DOR POLICY FOR USMC OCS

[reapergm]

I wouldnt suggest DORing. If you are even "THINKING" about it.. dont go to this class. Honestly, I have seen some GUNG HO kids get in and want out really quick.. The Col. really really discourages DORing. He has made several speeches about it. My Sgt Inst's have said that if you do it.. youre down for the count. Too bad too. I have seen a bunch of really good guys DOR. A kid in my platoon DORd about a week ago. He was hard core Marines at InProcessing. He just wanted out. Staff really wanted him to stay. But I dont think he'll ever come back. Trust me again.. if you have doubts now.. the staff will do everything they can to get you out. The will smell it like blood and feed off it. They will make your life hell. OCS is awesome. You just have to have the mentality to go through with it. Good luck with your decision. Wish me luck. 3 weeks left!!!

 

[NosniboR80]

Just a little addition here. I kept hearing while I was at OCS that DOR's with some claim to legitimacy can reapply in two years. We had one cand who finished Juniors, but for whatever reason that he didn't explain to us, didn't want to go back to seniors, so he had to wait awhile.

I think there was another candidate who confirmed this for us. Supposedly, these Cands had legit or semi legit reasons for DORing.

 

[Crowbar]

Once you start training (usually the 3rd or 4th day after you arrive at OCS), the only way you can leave before the 3rd week is by getting hurt, going UA, or doing something criminally stupid. If you try to quit before then, you just get harassed until the 3rd week boards (or later), then sent home. We had two people who, on the second training day, said they wanted to DOR. They spend three more weeks with us getting screwed with incessantly.
As far as how long it takes to leave, it all depends. When I got hurt, there were people from other companies leaving with me who had been to see "The Man" the day before. Someone from a different increment had to spend a weekend in H&S Company because he got dropped on a Friday but they didn't bother doing his paperwork until Monday. So if you quit, be prepared for life to suck. In so many ways.
Don't be one of those idiots who spends 2 or 3 days at in-processing and wants to quit before they start training. Hell, you don't even know what it's all about yet. At least give the training a shot. Like reaper said, by quitting during in-processing basically you just screwed somebody out of an OCS slot and took the Marine Corps for a free trip to Virginia. Not to mention-that's one less person to stand fire watch!
But if you get there and really decide that it ain't for you, by all means, quit. But don't take your pack off. When I was Company Commander, my XO disappeared to go to a board. He came back and told me he had DOR'd. I was surprised-he was the best person on my company staff. So even if you want to leave, don't slack off until you're across the tracks. I never had anything against people who quit during OCS. If they don't want to be there, I don't want to be working for them in the future.

 

[usmcecho4]

Definitely don't quit during in-processing. I think just about everyone had those "what the hell have I gotten myself into now" type of thoughts at in-processing. Understand that things really do get better once training starts up.

S/F,
usmcecho4

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Half the people in this thread are talking about DOR from Flight Training

Half are talking about DOR from OCS

Can't imagine DORing from OCS after putting in so much work to get there in the first place.

 

[peanut3479]

I think most people here are talking about DORing from OCS. You do have to put in a lot of work to get to OCS, but you have to get through OCS and TBS to get to flight school - that and the opportunity to drop your air contract at TBS (which is frowned upon) are probably why you see so few DORs from flight school compared with OCS (IMO - I haven't seen any DORs here, yet).

As far as out-processing at OCS, it depends on the circumstances. From what I saw, they held on to NPQs as long as they could to see if they got better or until they got more definitive tests (a cand. in my platoon was shipped up to Bethesda for a bone scan - shin splints). On the other hand, people who just wanted to quit (after the staff tried to convince them otherwise, that is) were removed from everyone else ASAP. We had a cand. who finally decided at the end of week 9 that he didn't want to get commissioned but still wanted to graduate with the rest of us - gone to H&S Co. in <12 hours.

Oh yeah, that "what the hell have I gotten myself into now" thing lasted about a week and a half for me.

 

[samadma]

Here's how the DOR thing works. You do it and you're done. What happens when you leave is there is a Drop Report. It says why you were Dropped of course. It also has the recommendation of the Commanding Officer of OCS. I would say 99% of the time he's not going to recommend you to come back to training if you DOR for something other than serious family issues back home. Based off of the drop report the OSO can/can't put you back in training. However, unless that OSO is hurting to put someone in, he/she probably won't even talk to you if you DOR for something other than serious causes.

Now if you're a PLC guy/gal that doesn't go back to Seniors you can make up an excuse to come back into the program (Depending on the OSO). However, chances are you'll go Combined or OCC which means a full 10 weeks vice the 6 weeks you could have completed if you were smart in the first place.

 

[LIFTER]

simple

don't DOR

don't think of DORing

don't say DOR

remember that pain builds character

 

[ThermalMoonbeam]

Hey 187ers- good to see you all again.

Yeah don't DOR, if need be- have your bunk mate slam the locker door on your head until you're out cold.

Or stay awake all night... (shout out)

 

[reapergm]

don't DOR

don't think of DORing

don't say DOR

remember that pain builds character

EXACTLY!!! Forget its an option.

 

[airpirate25]

the Better Part of Valor?

Dear Sirs,

I have read a number of the responses to the question concerning returning to flight training after a DOR from the pipeline. I myself completed four years by the Bay, and successfully completed a rigorous API and Primary NFO training syllabus before discovering that all the determination, extra study and desire in the world couldn't provide the "right stuff". Facing possible failure (something that sounded worse than death), and falling even farther behind my contemporaries if I didn't make a timely decision about my future, I went through the positively excruciating decision to DOR. Not once was I accused of dereliction of duty, nor informed that said decision would prevent me from continuing my Naval career elsewhere. I subsequently volunteered to go into the combat zone as Miniboss on an LPD. After four years of service, I had earned the prasie of my senior officers, an OOD letter, all qualifications toward my SWO designation and a Navy Commendation Medal. Despite proving myself in this arena, I was involuntarially discharged without being allowed to redesignate to SWO...reputedly because of my decision to DOR in Pensacola years before. I am now working for minimum pay as a line attendant at a small airport. Four years of Naval Academy education, over four years of service as a Naval Officer...lost...while I accept the one chance attitude of flight training, even agree that it is unwise to reapply, I feel that comments equating DOR to UA are both un-intelligent and lacking in the fair measure of compassion that is as important to a combat leader as courage, dedication and skill.

 

[Crowbar]

Airpirate,
You graduated from Annapolis and accepted a minimum wage job? Is there more to the story you aren't telling everybody?

Everybody else,
If necessary I will go through this thread and remove all references to DOR from flight training. Would that clear up some confusion?

 

[airpirate25]

Parting shot

Crowbar,

Glad you asked...as a matter of fact, no. I graduated with a B.S., completed my service with no disciplinary actions, and took every possible measure to capitalize on my experience and education. As you can imagine, only prior military officers can accurately judge the value of service as a JO, and many who handle hiring in these fields have worn wings of gold. Their opinions are no different as corporate CEO's than they were as aviators. The other half of unfamiliar civilian leadership see young officers as both inexperienced and unequal in the business world. Furthermore, we are at war; how would you feel about an officer who was "canned" during a time of national emergency? I don't argue that both military and civilian workplaces are and should be competetive, that's what makes success. What I am stating is that there is more than one way for an officer to be usefull, and if he is willing to pay the dues to re-prove himself in another community, that performance, not opinion should determine the future available to them. I knew many officers who literally counted the days to MSR like the honor of being an officer was a sentence. If there is any point to any of this discussion, it would be that many of these individuals will have the opportunity to mature, realize their place and make fine careers; why should an officer who wants nothing more than to serve be blocked from any posting because of knowing his limitations? Out in the "civ", honor, courage and integrity mean nothing...and unless you have an MBA, or know the "go-to guy", your chances of finding an opportunity to excell are small at best.

 

[slasher]

Hey all, I have a question if no one minds.

I went to OCC 186 and was NPQ'd. It wasn't a serious-type injury, but it was something beyond my control (I'd rather not discuss it publicly-heh). Anyway, Col. Rachal recommended I return, but I'm still worried the board won't see things the way the Colonel and I see it.

I, in so many words, begged him to stay last time, but he couldn't let me. Since the Colonel recommended I return, will that be good enough for the board (provided I'm otherwise gtg), or will it still be an uphill battle?

Thanks.

 

[NosniboR80]

I was just NPQed from 187 with a broken hand. They (some Staff and my OSO/A) told me it was pretty much no problem to get back in, provided I am in good enough shape, which is a given. There's no way I'm going back in worse shape.