One of Us: Officers of Marines--Their Training, Traditions, and Values | 
 enlarge | Author: Jack Ruppert
Publisher: Praeger Publishers
Category: Book
List Price: $62.95
Buy New: $49.92
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New (12) Used (7) from $49.92
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 255630
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 216
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 7.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 0275972224
Dewey Decimal Number: 359.963320973
EAN: 9780275972226
ASIN: 0275972224
Publication Date: April 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: New & Unread Book that May Have Slight Handling Wear From Bookstore Shelf. IN-STOCK Now For Immediate Secure Packaging & Delivery!
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
What does it take to become a Marine Officer? This engaging book transports readers through the culture shock of Marine Officer Candidates School, a ten-week physical, intellectual, and emotional testing ground that every fourth candidate fails to complete. The Sergeant Instructors' intensity is palpable as candidates are made to strip away civilian habits and attitudes, replacing them the Marine Corps ethos in the hopes of becoming officers. Anecdotes and personal recollections of OCS by two generations of officers provide instructive, poignant, and humorous interludes for the reader. A second focus of the book involves research into the demographics, attitudes, and opinions of two groups of officers, separated in time by 50 years. This comparison across a wide range of personal and social issues and beliefs renders some surprising results that lie in opposition to conventional wisdom. From the older generation, the reader will better understand the lifelong impact of the Marine leadership experience. From today's officers, the reader will discover the motivations of today's allegedly soft and coddled young people to follow the difficult path to a lieutenant's gold bars. This book is required reading for anyone with an interest in the Marine Corps and its culture.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 One Of Us: Officers Of The Marines November 10, 2006
Terrific book!! Brings back many memories. Just wish I could afford to give it to all my Marine Corps associates.
 Very interesting historically informative September 19, 2005
The author paints a vivid description of the differences in the OCS/TBS training between his era and the current one. It was excellent in the historical persepective. However, I was a bit disappointed at the lack of specificity in the current standards and practices. I had hoped to gain moe insight in the how the officers leading today's Marines are selected and trained.
However, for those interested in the rich culture and history of the US Marine Corps - you won't be disappointed in this book.
Informative look at OCS and beyond June 6, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
To start, this rating is actually two grades averaged: purely as a book, One Of Us gets three stars. The writing is directed at facts, not style, and it's recounting a process rather than a story, since the author. There are certainly great moments, especially where Ruppert interviews his old OCS classmates. But there are also horrifically boring moments, like the chapter analyzing demographic and survey data on OCS classes, and most of the writing is simply average both in style and in ability to hold interest.
As an information resource, however, this book is second to none and gets five solid stars. It is first and foremost a thorough examination of what today's OCS is like, the process and stress candidates must undergo, and excellent preparation for anyone planning to attend. The information Ruppert gives on TBS is also useful, though less specific. Anyone reading this will instantly have great insight into how Marine officers are trained and what those trainees should expect, if not a kind of cheat sheet on how to act and hopefully succeed. In a way, Ruppert is actually probably doing OCS a service in its mission of selection: anyone thinking of going to OCS will get such a solid picture of the experience that it'll probably either scare them far away or motivate them for the challenge.
The bottom line is that this book should be required for anyone interested in becoming a Marine officer, but others should save the time and money. For those looking for a great narrative of Marine training, read Thomas Ricks' outstanding book Making The Corps, a book Ruppert actually mentions several times.
Great Book on Marine Corp OCS and TBS January 12, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I was curious about OCS and TBS and bought this book to get some info. The book is well written. It compares OCS now to OCS back in the 50s. The information in the book is valuable. I have learned so much from reading this book about being a Marine Corp. Officer. I highly recommend this book to those who are thinking of joining up or have family or friends who have. It is important to learn what these men and women go through for almost a year in training to be who they are.
Cant find it at stores January 12, 2005
0 out of 13 found this review helpful
First let me say that i am only 14, turning 15 on the 18th, but that i am already preparing to become ean officer in the marine corps. I have already sent my information to the naval academy so they will monitor my grades and stuff, and i am doing my best pyhysicaly and mentally to prepare for what is to come. I usually read a book from the library and then review it, but the library doesnt have it. Might have something to do with the 50 dollar price tag, but regardless, they dont carry it. And being only fourteen i dont have a credit card, so i cant order this book online. I need to ask my dad to but it for me. So i probably wont read tis book for a long time.
But based on what ive been able to gather from all of the past reviews is that you learn how to lead marines fdrom this book. OR at least youre ready for OCS. So im gonna try to find it, even though i wont need it for like ten years,( 3.5 years of high school, 4 years of College, hopefully the naval academy, and 2 years on my mission for my church) But when i need this book, i will have it so instilled in my memory that i am confident it will have been worth the fifty bucks,and all the time im gonna use to find a copy.
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