The Army OCS Heritage Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and historical purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Mission
The mission of the Army OCS Heritage Society is to operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes by preserving, documenting and promoting the history and legacy of the United States Army Officer Candidate Schools and its graduates. The Society accomplishes its mission through archival research, historical preservation, educational programming, public outreach and digital initiatives — including the Army OCS Database — in coordination with the OCS Heritage Center at Wigle Hall, Fort Benning, Georgia.
Vision
The Society envisions a future in which every graduate of the United States Army Officer Candidate School is recognized, their service preserved, and their leadership legacy accessible to graduates, families, historians and the American public — strengthening understanding of OCS’s enduring role in the defense of the Nation.
What the Society does
- Preserves, interprets and promotes the history, heritage and legacy of Army OCS and its graduates from World War II to the present.
- Develops, maintains and expands the Army OCS Database as a permanent historical and educational resource for veterans, families, researchers and the public.
- Researches graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country, and those awarded the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service Cross.
- Collects, preserves and displays records, artifacts, photographs, oral histories and archival materials concerning Army OCS.
- Conducts educational programs, publications, exhibits, lectures and digital resources that increase public understanding of OCS history and service.
- Supports and advances the mission of the Army OCS Heritage Center at Wigle Hall, Fort Benning, Georgia, through research, archival development, public education and historical programming.
- Partners with museums, archives, educational institutions and heritage organizations, and with the Fold3 and Ancestry genealogy platforms.
- Reaches out to military and civilian museums to develop reciprocal website links.
The Army OCS Database
The database is the centerpiece of the Society’s work. It documents graduates of every OCS branch school from the inception of Army Officer Candidate Schools in 1941 to the present, with the data available for each — graduation date, branch commissioned, and education level at graduation.
It also records graduates who received the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service Cross, those who died in a combat zone or on active duty, with the reason and detail, and inductees of the Army Officer Candidate Schools Hall of Fame. The Society was formed to become the single repository for everything Army OCS.
No members, no dues
The Society has no members and no dues to join. It is a group of like-minded individuals who care about the history and legacy of OCS. An account on this site is a login, not a membership — it exists so the record can be reached, and no fee is charged for it or for anything else the Society does.
Public benefit
All of the Society’s activities are conducted for the public good, ensuring that educational and historical resources are free or broadly accessible. No part of the Society’s net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any private individual.
Core values
- Historical integrity
- Commitment to accuracy, documentation and scholarly standards.
- Service and sacrifice
- Honoring leadership commissioned through OCS.
- Education
- Making history accessible to the public.
- Preservation
- Safeguarding records for future generations.
- Stewardship
- Responsible management of entrusted resources.
- Partnership
- Collaboration with Army and civilian heritage institutions.
Charitable status
The Society is an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 41-4150336. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Because there are no dues, contributions are what fund the work — see Support.