The Army has West Point. The Naval Adademy is at Annapolis. The Air Force Academy is in Colorado.Is there an academy for the Marine Corps, where you have to be nominated by a Congressman to get in? I found a Marine Corps University at Quantico, but I'm not sure it is of the same type as the others. And there's a Coast Guard Academy.
The proper term is not "both", but should be "either" Navy or Marine Corps .... until one-sixth of the graduating class has opted (according to class standing) to serve as Marine officers. From that point, all remaining Mids will serve as Naval officers.
Marines graduate from the Naval Academy. Historically, the Marines were the land fighting force of the US Navy.
The United States Coast Guard Academy is in New London, Connecticut. The Coast Guard used to be part of the Department of the Treasury, but was moved to Homeland Security (after a brief stint in the Department of Transportation). In wartime, it operates under US Naval command.
The Air Force Academy also commissions new lieutenants for the Space Force (if you need that)...
Actually, yes, the Marines are considered, nominally, as part of the Navy, and thus attend the Naval Academy. However, the Marine Corps University at Quantico is akin to the Senior War College in the Navy (i.e. teaching Command techniques for active engagements with highly focused, intense training).
My father, a Naval Chaplain, actually attended, once he reached the rank of Captain—which incidentally, meant he could no longer serve on any Naval ship other than an Air-Craft Carrier, as then he'd be the same rank of the ship's captain, which isn't allowed, due to the potential of the one Captain potentially undermining the active ship's captain.
By the way, my father, an avid hunter, also was eligible for multiple awards, including a purple heart and the Merit of Honor Award (he was providing services for the native Vietnamese U.S. forces during the Tet Offenses and thus ended up being the first to return fire, allowing the rest of the corp to grab their weapons and regain control), but due to pressure from the Chaplaincy, was forced to turn it down, as it sends a conflicting signal about the role of Chaplains as official Peace Keeping forces during time of war. Oh, he also was nominated as an Active Combat helicopter gunner, since he flew so many times during his two tours there.
Then again, when he option to testify against he son being Court Marshaled for being gay, the entire Chaplaincy Corp and EVERY single chaplain he'd ever worked with turned the backs on him for being loyal to his own son and testifying honestly about his character (My brother's case was combined with Matlovich's, and resulting in the Supreme Courts' overturning of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. So they both make their own history in slightly different ways.
Though both died young, my father as a result of Agent Orange exposure and my brother due to AIDS (the 'gay' disease). He was the most promising of the initial treatment protocol until he wasn't (he died a week later, due to his body rejecting the mediation).
But as they say, the good die young. By the way, Space Force is just another way of saying, the militarization of the previously free access of space exploration policy of most nations. Now there's a widespread to 'claim' as much space as each nation can. But alas, the Pres' long claimed 'laser-attacks from space' were merely a pipe dream, never proving practical.
One thing about the military, they absolutely refuse to learn anything from history. ;)
The United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Maryland, is what I think you are thinking about. Historically, a very few Marine officers were educated at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. How officers get their Commissions can be quite convoluted. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but it is hard to write fiction that people are unlikely to believe, even if true.
Most officers come from ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) at select universities and colleges.
Norwich College is another location, a 'private' military academy; along with five other select Officer Training programs that are a bit more than typical ROTC. As I recall, graduates from Norwich get the same Date of Commissioning as West Point, a privilege not granted any other program. The Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M is larger than all of the military and naval academies combined.
There is also OCS (Officer Candidate School) for the promotion of Enlisted men (and women) to officers.
Direct Commissions are still granted, although extremely rarely; most often for special knowledge, such as medical doctors, or lawyers; although most of those come from ROTC programs, or programs related to ROTC. Notoriously Hunter Biden, son of the then VPOTUS, was granted a Direct Commission...
There is a Marine Corps University at Quantico, it is for continuing education. Marine officers may also attend the Naval War College, various US Army courses, such as the Command and General Staff course, the Army War College, etc.
There is misinformation in this thread.
There are no paths to direct commisioning in the USMC that would not require the same 'basic' training. Whether it be JAG or any techincal MOS. They all go through OCS or PLC. OCS is not intended to be a 'boot camp'. It is a (very long) interview of officer candidates by drill instructors and Marine officers to see if they want you to be leading Marines. The enlisted instructors are adept at 'encouraging' officer candidates, that they consider ill-suited to lead them, to drop from OCS or PLC.
You are commisioned after PLC/OCS, then go to TBS, before any specialty schoolhouse. Every marine officer is trained to be a rifle platoon commander, whether a pilot or lawyer or whatever.
The Naval Academy offers the Marine 'option' to midshipmen. They typically go to 'basic' training during the summer, after their third year at the academy, if the school's Marine reps so approve the candidate.
It is also possible to go the West Point and request a commision in the USMC, but this is atypical.
Navy Chaplains are NOT Marine officers, and recieve a rather simplistic orientation prior to service within the FMF.
The USMC is part of the Department of Navy, and the USMC commandant reports to the Secretary of Navy. Prior to end of WW2, the USMC was part of the USN, and the commandant reported to the CNO. The commandant now sits on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
I am not aware of any such thing as a 'Merit of Honor Award' by the Defense Department.
A chaplain of any rank can be billeted on any USN vessel, regardless of the rank of the ship's commanding officer. A chaplain is not a line officer.
Leonard Matlovich was not subject to the 'DADT' policy. That did not become established until the 1990s. He was not part of any DADT adjudication, but did establish awareness for gays in the American military.
Chaplains are, in some cases, issued sidearms. They are generally discouraged from taking up arms as they have minimal training in USMC tactics.
There is no such billet as "Active Combat helicopter gunner". And airmen and Marine aircrew would be subject to NJP (article 15) if a chaplain was allowed to participate in routine combat activities.
The USMC requires all enlisted and officers to read and study history. Q.V., the Commandant's Reading List.
OCS is not for the "promotion of enlisted men". OCS or PLC is for anyone, whether or not prior enlisted, that aspires to be a Marine officer.
Enlisted to Officer programs are not uncommon for the USMC. The most common being ECP and MECEP. Prior to being accepted into a commisioning program, enlisted personnel must pass OCS.
There are no doctors, or any medical personnel, in the USMC. The Navy provides medical personnel to the USMC.
There are no paths to direct commisioning in the USMC that would not require the same 'basic' training. Whether it be JAG or any techincal MOS.
While I agree with you that there probably shouldn't be a Direct Commission for a USMC officer; it is still possible, however, unlikely.
I haven't read through the regulations for some two decades, but as I recall: a Direct Commission is not only for civilians with specific needed skills, when there is not time to train them to be a military (or naval) officer. Direct Commissions are also what are sometimes called "Battlefield Commissions" which were given only to experienced NCOs (albeit only a couple of years service, and perhaps only days of combat experience, in some extremely rare circumstances).
Admittedly, some of my previous post referred to all branches. Other parts refer to events going back to the founding of the USMC, and the nineteenth century.
Recently some individual were granted commissions at very high rank based upon some specific technical knowledge, the Security Clearances they needed to perform their duties, and the perceived need to pay them at a level appropriate to their qualifications. I don't believe any were made Marines. However, if TPTB (The Powers That Be) decided to do so, they could make Direct Commissions into the USMC.
What is a fact, no matter how improbable, doesn't mean that it would be a good idea to do in a fiction story. Suspension of disbelief can be a challenge. If your story is supposed to be serious, putting in elements, even if truthful, but extremely unlikely, makes it more difficult for some readers to suspend disbelief.
>Direct Commission for a USMC officer; it is still possible, however, unlikely.
Not possible within the USMC. There is no such path currently allowed, structurally or legally; nor am I aware of any such regulation or ALMAR within the previous 50 years that would allow this.
>Direct Commissions are also what are sometimes called "Battlefield Commissions"
Non sequitur. 'Battlefield' commission is not the same as 'direct' commission. In any case, there has been no legal or procedural means to effect USMC battlefield commissions since Vietnam.
Another tip for writers wanting to pretend authoritative knowledge. USMC Battlefield commissions were temporary upon cessation of war, or withdrawl from hostile area, unless the individual subsequently meets education (4-year degree) and passes OCS.