OCS: Multiple Factors, Besides Certificate, To Be Selected?

Captshortie SG

I'm a Singaporean living aboard and will be coming back serving NS in 2 years time.

I am really interested to be selected to get into OCS.
I understand that paper qualification is one factor that will be looked at with minimum GCE 'A' Level/ Polytechnic Diploma, or its equivalent (overseas education system).

What if I am not doing well academically but have good leadership skills as shown in my appointment serving as a student leader in an Uniformed Group CCA before leaving Singapore in end of Secondary 3?

How to be selected for command schools (OCS/ SCS)?

I'm really eager to know this since I am contemplating to consider sign on to forge a Professional Soldier career in the SAF.

I appreciate anyone's helpful response.

Regards

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M the name SG

If you prepare to be bully by your "senior", you didn't mind retired at 50 years old and suffered the "effect" of after physical and mental trauma, nobody is stopping.

Ailouros SG

Grades are not exactly a make or break for entry into OCS/ SCS. You have a computerised vocational aptitude assessment test during your pre-enlistment medical checkup administration day, please do it well. It is like a psychometric test.

More importantly will be your own performance and peer appraisal during Basic Military Training (BMT). If you have natural leadership ability, outspoken and likeable, alongside decent physical fitness, be selected to be trained as officer/ sergeant are good.

After completing their BMT, servicemen who have performed well and are assessed to possess leadership qualitites will be sent to either Officer Cadet School (OCS) or Specialist Cadet School (SCS) to be trained as commanders.

merkava4 SG

In BMT, this is what happens....mid-course, you will be asked to take a short survey and one of the questions will be if you express interest to lead your fellow mates.

If you select yes and meet certain criterias, you will be posted either to OCS (to be trained as an officer) or SCS (to be trained as a specialist), graduating either as a 2nd Lieutenant or a 3rd Sergeant.

So what's the criteria?

OCS/NSPI* - Minimum GCE 'A' levels/Polytechnic Diploma

SCS - Minimum GCE 'N'/'O' levels.

It does NOT mean everyone with A/Dip goes to OCS. That will be too many, it is just the minimum criteria. Since most Singaporeans have 'A'/Dip at enlistment, they get posted almost anywhere, as ordinary soldiers, specialists, officers...

*NSPI - National Service Police Inspector

So what determines?

1. Result of psychometric tests (taken before enlistment)

2. Fulfilment of minimum qualifications

3. SIT Test assessment - a few days of outfield situational tests, conducted by reservist officer with small groups of recruits. Recruits will be assessed by their leadership qualities, problem solving skills etc to assess their suitability for leadership.

Since there're limited number of officers/specialists required by the SAF, even if you do well and fulfil all criteria, you may still not get into OCS/SCS simply because the places are taken.

It also does not mean that people posted to SCS are inferior/did less well than those posted in OCS. Sometimes its simply a matter of chance and vacancy.

In short - there's no guaranteed way, alot of things are a result of SAF's organisational manpower needs, who they need you to be, or matter of chance.

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Have you received your enlistment notice? It also depends on whether you're enlisted into BMTC, Mono-intake (direct into certain units that require special training), or even the police or SCDF. Commandos/Naval Divers have their own way of assessing from their recruits, who becomes a Commando specialist or get posted to OCS and return to become a Commando Officer.

For SCDF, they have their own assessments (I believe similar methods) to determine who gets to be an officer. While for police, cadet senior officers are chosen from Army's BMTC (similar to those posted to OCS/SCS), they will transfer over to the police and be trained as Police Inspectors.