Back when I was a naïve young Sergeant Baka and thought I could change the world, some of my military and family mentors urged me to try for Officer Candidate School (OCS). After a year of their helpful nudging (AKA: endless nagging) I was just about ready to put in an application packet. MSG Bobby was one of the nudgers, and (spoiler) was at my OCS graduation.

TLDR at the end

The OCS application packet consists of 20-something different documents: test score sheets, school transcripts, Commander recommendation letters (Company, Battalion, Brigade), PT scorecards, official photo, etc., and it all has to be in a very specific order according to a checklist. I have the application with all supporting documents and am just waiting to submit the paperwork when my new (2-3 months) Platoon Leader, Lieutenant Keith, hits me up one day.

LT Keith: Hey there SGT Baka - I'm commissioned through ROTC and I hear you're trying to go to OCS. I haven't seen an OCS packet before - I'd like to get acquainted with one in case anyone else wants to try for it. Would you mind letting me take a look at yours?

LT Keith works with the Platoon Sergeant, Sergeant First Class Pelt. SFC Pelt is a real piece of work and nobody in the platoon likes her - she's screwed over every one of us at one point or another. She especially hates the idea of me going to OCS and outranking her, and is doing everything she can to block it. On the other hand, LT Keith seems like a decent sort from what I can tell. I don't initially see anything wrong with his request, so . . .

Me: Sure thing Sir. <I hand him the actual packet with all my original documents . . . not a copy. FYI: **Don't hand over your originals -** this is *really fucking stupid*™. r/UsernameChecksOut.>

LT Keith: Thanks, I'll get this right back to you.

Are you surprised to learn LT Keith doesn't get it right back to me? I can't find him for days . . . and when I do link up with him it's only a day or so before the submission window closes. I get the packet back and go through the contents one last time to make sure everything lines up with the checklist.

I'm sure you're already way ahead of me - everything is not in order. Two documents are missing from the packet. Not the first two. Not the last two. Not even two right next to each other from somewhere in the middle. Just two . . . random . . . documents . . .

One is the letter of recommendation from the Brigade Commander (O-6, bird Colonel). The other is a score sheet from the Education Center.

Fuck. Me.

SFC Pelt and LT Keith must've thought it would be next to impossible for me to recover these documents with no time left on the clock. Thing is, you don't get to the point of applying for OCS because you're a piece of shit, can't solve problems, and don't have resources or people on your side.

Challenge accepted, motherfuckers.

I march my happy ass right over to the Brigade Commander's office and talk to his Executive Assistant. Ms. Mary and I are on a first name basis because I'm in there at least once a week for a high-profile additional duty that brings a lot of good attention to Colonel John.

Me: Sorry to bother you Ms. Mary, but I need a fresh copy of the Colonel's recommendation.

Ms. Mary: Not a problem, how soon do you need it?

Me: Today, if possible. Tomorrow at the latest.

Ms. Mary: I can make that happen. He's in his office right now so it shouldn't take long. Have a seat over there - I'll reprint it and get his signature in two shakes.

20 minutes later, I've got a freshly signed letter of recommendation. COL John even takes a minute to talk to me about the additional duty and wishes me luck at the OCS board.

I head over to the Education Center and talk to Mr. Bob, the civilian who runs the military schools section. Mr. Bob is solidly in my corner. In fact, he's so eager to remove me from the NCO Corps that when I get my OCS Board appointment a little later, he gives me a list of questions the Board members will ask and urges me to study my ass off.

I tell Mr. Bob about LT Keith losing a couple of my documents, but Mr. Bob knows my history with SFC Pelt. He draws me a picture about how the two of them probably set me up, and suggests LT Keith didn't lose the documents, he and SFC Pelt removed them. Then he reprints my missing score sheet.

I double check everything, make sure it's all in checklist order, set it into the folder, and hand it to back him - Mr. Bob is also the guy who officially accepts all the application packets. One day under the wire.

SFC Pelt and LT Keith must've shit a collective brick when they learn that I'm able to get the application in, complete and on time. Then I get my OCS board appointment and my TDY orders to OCS. I can just see her bitching at him: "I thought you said there was no way he could fix it and get it in on time?!"

SFC Pelt is so pissed when my OCS orders come back from HQDA that she works a deal to transfer me out of the platoon and over to Company Headquarters, working for First Sergeant Steve. SFC Pelt and 1SG Steve do not like each other. SFC Pelt thinks it's because 1SG Steve is even more of an asshole than she is and she's convinced he's going to piss on my cornflakes before I head to OCS - she literally gloat-threatens me with "You're going to wish you'd never gone down this road by the time he's done with you."

Joke's on her. Turns out he dislikes her precisely because he isn't an asshole. He doesn't like the way she treats her troops, but there's not a lot he can do about it because none of her behavior is quite over the line. I take over as the Company Training NCO for the next 7 months, getting great mentorship and leadership training directly from one of the best First Sergeants around.

That's when it really hits home that I can learn something from anyone in a leadership position. I learn a lot from 1SG Steve about being a good leader, caring for my troops, and how helping individual soldiers can result in benefit to them, the unit, and the Army all at the same time. Likewise, I realize that I've learned just as much from SFC Pelt and LT Keith about how not to do all these things.

Epilogue and bonus points:

Most of us at OCS had gone "TDY and Return" - which means if we bolo we're going home in shame. Extra motivation to graduate, I guess? Regardless, once I'm done with OCS and Airborne I have to go back to my old unit to clear and PCS.

Back at the company as a freshly-minted LT, I have the surreal experience of running into folks I'd worked with when I was SGT Baka. These are the guys who would normally turn the other way if an officer was coming toward them, but they're literally racing across a parking lot for the chance to salute me and call me "Sir" or "LT." Crazy, but touching at the same time.

Even 1SG Steve frequently catches me outside so he has an excuse salute me. Seems like he's tickled pink by the whole idea of it, and I can tell he's as proud of my accomplishment as I am thankful for his mentorship.

On the flip side, I never again salute LT Keith . . . and my buddies from the platoon help me find SFC Pelt outdoors as frequently as possible so she has to salute me. All. the. damn. time. Strangely, she doesn't seem as happy about it as 1SG Steve.

​

TLDR: Platoon leadership tries to sink a golden opportunity, outfoxed by simple competence and friends in higher places.