 airframes dispersed among 24 Air Stations. The DCA program is designed to meet aviation needs by seeking trained and qualified commissioned military pilots from other services to access into the Coast Guard. In Fiscal Year 2017, applicants with fixed wing experience will be especially desired. Direct commissioned aviators, although they receive training on Coast Guard specific aircraft, typically require less training than Coast Guard pilots who originate internally and apply to CG flight school. Pilots who meet eligibility criteria and successfully compete for selection can fully expect a career as a Coast Guard aviator.

Initial Assignments and Training:

DCAs work with a Coast Guard assignment officer following selection. The assignment officer will review the individual’s education, experience, qualifications, and their expressed assignment interests, to issue orders to a position at a Coast Guard field unit position that best aligns the selectee’s talents and potential with the needs of the Coast Guard. After commissioning (which occurs approximately 30 days prior to attending the Direct Commission Officer (DCO) course in New London, Connecticut) new officers will execute permanent change of station (PCS) orders and report directly to their first unit for a brief period. DCAs will then go TDY to the DCO course. The DCO course will be 4 weeks in length. At DCO training, DCAs receive initial indoctrination to the traditions and programs of the Service, and training on Service-specific administration essentials needed to their successfully serve as a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. Following completion of DCO training, DCAs will return to their unit.

DCAs will transition to flying CG aircraft and later attend training at the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center (ATC), in Mobile, Alabama.

Career Path:

DCAs can fully expect subsequent operational assignments within the aviation career track, in addition to assignments supporting aviation training and program management. DCAs will also have opportunities for special assignments and assignments within sub-specialties (training, human resources, etc.).

DCA Eligibility Requirements:

1. Age: Have reached your 21^st but not your 35^th birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the selection Panel convenes.
2. Character Standards:
   • All applicants must be of outstanding moral character
3. Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen
4. Clearance: Must be eligible for a Secret Clearance
5. Dependency:
   • If single, may not have sole or primary legal or physical custody of dependents.
   • May not have more than 3 dependents (your spouse is considered your dependent, regardless of military status).
6. Education:
   • Have a baccalaureate or higher degree or
   • Receive the ACE recommended score on the five general CLEP exams (i.e. English Composition, Humanities, Natural Science, College Mathematics, Social Science/History) or
   • Have one year of college (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) and have completed at least one college-level mathematics course, or receive the ACE recommended score on the College Mathematics CLEP exam.
7. Financial:Must meet all financial obligations, and not have a debt to income ratio in excess of 80% (ratio of debt to projected income at applicant’s highest accession level, i.e. O-1 or O-2, as applicable).
   • May not have filed for bankruptcy in the last 10 years
   • Student Loans: applicants shall also disclose to their recruiter any student loan payments that are in deferment, and the anticipated date and amount of repayment of those loans.
8. Interview: DCA applicants must receive the recommendation of a Coast Guard interview board, administered by 3 Coast Guard officers
9. Military Service: (all of the below must apply)
   • Max Active Duty Service: Have less than 10 years of non-Coast Guard active-duty military service as of the date of accession, which is equivalent to the date that the applicant, if selected, will take their oath of office.
   • Min Active Duty Service: Must have served a minimum of two years on active duty (not active duty for training) as either a warrant officer in the U.S. Army or a commissioned officer in one of the U.S. Armed Forces as of the panel convening date.
   • Conditional Release: Members currently in another military service (or IRR) must furnish an approved DD368 form (conditional release) in their application package.
     • Release approval (validity) period: The release shall be valid, at a minimum, through the date of the panel for which the applicant is applying. Ideally, the release should be valid through the projected accession date for that panel.
     • IRR: Recruiters shall submit the DD368 (with only Section I complete) to CGRC Accessions branch at CGR-SMB-DD368@uscg.mil.
     • Members of Other Military Services (except IRR): The applicant shall submit the DD368 (with Section I complete) through their chain of command to their services’ authorizing official* (which is different for each service). Once approved, the DD368 and any other approval documents (i.e. Service Memorandum) shall be submitted in the application package.
   • Commissioned Officers: who have been separated or removed from active duty from any Service as a result of non-selection for promotion, extension, or integration may not apply for any Coast Guard commissioning program.
10. Physical (Medical):
    • Must pass a Class 1A flight physical examination.
    • Meet Height/Weight standards.
      • Due to ejection seat limitations associated with the T-6 Texan Training Aircraft, pilots must be between 62” and 77”
    • Shall complete a structured physical fitness program while at DCO School
11. Test Score: Commissioned officers from other military services do not have to produce a test score.
12. Program-Specific Experience/ Information:
    • Be a graduate of a U.S. Military flight training program.
    • Have served on active-duty as a pilot in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Air National Guard, for a minimum of two years, but not to exceed 10 years.
    • Have a minimum of 500 hours of military flight time in a manned aircraft as of the application deadline date. Flight hours in training, simulators, or UAs will not count toward this total.
    • Have had primary employment as a pilot (military or civilian) within two years of the selection panel convening date
13. Tattoos: Applicants may not have tattoos or body markings that are inconsistent with the CG tattoo, body marking, body piercing, and mutilation policy, COMDTINST 1100.1 (series).
14. DCO Pre-Reporting Guide: Applicants must read and understand the DCO Pre-Reporting Guide.

DCA Appointment Grades and Term of Service:

1. Selected applicants will receive a 5 year active duty obligation.
2. The selection panel determines the appointment grade of each selectee.
3. Selectees will receive a commission as an Ensign (O-1) or Lieutenant Junior Grade (O-2) in the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve.

Air Force Reserve Commissioning Requirements

Application Process:

Air Force Reserve Direct Commissioning Programs

If you are ready to apply, you must visit the “Plan Your Next Move to become an Active Duty Coast Guard Officer” page and follow the application process.