The U.S. Marine Corps

The Marine Corps traces its founding to 10 November 1775, when the Continental Congress resolved that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" — by tradition at Tun Tavern, Philadelphia. The Corps is the nation's expeditionary force-in-readiness, organized for combined-arms operations from the sea, with the ethos that every Marine is a rifleman.

Its battle history — Tripoli (1805), Belleau Wood (1918), Iwo Jima (1945), the Chosin Reservoir (1950) — is woven into its identity. The Corps operates under the Department of the Navy, and its motto is "Semper Fidelis" ("Always Faithful").

The Marine Corps has no dedicated service academy. Its officers commission through three main routes: the U.S. Naval Academy (Marine option — about a quarter of each Annapolis class), NROTC (Marine option), and Officer Candidates School (OCS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (via the PLC and OCC programs).

What unifies them is The Basic School (TBS) at Quantico: every newly commissioned Marine officer — regardless of source — attends TBS and trains as a provisional rifle-platoon commander before moving on to a specialty. It is the Corps' great equalizer. See the NROTC Marine option →

PLC — the Platoon Leaders Class (during college)

PLC lets you earn your degree at any college while doing your officer training entirely over the summers at OCS in Quantico — with no classes, uniforms, or drills during the school year (the big contrast with ROTC). It comes in two tracks, by when you join:

• Freshmen & sophomores: two six-week summer sessions.
• Juniors: one ten-week summer session before senior year.

Crucially, PLC carries no military obligation while you're in college — you can walk away before commissioning, and the commitment begins only when you accept your commission after graduation. You're paid during each summer session, with travel, meals, and lodging covered. Finish the training and your degree and you commission as a second lieutenant, then attend The Basic School like every Marine officer.

Three options

PLC Ground (most specialties), PLC Air (a guaranteed aviation/pilot contract for those who qualify), and PLC Law (for law students pursuing the Judge Advocate path; a qualifying LSAT is required). See also Marine aviation and law (JAG).