By Liz Coffin-KarlinThe Daily Northwestern
Marine Corps officers Michael Kaniuk, David Diaz and Julius Miles spent three hours in Norris University Center Tuesday, looking for qualified students to apply for their officer training program.
Even though only five or six people showed a serious interest in the course – with two interviewing on the spot and one taking home an application – the team wasn’t dissuaded by the turnout.
They said they’re only interested in the most serious and highly qualified applicants for their competitive Platoon Leaders Course.
“I don’t consider myself a recruiter,” Capt. Kaniuk said. “I’m just an information source.”
The Platoon Leaders Course gives participants an idea of what it takes to be a Marine Corps officer and allows them to showcase their personal leadership abilities, said Master Sgt. Diaz, an officer selection assistant for the last three years. After participating in two summer programs, students might be offered a commission – an officer position in the Marine Corps – which they can decide to accept or decline.
Participants make no commitment to the military during this program, but if they accept tuition assistance, which ranges from $8,000 to $25,000, then they must either accept their commission or commit to repaying the money.
The local Officer Selection Team’s primary job is to get word of the program out on campuses to draw qualified applicants, Diaz said.
The program requires applicants to be enrolled undergraduates with a minimum SAT score of 1,000 or ACT score of 22, as well as a 2.0 GPA. To qualify, students must also be citizens of the U.S. and pass a physical fitness test.
Diaz said there are also medical and moral qualifications for the applicants: They must have a record free of repeated run-ins with the police, drug use or long-term illness that could compromise military service.
Kaniuk is the selection officer for Chicago and sends the applications to superiors for evaluation. He writes a recommendation about each applicant.
“If they’re showing me they’ve got physical courage, moral courage, integrity … that’s going to affect what I write,” Kaniuk said.
The Marine Corps representatives come to campus through University Career Services. They also come to the university career and employment fairs run out of that office.
“(Military representatives) enjoy coming here and meeting our students, and they feel that there’s enough of an interest to keep coming back,” said Dianne Siekmann, associate director of career services.
Kaniuk’s team travels to schools throughout northern Illinois and into northwest Indiana distributing information about the course, as well as conducting interviews with candidates.
“It’s not a very well known program, which is why we’re out on campuses as much as we are,” Diaz said.
Reach Liz Coffin-Karlin at [email protected].
