NATIONAL GUARD                           OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL

HISTORY AND FACTS

1. Georgia Military Institute began in 1851 in Marietta, Georgia. It was a private military school modeled on West Point. It was aquired by the State in 1859. During the War Between the States, GMI helped train Confederate units. In 1864, the Cadets were called to battle at Resaca, GA and fought in that battle. They later distinguished themselves in the trenches north of Atlanta, the Battle of Oconee Bridge and Savannah. They were the last Confederate unit East of the Mississippi to surrender. However, they had no school to return to; Sherman had burned it to the ground before he left Marietta. It would never be rebuilt. Then in accordance with National Guard Regulation Number 46, the Georgia Military Institute National Guard Officer Candidate School was established by the Adjutant General of Georgia, Major General Georga Hearn, in 1961. GMI was reborn to again supply the state with officers and carry on the great tradition of service and sacrifice that inspired so many when Georgia called.

2. Georgia National Guard Regulation Number 600-100 is published by the Adjutant General of Georgia to prescribe the requirements for entrance to the school, and GaNGR 351-7 is the procedure for making application and the necessary guidelines for the conduct of the school.

3. The mission of the Georgia Military Institute National Guard Officer Candidate School is to train selected warrant off cers and enlisted men and women of the Georgia Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve to become effective military leaders. The emphasis is on combat leadership. The school's further function is to assist the students in their preparation to become a branch qualified Second Lieutenant.

4. The organization of the school is as follows:

• a. The OCS program operates directly under the command guidance of the 3rd Battalion (General Studies),122nd Regiment (Georgia Regional Training Institute). The school also conducts operations as a company element under the coordinating authority of the 2nd Battalion (OCS), 218th Regiment (Leadership), headquartered at Ft. Jackson. The battalion serves as the OCS command and control element for Region C of the Total Army School System (TASS).
  
  b. The OCS Commander is responsible for the operation of the school. He is directly assisted by three TAC officers and two TDA instructors.
  
  c. The "guest" Instructor Staff is composed of a select group of officers and noncommissioned officers from the Georgia National Guard and Army Reserve who instruct when needed as an additional duty.
  
  d. The TAC Staff is composed of NCOs, Lieutenants and Captains form the Georgia Army National Guard who have proven exceptional leadership ability.
  
  e. Each class is designated numerically and formed into an officer candidate company.  National Guard applicants approved for admittance are appointed by the Adjutant General and attached to the school for administration and training. Army Reserve applicants are appointed as officer candidates by the Commander, USARC.

5. The school places primary training emphasis on the development of desirable leadership traits. Academic training consists of a branch immaterial program of instruction prepared by the U. S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Rigorous physical development programs are an integral part of the entire program. Training begins in March with Pre-Phase I instruction.  This is considered the preparatory phase which stresses orientation to OCS life, leadership and related subjects. Phase I training typically takes place during a two week annual training period in June at Ft. Jackson. Training is the most intense during this phase. The officer candidate begins to feel the full pressure of discipline and the demands of leadership. Phase II consists of twelve weekend training assemblies held one weekend a month during the fall, winter and spring. Phase III is the final Annual Training period of 15 days at Ft. Benning, GA. It emphasizes tactical training and small unit leadership. At the conclusion of this phase, the officer candidate will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

6. The school officially began operation in 1961with training assembly number one for Class Number One. This initial meeting was held at the National Guard Armory in Forsyth, GA. GMI moved to the Armory in Milledgeville, GA in 1968. Half way through Class XXV, the school moved to its present location in Macon, GA in 1986.

CLASS | SCHOOL  |  NUMBER  |  NUMBER   | HONOR
  #   |  YEAR   | ENROLLED |GRADUATED GRADUATE
I        1962                    54

II       1963                    26

III      1964                    44

IV       1965                    37

V        1966                    45

VI       1967                    67

VII      1968                    14

VIII     1969                    14

IX       1970                    23

X        1971                    33

XI       1972                    27

XII      1973                    22

XIII     1974                    10

XIV      1975                    27

XV       1976                    21

XVI      1977                    16

XVII     1978                    27

XVIII    1979                    20

XIX      1980                    28

XX       1981                    16

XXI      1982                    20

XXII     1983                    27

XXIII    1984                    13

XXIV     1985                    17

XXV      1986                    27

XXVI     1987                    34

XXVII    1988                    24

XXVIII   1989                    24

XXIX     1990                    22

XXX      1991                    20

XXXI     1992                    21

XXXII    1993                    13

XXXIII   1994                    19

XXXIV    1995                    11

XXXV     1996                    11

XXXVI    1997                    12

XXXVII   1998                    19

XXXVIII  1999                    11

XXXIX    2000                    14

XL       2001

8. The Georgia Military Institute National Guard Officer Candidate School has been successful in fulfilling its mission since the first class began in 1961. This is evidenced by the satisfaction expressed by commanders with the caliber of junior officers they are receiving from the school.

9. Many graduates of the school have served on active duty with the U. S. Army throughout the world, including Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Bosnia.

• NOTE: The information on this page comes directly from Chapter 6, GaNGR 600-100.