Marine OCS?

[sonny]

Can anyone shed a light about what life is in
the Marine OCS? Is it similar to boot camp?
Do you share a room with someone or is everyone your roommate? What is an average day like? I like to know as much as possible.

Also, I'm wondering is the Marines getting
any of the F-18 E/F models? Thanks

 

[Eagle1]

Matt-

Could you expand on what "getting mashed" means and any connection that it might have to the events that I'll experience next week at OCS?

Thanks.

 

[Eagle1]

Matt-

Do you have any suggestions as far as packing for OCS goes? I've heard lots of different things. Any ideas for a list of essentials to bring (in addition to the obvious stuff like orders, college transcript, etc.)? Also, how much stuff do they end up taking away from people? Is there some sort of big production during check in when they count everyone's underwear and socks and take away unneccesary items?

That would be great if you stopped by OCS....something tells me I won't be making it over to the Blue Angels Homecomming. Ha ha.

 

[webmaster]

Eagle1, best of luck, and have fun in OCS, remember don't take any of the mashing or "personal attention" personally, everyone gets it.

 

[Dave Shutter]

I asked these questions earlier somewhere...

What's the difference between an Officer Candidate and a Candidate Officer? If there is a difference than at what point do you go from being one to the other?

What's the uniform the first couple of weeks? Do they give you khakis right away or do they still use the peon/retro BUDS outfit: OD fatiques, boots and steel pot?

D

 

[Kraftwerk]

Do you get a full flight physical during Navy AOCS? What happens if you're permanently disqualified from aviation before you've been commissioned, are you just cut loose and drummed out altogether? (if you have no other obligations, not been in any money program) Or do you get put into another field, an another OCS school? Only aviation candidates go to Pcola OCS, right?
And what exactly is DOR? I've been promised (yeah, I know, a promise from a recruiter is a shaky deal) an info package describing in detail the goings-on at Pcola OCS on a day-by-day basis, anyone ever got one and how truthful are they?

 

[Eagle1]

To take care of a few things at once:

Matt- I am reporting aboard on this coming Sunday. In fact I will be in P-Cola tomorrow morning and I plan on buying those extra blue shorts and perhaps even a few buckles to start polishing. I bought my (extra loud) alarm clock today. Thanks very much for the last minute advice.

John- Thanks for the luck. I'm sure I'll need it. I will keep in mind the whole thing about the mashing not being personal.

Kraftwerk- DOR is an acronym for Dropped On Request. Obviously, this occurs when an Officer Candidate chooses to remove himself from the program voluntarily. As far as the info package on OCS goes, it does exist, it is helpful, and you will get it. I worked through NRD New England and the very same former NFO that you mentioned. He is a great guy and has been very helpful. When you are sworn in you will receive a 10-15 page packet which was written by a former NRD New Engalnd candidate. It describes, in detail, each week at OCS, what to expect, what to pack, what to memorize, etc. I'll see you down there in November.

Thanks to everyone on this forum for the great info and conversation. It has been most helpful. This will be my last post for a while. Best of luck to all.

 

[Airboss2B]

quote:
There are no boots at OCS at any time.

Matt Stevenson
Ensign / SNA
VT-7
USN


What? No boots? That doesn't seem fair. How will these non-priors ever experience the thrill of endless laps around the grinder with a pair of ten pound boots around their ankles or doing eight count bodybuilders were your feet never seem to want to leave the ground? And did I mention the blisters that never seemed to go away. Man, if I hadn't been blessed with the opportunity to go through enlisted boot camp, I might have felt cheated.

How do the active duty and prior enlisteds get treated there? I'm sure we probably get more than our fair share of hell since we'll be expected to already know it all.

 

[Dave Shutter]

quote:What? No boots? That doesn't seem fair. How will these non-priors ever experience the thrill of...

...how about 6in. to 90' leg raises! They're a little different when your wearing mud caked boots. Fatigues, steel pot and sneaks'? I'll feel like on of those wussies in boot who went to sick call, cried about blisters and got a profile wearing sneakers! Oh well, the ensemble accomplishes one of the primary goals during the first week of any initial training program: make you look stupid!

D

 

[webmaster]

The only "special attention" a prior would get, is if he/she was stupid enough to rely on and voice their prior service, "I've been there" "Already done that", etc... and had an attitude, that would be a mixture for trouble in my eyes. If anything, more would be expected out of you, help out your classmates, etc... Anyways, my two cents...

 

[Kraftwerk]

Thanks guys for some enlightening info there.
I'm sure I'll remember to take care of my feet to prevent blisters, cause they're what's gonna carry my ass around OCS! Personally, I'm not too anxious about being mashed, it'll do me good in the long run, and I sure won't take it personal. I'm hoping that the DI and CPO's are hard as nails, but fair.
For you previous OCS graduates, what will put you on a DI's $hit-list for sure?

 

[sonny]

Ok, guys. I have another question regarding Marine NFO option. I was told that the Marine NFO's only fly the prowler and hornet?
Then I read somewhere that they are also navigators in one of the heavies (forgot which one though)? Is there a difference from an NFO and a nav? Or am I confuse somewhere. Thanks.

 

[Kraftwerk]

Will there be NFO's in Navy F-18 E Super Hippos ?

 

[Dave Shutter]

The "E" is the single seater, no word on when they'll replace "C"'s. The "F" is the two seater and next year they'll start replacing Tomcat's. Yes they will have a RIO.

D