Monster Marine OCS thread: stupid questions answered here!

[Harrier Dude]

Soo... I've spent hours pouring over the descriptions of OCC trying to adjust my workouts etc. I was wondering, since all my Marine friends are enlisted, how does OCS compare (if at all) to their experiences? From their stories, Boot sucks, but the attrition rate doesn't seem anywhere near as high so I'm guessing OCC is far more demanding...

Two different worlds.

Boot camp is to train basic Marines.

OCS is a like a tryout camp. You either make it, or you don't. No rollbacks. No medical issues. No do-overs. Just figure out a way to get it done, or go home.They don't really care if you learn anything. They're looking to see how you handle things. They expect you to learn stuff at TBS.

There will be a ton more organized PT than at boot camp. There will be less punitive PT (if any at all) at OCS.

You get liberty at OCS. You won't at boot camp.

Both are hard in different ways and serve two different purposes.

 

[jarhead]

The attrition rate at Marine Corps OCS is high because it is voluntary; you can quit at any time during training. Recruits at MCRD signed a contract saying they would stay in the Corps for a certain length of time so they can’t just quit, they are required to fulfill their obligation (actually you can quit recruit training but we won’t go there). If you get hurt at MCRD, you will be sent to a rehab platoon so you can eventually return to training; if you get hurt at OCS, you will be sent home.

Having been to both …

I thought OCS was far more physical than MCRD but I’ll caveat that with the fact that I went through MCRD when I was 18 and just out of HS where I played a lot of sports and I went to OCS (PLC) when I was 27 after 4 years of college laziness. A couple big differences were the fact that after a few weeks they let you have Sat night off, i.e. you could leave base. You left MCRD after 13 weeks of close supervision. Also, at OCS, you could get assignments that kept you up most of the night to complete … MCRD is required to give recruits 8 hours of un-interrupted sleep.

S/F

Soo... I've spent hours pouring over the descriptions of OCC trying to adjust my workouts etc. I was wondering, since all my Marine friends are enlisted, how does OCS compare (if at all) to their experiences? From their stories, Boot sucks, but the attrition rate doesn't seem anywhere near as high so I'm guessing OCC is far more demanding...

 

[Crowbar]

What they said.

I thought OCS was physically brutal, but boot camp was more mental.
Boot camp: I was 17, had never been away from home, and I was a beach ball with lips but the PT didn't kill me. Mentally it was tough because it was 13 weeks with no break. I stood on the yellow footprints and the next time I was able to relax was the Sunday before graduation.
OCS: I was 26 and 27 and had been punishing myself trying to get ready for it. It was still a kick in the ass physically. Mentally it wasn't bad because after 3 weeks we were getting time off on weekends. By week four we could hear our platoon staff telling each other, "I'm tired of this place and ready to go home" which just wouldn't happen on one of the depots.

The philosophical difference between the two, as mentioned, is huge. Different programs, different purposes. There are some old threads on this same subject, if I can dig them up I'll add the links.

OCS vs boot camp (circa 2003)
Boot camp vs OCS (circa 2004)
Great Boot Camp Stories

 

[E5B]

I concur with Jarhead and Crowbar.

OCS was a lot more physically demanding than boot camp, specifically running. You'll run your @ss off at OCS everyday. Sleep deprivation is a huge factor at OCS. At boot camp I remember getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep (depending on fire watch) where as OCS I averaged 3-4 a night. Expect to get 18 tasks right before lights out with the understanding that all tasks will be complete when the lights come back on.

Also, boot camp was very structured and organized. What I mean by that is the DI's run the show, tell you where to be and when and they are always there making things happen. At OCS, the candidates run the show and are responsible for the daily schedule and getting the company to where it needs to be on time. The Sgt Inst's give you enough rope to hang yourself with then they intervene when necessary. Liberty is the same way. Think of it as being given enough rope to hang yourself with. Every company has candidates that get kicked out due to inappropriate behavior during liberty....or being late.

 

[Pat_Lucas]

Harrier,ESB, Jarhead, And Crowbar;
Seems like from reading your above posts you all went the path that I am currently on( Enlist, EAS, College, Back in). That being said, what would you do differently given the opportunity to go back. I am about a 1 1/2- 2 years away from my degree so I will be roughly 25-26, and plan to go back to fly. Just trying to see if I could get any advice from someone who has walked the path before me.

 

[Crowbar]

I did MECEP so I have no insight on getting out and coming back in.

Have you gotten selected for a commissioning program?

 

[Pat_Lucas]

No. I never tried for MECEP, as I was married and the "she who must be obeyed" wanted me out desperately. I am planning on getting the ball rolling come October after the FY resets. I am not overly concerned about it as I am still weighing my options, I was just trying to see if there were any words to the wise from those that came before me.

 

[Veovis]

Thanks for all the great gouge (and Crowbar for the old links) Everyone seems to say that OCS is far more physically demanding. Is it mainly just the PT in the morning thats so much more intense, or is it because its spread out over the entire day with the humps etc?

 

[phrogdriver]

Boot camp is to train civilians in order to make Marines.

OCS is to "screen and evaluate" officer candidates. Any training is really only being done so that you can be evaluated on your abilities. Your training will come at TBS.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Thanks for all the great gouge (and Crowbar for the old links) Everyone seems to say that OCS is far more physically demanding. Is it mainly just the PT in the morning thats so much more intense, or is it because its spread out over the entire day with the humps etc?

It is because you PT nearly every day - and a lot of the PT events are timed/graded, so you have a big incentive to put out 100%. Then you add on top of that only getting a few hours of sleep a night and your body simply doesn't have any time to recover.

The word on the street from a friend who just got back from OCS this summer is that the PT program is stressing UBD's a lot more than running and I think they are getting a lot more sleep now. I know the essays are practically nonexistant now.

As for the differences: If I had to, I could suck it up and do OCS again. There is no way I would go through Bootcamp again.

The whole time at Bootcamp you want to quit and leave but you can't. The whole time at OCS you want to stay and graduate, but you feel like you are on the verge of getting kicked out.

 

[jarhead]

My story ... I joined out of HS, spent 4 years as an 0311 on active duty, got out and went to college, stayed in the Marine Reserves, got accepted to PLC-AIR, went to OCS after I graduated college (because I waited until fall semester of my senior year to apply, the OSO fudged the paperwork, said I hadn't graduated yet, then after OCS, he resubmitted the paperwork showing that I had graduated), went to TBS later that fall, did the flight school thing, got my wings and the platform I wanted to fly. Pretty straight forward, not much I'd change.

I had a good OSO ... he put up with a lot of shit from me, like missing scheduled PFT dates, got a drunk in public violation, forgot to mention a DUI I got 5 years prior just before shipping off to Quantico ... he must have been desperate for a body because I was a shitbag to him. Times are a bit different now, I'm afraid. I wouldn't get accepted these days. One thing I will throw out (others won't like it) ... I knew I had one shot at OCS so, while I put forth an effort, I did what I had to do to finish. I had no problem with peer evals (finished 2nd in the Plt) or tests but my PT scores, though I never failed an event, weren't the greatest ...

good luck

S/F

Harrier,ESB, Jarhead, And Crowbar;
Seems like from reading your above posts you all went the path that I am currently on( Enlist, EAS, College, Back in). That being said, what would you do differently given the opportunity to go back. I am about a 1 1/2- 2 years away from my degree so I will be roughly 25-26, and plan to go back to fly. Just trying to see if I could get any advice from someone who has walked the path before me.

 

[Cavrone]

Harrier,ESB, Jarhead, And Crowbar;
Seems like from reading your above posts you all went the path that I am currently on( Enlist, EAS, College, Back in). That being said, what would you do differently given the opportunity to go back. I am about a 1 1/2- 2 years away from my degree so I will be roughly 25-26, and plan to go back to fly. Just trying to see if I could get any advice from someone who has walked the path before me.

I spent 4 years active and got out to go to college. I enjoyed my time out and didn't have any plans on going back in. But I caught the bug again and went to OCS after I graduated. One good thing is that your time as an inactive reservist counts toward time in service so it is a nice pay raise.

 

[StorminNorman]

Don't worry about it, your not gonna make it. Just kidding. Put your heart into it and accept the mission. You'll do fine, just don't get hurt and don't quit.
S/F,

2ndLt. Norman

 

[Rasczak]

I'm enlisted. Just got back from boot. Trying to get into OCS now. I tried for a really long time to get into OCS, got frustrated and joined the reserves. Now I'm trying for OCS again. I want to be a Marine, that was my biggest deal. If I can't be an officer I'll be happying being an enlisted Marine.

 

[Veovis]

I'm enlisted. Just got back from boot. Trying to get into OCS now. I tried for a really long time to get into OCS, got frustrated and joined the reserves. Now I'm trying for OCS again. I want to be a Marine, that was my biggest deal. If I can't be an officer I'll be happying being an enlisted Marine.

Do you know what's been holding you back from getting in? I'm pretty sure I could get to OCS, it just sounds ridiculously physically demanding. I'm old enough that I only get one shot at OCS so I'd be one of those dumb@$$es doing a hump on a broken leg cause I want it so bad... I'm in good shape, but I don't workout twice a day every day like it sounds like everyone does...