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Insider Scoop on Navy OCS

AIRMMCPORET

Plan “A” Retired
i just got Pro-rec last week for EDO option, heading to OCS sometime soon, I see this one has a lot info for OCS but it is little old and last post was 2016, wonder if everything today still same? I am active duty and was in navy boot camp 2 years ago, how is OCS compare to enlist boot camp? (if anyone here was active duty before that commissioned ) , thank you

Well I’ve never been to OCS, but did Navy boot camp in 1987. Boot camp now is way different now then back then, I bet shore patrol, and marching party don’t exist anymore (they were motivational programs for recruits that didn’t want to learn or conform to naval standards, you can either be strong, or learn).

My son went to OCS last year, and his experiences there were way tougher than mine in boot camp, physically, and academically. In one episode he got PT’ed until he puked, got a break then more PT.

But he did say all in all it’s dished out pretty fairly across the board.

Mind over matter, good luck.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
i just got Pro-rec last week for EDO option, heading to OCS sometime soon, I see this one has a lot info for OCS but it is little old and last post was 2016, wonder if everything today still same? I am active duty and was in navy boot camp 2 years ago, how is OCS compare to enlist boot camp? (if anyone here was active duty before that commissioned ) , thank you
Congrats. Love it when we grow our own.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Well I’ve never been to OCS, but did Navy boot camp in 1987. Boot camp now is way different now then back then, I bet shore patrol, and marching party don’t exist anymore (they were motivational programs for recruits that didn’t want to learn or conform to naval standards, you can either be strong, or learn).

My son went to OCS last year, and his experiences there were way tougher than mine in boot camp, physically, and academically. In one episode he got PT’ed until he puked, got a break then more PT.

But he did say all in all it’s dished out pretty fairly across the board.

Mind over matter, good luck.
Having done Navy boot camp in that same timeframe, then OCS in the late 90s, OCS was way more demanding physically, mentally, emotionally. No contest.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Not a prior so can't comment on relative difficulty or challange. It was my observation, however (1979 AOCS ), that priors with a decent attitude about "starting over" usually did well, finishing in the top 25% with regularity. We have plenty of priors here that have been successful as officers. Be interested in hearing how they faired in OCS. We could start with one that has demonstrably done very well in his officer career and recently posted on this thread. Paging @Brett327 .
 

thosefreakinATs

insert witty comment here
pilot
relative newbie prior here. went to boot in 2012. OCS in 2015. boot camp was a joke. OCS was immensely more difficult. without question. the marine drill instructors are amazing at what they do and when the lowest rank a RDC can be is a chief, you know theyre the best.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Not a prior so can't comment on relative difficulty or challange. It was my observation, however (1979 AOCS ), that priors with a decent attitude about "starting over" usually did well, finishing in the top 25% with regularity. We have plenty of priors here that have been successful as officers. Be interested in hearing how they faired in OCS. We could start with one that has demonstrably done very well in his officer career and recently posted on this thread. Paging @Brett327 .
Well, if being the OCS Reg Comm (no big deal :D) was any predictor of future success...

In all seriousness, for background I went to OCS as a First Class with 8 years in. Physically, I was already in pretty good shape, being an avid runner. In the two months prior to reporting, I was doing 2 runs a day, with a longer 9-10 mile run once a week. Also was maxing out all the standard PT moves (push-ups, crunches, flutter kicks, mountain climbers, etc). As it turns out, I was way over-prepared physically, but in the grand scheme, that took some stress off of me during the course.

Mentally, my plan going in was to just play the game, roll with the punches and try not to stand out. That more or less worked out for me. I will say, for those who haven't experienced it, that the fear the DIs will induce in you will throw you off balance. That's by design. There's no good way to prepare for the intensity of that experience. Just know it's coming, and that you'll get through it. By the end of OCS, you'll idolize your DIs, but you can't get to that place without going through the psychological transition from fear to respect.

On starting over, during the first week inspection, I was standing there in my Khakis, 6 rows of ribbons, Aircrew Wings and EAWS. Our class officer took one look at me, got right up in my face and said, "You have zero experience at being an officer... Zee Row." That really stuck with me through OCS and well into my first fleet tour. He was absolutely right, and that helped recage the way I looked at things.

I've seen lots of prior officers over the years - some are amazing leaders, others not so much. Those who adopt a "been there done that" attitude usually don't fare well. Far better to use your fleet experience in helping your peers learn the ropes with understated confidence, than to be "that guy" who thinks they know better than everyone else.

Anyhow, there's my $.02
 

thosefreakinATs

insert witty comment here
pilot
hes-right-you-know-32476920.png
 

loch

OCS Re-applicant
i just got Pro-rec last week for EDO option, heading to OCS sometime soon, I see this one has a lot info for OCS but it is little old and last post was 2016, wonder if everything today still same? I am active duty and was in navy boot camp 2 years ago, how is OCS compare to enlist boot camp? (if anyone here was active duty before that commissioned ) , thank you
ENS Dave Doebrick has a fairly recent video about the two since he's attended both:
.
 

quang942003

New Member
thank you, these info are
Well I’ve never been to OCS, but did Navy boot camp in 1987. Boot camp now is way different now then back then, I bet shore patrol, and marching party don’t exist anymore (they were motivational programs for recruits that didn’t want to learn or conform to naval standards, you can either be strong, or learn).

My son went to OCS last year, and his experiences there were way tougher than mine in boot camp, physically, and academically. In one episode he got PT’ed until he puked, got a break then more PT.

But he did say all in all it’s dished out pretty fairly across the board.

Mind over matter, good luck.
thank you sir.
 

quang942003

New Member
Not a prior so can't comment on relative difficulty or challange. It was my observation, however (1979 AOCS ), that priors with a decent attitude about "starting over" usually did well, finishing in the top 25% with regularity. We have plenty of priors here that have been successful as officers. Be interested in hearing how they faired in OCS. We could start with one that has demonstrably done very well in his officer career and recently posted on this thread. Paging @Brett327 .
thank you sir, I see OCS will be way different and more challenges than boot camp so I am with a "starting over" mind set.
 

quang942003

New Member
Well, if being the OCS Reg Comm (no big deal :D) was any predictor of future success...

In all seriousness, for background I went to OCS as a First Class with 8 years in. Physically, I was already in pretty good shape, being an avid runner. In the two months prior to reporting, I was doing 2 runs a day, with a longer 9-10 mile run once a week. Also was maxing out all the standard PT moves (push-ups, crunches, flutter kicks, mountain climbers, etc). As it turns out, I was way over-prepared physically, but in the grand scheme, that took some stress off of me during the course.

Mentally, my plan going in was to just play the game, roll with the punches and try not to stand out. That more or less worked out for me. I will say, for those who haven't experienced it, that the fear the DIs will induce in you will throw you off balance. That's by design. There's no good way to prepare for the intensity of that experience. Just know it's coming, and that you'll get through it. By the end of OCS, you'll idolize your DIs, but you can't get to that place without going through the psychological transition from fear to respect.

On starting over, during the first week inspection, I was standing there in my Khakis, 6 rows of ribbons, Aircrew Wings and EAWS. Our class officer took one look at me, got right up in my face and said, "You have zero experience at being an officer... Zee Row." That really stuck with me through OCS and well into my first fleet tour. He was absolutely right, and that helped recage the way I looked at things.

I've seen lots of prior officers over the years - some are amazing leaders, others not so much. Those who adopt a "been there done that" attitude usually don't fare well. Far better to use your fleet experience in helping your peers learn the ropes with understated confidence, than to be "that guy" who thinks they know better than everyone else.

Anyhow, there's my $.02
thank you for your advice ,sir .
 

quang942003

New Member
relative newbie prior here. went to boot in 2012. OCS in 2015. boot camp was a joke. OCS was immensely more difficult. without question. the marine drill instructors are amazing at what they do and when the lowest rank a RDC can be is a chief, you know theyre the best.
the Marine DIs are the big different between OCS vs boot camp, and yes, boot camp was a joke :) .
 
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