Growing up playing hockey in Wisconsin, second-year University of Idaho College of Law (Idaho Law) student Tyler Nelson constantly heard trash talk from opponents designed to demoralize him.
Experiencing that level of hostility proved beneficial prior to entering the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS).
“You’ll never be in a place where you see more grown men cry than recruit training or OCS,” Nelson said. “It’s not easy. They’re trying to see who’s going to fold and who doesn’t want to be there. You had to remember your “why” to get through it.”
Nelson and fellow Idaho Law student Tanner McClain ’24 both completed OCS for the Marines last summer because they shared the same “why” — they wanted to become officers prior to joining the military branch’s judge advocate division as attorneys.
While having active law students complete OCS is rare, Idaho Law Dean Brian Kane, himself a military veteran, is grateful his school supports students who want to pursue a career in military justice.
“I could not be prouder of Tyler and Tanner,” said Kane, who spent four years serving in the United States Army. “They embody the best principles of Idaho Law: a commitment to service, the courage to challenge themselves and a desire to use their legal education to make a difference. We are honored to serve as a foundational element of their journey.”
You’ll never be in a place where you see more grown men cry than recruit training or OCS. It’s not easy. They’re trying to see who’s going to fold and who doesn’t want to be there. You had to remember your “why” to get through it.
Tyler Nelson
Second-year student, Idaho Law
Tough love
Nelson’s father is a retired police officer, which is how he originally became interested in law. He also had an aunt with a military background who constantly reminded him about the benefits of learning discipline in the armed services.
After enrolling at Idaho Law, he realized he could mesh those worlds by becoming a military attorney.
“I thought about just joining the military as an officer after high school — it was between that and law school,” Nelson said. “But with the Marine Corps OCS, I realized maybe I didn’t have to give up on doing both.”
McClain and Nelson are scheduled to graduate from Idaho Law in 2028. Once they pass their bar exams, they will report to The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, to complete a six-month course for officers. After that, they will enter Naval Justice School (NJS), where they will begin legal training.
There are benefits to passing OCS and committing an initial four years to the Corps, such as receiving financial support for law school expenses plus receiving a larger compensation package after completing NJS. Since completing OCS, both Nelson and McClain are now second lieutenants, and in the inactive reserves, in the Marine Corps. They’ll gain active-duty status once they pass the bar exam and enter The Basic School.
Nelson, who would eventually like to practice criminal or family law, chose the Marine Corps in part because of the mental and physical strength becoming a Marine required. Thanks to his hockey background — not to mention growing up the son of a police officer — he was able to endure things like drill instructors getting in his face.
What he didn’t anticipate was needing to adapt to a less obvious kind of obstacle.
“Once I got there, I realized the isolation was the hardest part for me,” he said. “Being out of my routine, not seeing my fiancée, things like that.”
It took a few letters — and photos — from home to help Nelson remember his why.
“When I say those letters and photos saved me at OCS, I’m not exaggerating,” Nelson said. “As much as you might dislike your instructors at the start … getting screamed at and having mud thrown in your face … you eventually remember why you’re doing it, and it starts to get easier.”
Service oriented
Nelson solidified his career path during his first year at Idaho Law. McClain has felt strongly about his journey for more than 10 years.
“Since I was a kid, I’ve been interested in the military,” said McClain, originally from Middleton. “I wanted to enlist after high school, but my parents thought I should maybe think about college. By getting involved in student government at U of I and then thinking about law school, I found an intersection between law and the military.”
The grandson of an Army veteran, McClain was drawn specifically to the Marine Corps because of the strong bond he saw among the ranks.
“The Marine Corps feels almost like a fraternal institution,” said McClain, a member of Beta Theta Pi while on the Moscow campus. “They feel like your brothers and sisters. One of the biggest things I saw during OCS was how important community and camaraderie is in the Marines.”
Like Nelson, McClain is interested in the idea of being mentally and physically fit. Being an attorney for the Marine Corps means not only knowing the law but also being able to do 20 pullups or run three miles in under 24 minutes at a moment’s notice.
Assigned to platoons of approximately 50 candidates, OCS attendees from all across the country were given different assignments, including leadership responsibilities for up to 200 people. McClain welcomed the opportunity.
“To be in a high-pressure environment like that and to act with decisiveness while remaining calm and controlled was really important,” McClain said. “OCS instilled that discipline in me, and it was a tremendous experience.”
In addition to the leadership training he received at OCS, McClain said his involvement in activities outside the classroom as a U of I underclassman prepared him for a leadership position after he graduates from Idaho Law.
“A big principle in the Marine Corps is to lead by example,” he said. “When I was ASUI President, I was really intentional about not just being in an office, but getting out, talking to people and understanding what the issues were. Leadership is about service and you don’t lead from behind a desk.”