Direct commission officer

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Uniformed officers who serve on active duty or in the reserves in many cases receive their commission through a Direct Commission Officer (DCO) program.

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[edit] Background

Civilians who have special skills that are critical to sustaining military operations, supporting troops, health and scientific study may receive what are called "direct commissions." These officers usually occupy leadership positions in the following areas: law, medicine, 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 two U.S. armed services. The U.S. Marine Corps does not offer a DCO program. The Marines, however, do have a substantial population of Mustang Officers and Limited Duty Officers.

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned 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) or Direct Commission Officer School (DCO School).

[edit] U.S. Navy Direct Commission Officers

The United States Navy has an extensive DCO program. It is important to distinguish between the Navy's active duty component staff corps school, called Officer Development School (ODS) -- new name as of August 2007 -- and the Navy's reserve component Direct Commission Officer School (DCO School).

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) of 2005 decreed that reserve officer DCO School be re-located to Newport, RI from its current location at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL as of January 2007. The U.S. Navy is consolidating many of its schools in one central location -- Naval Station Newport, RI. 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, RI. As of January 2007 all reserve DCO, LDO and CWO Officers attend the same two week course of instruction in Newport. Active duty ODS is also located in Newport, RI as well as Officer Candidate School (OCS), the thirteen week program that college students and graduates wishing to join the US Navy as officers go through.

The Naval 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 Naval Reserve. Most DCOs hold advanced degrees (MAs, MBAs, JDs, MDs and Ph.Ds.) and significant civilian work experience. The Direct Commissioning Program serves the expanded needs of the Navy in certain officer skill areas listed below in alphabetical order:

  • Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer
  • Chaplain Corps Officer
  • Civil Engineer Corps
  • Cryptology Officer
  • Engineering Duty Officer
  • Foreign Area Officer (Country or Regional Specialists, Non-Intelligence)
  • Information Professional (typically, personnel have Computer Science degrees and extensive industry experience)
  • Intelligence Officer
  • Limited Duty Officer (Various specialties)
  • Medical Programs (Medical, Dental, Nurse, and Medical Service Corps)
  • Merchant Marine Officer
  • Oceanography Officer
  • Public Affairs Officer
  • Supply Corps Officer (Logistics, Transportation, Supply Management, Customs, Contracting)
  • Special Warfare Officer
  • 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.

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

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. For the five-week program, the first week is an Indoctrination week.

There are seven Direct Commission Officer programs:

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.

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

The PHSCC 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 Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Many PHSCC DCOs hold advanced degrees (MS, MDs and Ph.Ds.) and significant civilian work experience but the minimum in many programs is a baccalaureate degree. The Direct Commissioning Program serves the expanded needs of the PHS in certain officer skill areas listed below:

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

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 Corps. 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:

[edit] External links