Check-In/Classing Up

[BlazeUSMC]

Currently on PTAD working with my OSO to round up some new motivated Officer Candidates. TBS report date is 30 March 10.

Anyway, I'm curious to know the check-in process @ TBS, how the "classing up" process works, the swim-qual that I keep hearing about, and pretty much the quickest way to insure that I class up when I am supposed to. If I do class up right away and am in my appropriate Company, will it be Alpha, Bravo, Charlie? I'd like to know so I can start networking with my peers.

 

[usmarinemike]

End of March/Beginning of April is Charlie.

"Classing Up" is zero week. It is a hellaciously boring 10-12 days of 300 knuckleheads trying to figure out what the hell is going on. The charismatic O-4 PAO called it 'Skulldraggery." A better word has not been found.

The only things you can control about whether you class up with the class you're reporting into is to show up as early as possible on check-in day, don't have any medical problems, and to run somewhere north of 250 on the PFT. Honestly, showing up early on the day of check-in is where you'll probably make the most money.

Don't be the guy who doesn't class up because he couldn't achieve 2nd class qual in the pool. It's not hard. It doesn't take training, just some fortitude. The hard one is WSQ-1 and that's only hard because the instructors are stupid strict. It won't keep you from classing up, and you'll go every week until you get it.

 

[Pepe]

End of March/Beginning of April is Charlie.

"Classing Up" is zero week. It is a hellaciously boring 10-12 days of 300 knuckleheads trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

I would rather take a baseball bat to the face then go through zero week again. God that sucked. We didn't get secured until 3 am one night.

 

[sanders]

marinemike is spot on. As long as you get a 250+ on the pft and a 2nd class swim qual, you should be fine. As far as the swim qual goes, I'm not going to lie, I failed second class the first time I took it. But I took it the next week and passed it (I also passed first class the same day), so I picked up with alpha like I wanted.

 

[BarrettRC8]

I would rather take a baseball bat to the face then go through zero week again. God that sucked. We didn't get secured until 3 am one night.

I sincerely hope that you racked out long before that.

Much of my zero week was spent perfecting my Guitar Hero skills.

Like everyone else has said, the best thing you can do is show up early. Other than that, I'd certainly hope you're rocking well north of a 250 PFT, which, other than medical issues, would be the only thing to prevent you from picking up as soon as possible.

 

[BlazeUSMC]

What exactly does the swim qual consist of? I hear traces of a first or second class qual, but how do the instructors grade you?

 

[flyboy2199]

If you're an ok swimmer before you get here, you'll be fine. The hardest part for getting CWS-1 is the stroke eval. You have to demonstrate side-stroke, breast stroke, and back, and this is where you'll get lit up. After that is done they dont care how the stroke looks for the rescues and what not. As far as classing up a good PFT is really it. All you have to get is CWS-2 to class up, just make sure you get 1 before leaving TBS. Showing up early to check in had absolutely nothing to do with classing up.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Anyway, I'm curious to know the check-in process @ TBS, how the "classing up" process works, the swim-qual that I keep hearing about, and pretty much the quickest way to insure that I class up when I am supposed to. If I do class up right away and am in my appropriate Company, will it be Alpha, Bravo, Charlie? I'd like to know so I can start networking with my peers.

Dude,

I'm not trying to be rude, but don't worry about it. At all. Especially the networking part. The only thing you need to know for TBS is to bring a microwave, TV, computer, and a printer. That's it.

 

[flyboy2199]

networking can be easily done with a case of beer-or round at the "Hawk"--dont worry bout it

 

[HueyCobra8151]

That classing up based on check-in time thing was done with one or two companies, but isn't true anymore (at least not w/ Delta of FY09).

When I went through they used medical as a means to drop guys, not just documented stuff, but people who talked to the Doc and mentioned tweaking their shoulders or spraining an ankle or something got dropped as well. Not saying to lie, but I wouldn't be in a rush to volunteer anything that isn't important to medical. You can square away your hypochondria later.

The main thing was just the PFT. If they have 350 dudes who show up for the PFT and they can only accomodate 300...they are going to drop the lowest 50 scores, no matter what they are.

 

[Swanee]

That classing up based on check-in time thing was done with one or two companies, but isn't true anymore (at least not w/ Delta of FY09).

When I went through they used medical as a means to drop guys, not just documented stuff, but people who talked to the Doc and mentioned tweaking their shoulders or spraining an ankle or something got dropped as well. Not saying to lie, but I wouldn't be in a rush to volunteer anything that isn't important to medical. You can square away your hypochondria later.

The main thing was just the PFT. If they have 350 dudes who show up for the PFT and they can only accomodate 300...they are going to drop the lowest 50 scores, no matter what they are.

Cut off for Delta was a 270 if I remember correctly.

 

[insanebikerboy]

The main thing was just the PFT. If they have 350 dudes who show up for the PFT and they can only accomodate 300...they are going to drop the lowest 50 scores, no matter what they are.

So theoretically someone could just be on perpetual hold, or do they put a time limit on it and then show them the door after awhile?

 

[MettGT]

So theoretically someone could just be on perpetual hold, or do they put a time limit on it and then show them the door after awhile?

Generally, if you didn't make "the cut" the first time around, you would automatically get a slot in the next class.

 

[guim13]

Ive been here since last year's bravo co, and this year's bravo co will be my 4th. Check in time has nothing to do with if you pick up or not. The PFT score is semi true, but in the end they do a quality spread with pft scores if it comes down to it. If your a pilot, they only have so many slots, so we are the first to get screwed. Bottom line is you cant game the game to get in. They will just as easily drop you if you have a 300 pft, and checked in first. ( Talk to guys in Charlie Co who graduated a few months ago)

 

[usmarinemike]

Every response in this thread is proof of what I've written on here in the past. It all comes down to how the company staff want to do business. TBS is famous for reinventing the wheel. The MOC is the only place I've been recently that rivals this propensity.

The reason I put emphasis on check in time is that was the big connection for air contracts in my company. The first 80-something air contracts that arrived got to keep going through zero week. Any air contracts after that got a nice uncomfy spot in Mike Co. from the very first minute they got on deck even though ground contracts behind them made it into the company.