The Basic School Student

“Every Marine officer, regardless of what MOS they receive, goes to The Basic School at Quantico. You'll spend six months learning the foundational skills of Marine officership — tactics, leadership, weapons, navigation, and the collective identity of the Marine officer corps. The Basic School is the common experience that bonds all Marine officers regardless of community.”

TBS is six months at Quantico in the woods, the heat, and occasionally the snow, learning what it means to be a Marine officer. The academics are real, the field exercises are demanding, and the peer evaluation component is unlike anything in the civilian world — your colleagues assess your leadership and character and that input matters to your MOS selection. The MOS selection process that happens toward the end of TBS will shape your career substantially; understanding the community you're selecting into matters. The TBS alumni network is the most reliable professional network in Marine Corps officer culture. The experience of finding out what you're actually made of under sustained pressure is the part that stays with you.