FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico –
The 1st Mission Support Command U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico welcomed one of its newest officers, 2nd Lt. Josue Lebron, assigned to the 2nd Battalion 348th Regiment (Training Support) (Certified Strength/Conditioning Specialist) September 24.
To pursue the path of becoming a Commissioned Officer in the Army, applicants must be at least a citizen of the United States and hold, at minimum, a bachelor's degree. Currently, there are three ways to commission in the Army. The first is Army Reserve Officers Training Corps
(ROTC), the second is to attend the U.S. Military Academy at Westpoint, and the third is Officer Candidate School.
At the moment, there are three types of OCS soldiers can attend, the Federal OCS in Fort Benning, Georgia, the Accelerated OCS with the Army National Guard, and the State/Traditional OCS option with your state's Regional Training Institute.
"My experience going through OCS was good but challenging," said Lebron. "The school tests your mental fortitude, knowledge, and leadership skills. "I highly recommend OCS to all enlisted
thinking about becoming an officer; although it is a challenge, the reward will be worth it in the end."
Before commissioning, Lebron had already served 12 years in the Army as a non-commissioned officer, reaching the rank of staff sergeant and receiving the title of Drill Sergeant at one point in his career.
Lebron decided to go through the State/Traditional OCS, which is divided into three phases, two two-week periods in phases one and three and one weekend a month for 16 to 18 months in phase two.
Within his graduating class of eight soldiers, Lebron was the only reservist to attend and complete the school and was also recognized for exceeding physical fitness standards.
"I'd say the hardest thing about State OCS was staying focused throughout phase two, its only one weekend a month for a little over a year," expressed Lebron. "Every month, you report to school and are expected to be proficient, locked in, and ready to perform while also meeting the standards every time."
Lebron was pinned the rank of Second Lieutenant by his wife and commissioned as an Engineer Officer, which correlates very closely to his civilian career and bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
The 1st MSC citizen-soldiers bring their civilian experiences to bear in their military duties and project management expertise to solve the Army's most complex challenges.