It is appropriate that a river as defining as the mighty Mississippi determines the path for those who aspire to defend our great nation. Reside east of her, and your passage begins at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina, where sand fleas await in open swamps. West, and your journey takes you to Marine Corps Recruit Deposit San Diego and the unforgiving hills of Southern California, where aching muscles and burning lungs become as familiar as the landscape. All female recruits, regardless of their geography, train at Parris Island. Regardless of which Marine Corps Recruit Depot you reach, the path ahead is equally intense. Those who prevail after 12 demanding weeks will emerge completely transformed, prepared to defend our nation and each other.
School of Infantry
At SOI, Marines who have recently graduated from recruit training continue their education and training to become more proficient in the fundamentals of being a rifleman. Marines with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of infantry are trained at the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all non-infantry Marines are trained at the Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT). There are two Schools of Infantry: CampGeiger located in North Carolina and CampPendleton in California.
Officer Training
Officer Candidates School
The first proving ground for future Marine Officers is Officer Candidates School (OCS) in Quantico, VA. The mission of OCS is to train, screen and evaluate candidates, who must demonstrate a high level of leadership potential and commitment to success in order to earn a commission. Officer Candidates School training will be more demanding than any you've experienced before, regardless of commissioning program. OCS consists of two, six week training sessions, that takes place during the summers of a recruits freshman, sophomore, or junior years of college.
The Basic School
Following Officer Candidates School, newly commissioned officers head to The Basic School to learn how to lead and inspire fellow Marines. Guided by the mentorship of experienced Marines, new officers develop the leadership, knowledge and esprit de corps that define the Marine Corps. After earning a commission, your first assignment as a Marine Officer will be at The Basic School in Quantico, VA. In this intense six-month program, you'll build on the skills learned as an officer candidate to turn your leadership potential into command experience.
For over 221 years our Corps has done two things for this great Nation. We make Marines, and we win battles. Gen. Charles C. Krulak, USMC (CMC); 5 May 1997