USMC OCS to TBS

My son is in OCS right now.Doing great and loving the challenges.He graduates Aug 9th.Apparently he has to report to TBS to register the same day,but TBS does not start till September. No one will or can tell him what he is supposed to do for the 3 or 4 weeks between OCS and TBS.He has asked if he can go home,get his car,and see his friends and family or if he is expected to stay in Quantico until TBS starts.His officers told him he will find out when he reports to TBS in August.This seems wrong. He needs to make preparations for TBS and would like to make travel arrangements( in advance)to come home if he is allowed. He really doesn't have a clue if they are messing with him or if he is really not allowed to leave Quantico.He was told if he contacts anyone at TBS to ask a question he will get kicked out of OCS. Can anyone help me help him. thank you. CJ

He will be stashed in Mike Company at TBS. There's a number of jobs around TBS that are done by Mike Co Lt's. If they don't have any jobs for him, it will be likely that he can take leave. Tell him to relax, this is merely an indication of his future life - because he often won't know anything about where he's going until he gets there.

He will have a brief on this issue about two weeks before he graduates from OCS. He will have the choice of checking in to TBS right away or go home and work with his OSO, its called PTAD. I did PTAD. Tell him to concentrate on graduating from OCS everything will work out. He does not need to contact anyone at TBS. S/F

Seriously don't sweat it. If he finishes in August and he doesn't class up for a few weeks, he'll will get some time off. The Marine Corps is not going to swallow him up, so that he is never seen again. Tell him to not worry about TBS until he finishes OCS. I had a year off before I went to TBS after OCS and I didnt have a clue until i checked in.

I had 5 days between OCS and TBS (Charlie). They rubber stamped leave for those 5 days. It is regrettable that you can't buy an airplane ticket way in advance, but that's the military. He'll have a clear idea of what will happen at least 2 weeks in advance.

If the next TBS company is 3 weeks later, they will probably let him take up to 3 weeks leave and let him go in the hole, since there are lots of LT's in Mike company with the growth to 202 K. If I were him though I wouldn't buy any tickets yet because anything could happen, like an injury that allows him to graduate but requires rehab in mini-Mike Co at OCS.

I left Mike Co in Dec 2007 and the company that just picked up had 50 people bumped to a later company because it was full. Main criteria was PFT and sending some to do IFS pre-TBS.

Before I was told that I was going to OCC-199 in Oct., rather than 198 in June, I was told by my OSO that those of us graduating in August would be temporarily deactivated for the month, and have a report in to TBS much like the ROTC folks. Your mileage may vary, as always.

What they did for the OCC-192 guys was after you graduate OCS, you do the whole parade and turn in your rifle and gear. The TBS people had a table set up right there outside the armory. If you were a direct commission and had to report into TBS right away, you just went up to the table and they told you what to do. You filled out some paper work I think (I wasnt a direct commission so I dont know exactly all the details) and then go meet with your family. We graduated 11 August. They had to report back to Quantico NLT 01 September. But after OCS graduation, they officially did their check in to TBS and then I suppose got leave until the end of the month.

Pretty much everyone went home for 20 days or so. Probably a similar situation.

Thank You ocs to tbs-one more question?

Thanks to all who replied.It is very helpful to know he will not be sucked into the vortex never to be seen again. Will it make any difference in his situation..I forgot to mention he has a flight contract. Thanks CJ

That shouldnt make a difference at all at all.

They treat everyone with equal contempt.

Haha that vortex is definitely something you want to stay out of at least attempt to, i'm always looking for opportunities to fly home and see my family whenever i can and i'm sure he will too. When we graduated the Mike Co. CO explained we basically had 3 choices: Go on leave and go in the hole, do PTAD out of your hometown, or get stashed with Mike Co live in the BOQ and do whatever stash jobs they need you to do. If i were him i would do PTAD and go home. He'll get briefed as graduation approaches, and if its anything like TBS he may have to change his plane ticket like 3 times as the word always changes

Tell him to jump at the opportunity to take the leave... He'll make up the days during the years spent in school. Nothing is more demoralizing than hanging around with the Mike Company types for two weeks.

Amen. I just finished zero week, and the limited contact I had with them was a real downer. Damn glad I didn't have some outstanding issue that didn't allow me to pick up because the next company doesnt report until September.

Well I'm here at OCS 198 too. Just finished week 8, happy to be almost done. It really seems to me that my staff are treating us more like recruits than candidates, we just got our racks dumped again, and it's Saturday of week 8. But that's neither here nor there. I've heard nasty rumors of TBS not authorizing PTAD, any insight on that? We also have to check in right after graduation on Saturday, but what are the chances that the check-in officer is actually working at noon on a Saturday?

That's pretty standard. After all, you are still a candidate "until you walk across my parade deck at graduation!!!" I'm pretty sure that was how it went. Don't want you getting too comfortable at Brown Field.

That's pretty standard as well. They will be expecting you.

Because the checking in officer is a guy that was once like you, maybe couple months longer than you in the Marine Corps. They are often referred to as Mike Company Lt's .

Simper Gumby is best as always. My kid graduated from OCC 195 in Aug of 07 and will commission next Sat. Aug 2nd. (He graduated from college in Dec of 07 but waiting for an RPK waver and a pre commission transfer from SNFO to SNA delayed things a bit)

5 days left and he still doesn't have his commissioning docs and thus no firm TBS date. He's hoping for an Oct TBS date and PTAD until then.

He knows a fair bit about hurry up and wait so he doesn't whine but I sure would like to see the kid on Uncle Sugars payroll. Paychecks have been slim since he got out of college plus the college loans are coming due. No paperwork so no commissioning loan or college loan payoff yet.

Semper Gumby is a piss poor way to say "hang loose bro" but it does seem to fit.

Best of luck to your son.

Question regarding OCS and TBS arrival dates

I noticed the thread above concerning the transition period between OCS and TBS. I am planning to go out for the Oct OCC course in 09 (once my degree is completed), and would like to know when I would report to TBS if everything goes well and I graduate OCS in December.

Also, are there any drawbacks to attending OCS in the October class?

Thanks on advance for any assistance you can lend.

You would most likely report to TBS the following January. I graduated OCC-196 on 30 Nov 07, did a month of PTAD (Dec), and checked into B Co at TBS on 3 Jan 08.

The fall OCC class is, IMHO, the best time to go as far as weather. The only drawback would be filling the time between graduation and OCS.

The big downfall of going to the late fall OCS is having to freeze your can off at TBS. I thank God everyday that our last field evolution is the first week of December.

And for all those checking in to TBS...Stop parking on the damn dirt road to the back of LZ7. There's a reason the rest of us dont park there. It wouldnt be a problem, but jackasses want to park a third of the way in the road on each side. I'm not afraid to knock a mirror off and keep driving.