Need help with your OCS package?

[frogggystyle]

I just posted this in a different thread, but I think some people may not dig that deep to try and find this info. So, lucky for all of you, I am going to make a separate topic.

I was a prior enlisted, a Corpsman for 10 years, before I decided to try my hand at naval aviation as an officer. I earned all of my college credits while I was on active duty, so for those of you who do that I totally give you props because I know it can be difficult.

I also had to do my entire OCS package by myself. My command career counsellor was in the middle of Chief's initiation when I was getting all of my paperwork in order. I learned that there is a lot more to putting these packages together than some instructions will lead you to believe.

After looking at quite a few of these instructions, and realizing just how much had been left out that was needed for a package, I decided to make a revamped website with more information in addition to helpful links that can be beneficial to both future OCS students and Aviation Pre-Flight Students. Here is the link -

http://www.geocities.com/frogggystyle/hobbies/ocs.html

If you have any questions about putting a package together, please feel free to write me. I can only give you information based on my own experiences, but I will do my best to not mislead you. And, there might be an advantage to talking to someone who has "been there and done that" as opposed to getting some of this info from a recruiter or command career counsellor who may not know all of the ins and outs. By all means, utilize all of your resources!

 

[Amadeolef9]

Starting an OCS package

I am enlisted and want to move up the ladder. I have a BS in Soc/Crim. The OCS package seems like a huge amount of work that needs to be put in order. I need help with putting it in order. Should I follow the opnav instruction to a "T"? any info. on helping start a successful package would be appreciated.

 

[Res784]

This is what I wrote down on a big folder with all of my documents I was putting together as a "check list", and should get you well on your way:

-Application (the big 9-pager thing)
-Motivational Statement
-Letters of Recommendation
-ASTB scores
-All College transcripts
-Birth Certificate
-Drivers License
-Pilot Certificates & Medical (if pilot...otherwise, any professional certifications)
-Background check
-Medical history

Those last two, your recruiter will email you the electronic copies.

Have fun

 

[nugget61]

While I'm waiting for a recruiter to contact me, what can I be gathering for my package? What I'm thinking is:

-ACT score?
-All transcripts
-Projected graduation statement from school (something like that)
-High school transcript?
-Moto statement
-Medical records (to what extent? Since birth? Every doctors office I've been to? Emergency room? What about orthopedics?)
-Rec letters


I've heard there is something about reference letters from employers within the last three years? If this is true I would appreciate someone linking me or sending me that document so that I can get a start on it. I think this will be the most difficult piece to obtain.

Anything else?
Thanks a bunch.

PS- If I want to aim for the March board, what date in February should I target for submission?

Ok, you're OR is going to need a copy or original of your ACT/SAT printout from the place - they can't just take your word on the score, so you might wanna get that. Had to get mine reprinted from like 5 years ago, which cost me $60.
Thats a negative on the transcripts - they will have to be mailed directly to the OR from your school, if you 'touch' it then its got to be resent (cost me another $10).
Graduation statement? If you're going for BDCP then you'll need your expected classes (all of them) mapped out for them in the packet, otherwise I don't know what you're asking.
HS Transcript - I think I had to put a final GPA but they didn't want a transcript.
Moto statement - get working on it.
Med Docs - Mine were rather scarce... I'm not hiding anything, the doc's just make me nervous. I think they wanted a copy of my vaccinations and all post-op paperwork you might have.
Rec letters - As you said, your processor will get in touch with your previous 3 employers (not you), so try to get your letters from elsewhere, and make them diverse ie Dept Head at School, Church related, Organization related. Well roundedness and all.
Also, I hope your SF86 is complete - that thing took forever.

My packet was sent in on Sept 22 and I was in the Oct boards, if that helps any. The earlier you send it in the better.

 

[blackjaw]

I'm in the middle of the process right now of getting everything together for (hopefully) February boards. Just remember that this is a tough month for recruiters becuase of all of the short weeks in January, and that they won't be there on Mon/Tues of next week.

The big thing for me right now is medical records. I had asthma as a child (until about 14) and had knee surgery (snowboard accident) when I was 20, so I have to show proof that a doctor said I no longer have asthma and that I had full range of motion in my knee and was cleared for physical activity. Telling them that I run everyday and train in Muay Thai does no good, they want the proof from the original doctors that diagnosed me.

If you don't have your record with you, that could be difficult. Mine is with my PCP and so I need to have them dig through it for those two pages I need or I need them to release it to me so I find it.

Other than medical records you'll need your college transcripts from every college, birth certificate (official one from the hospital), employment/character references for the past 3 yeas (which is done on a form given to you). I don't know where you can get this, but the form is DD FORM 370, OCT 2005, that I was given.

I was told that I have to go through MEPS/PRT before applying, so that might hold up the process even longer.

Good luck, I'm about 3/4 of the way done with everything, so I'm crossing my fingers I can get it in by Feb...if not, March is a nice month.

 

[nugget61]

I'm in the middle of the process right now of getting everything together for (hopefully) February boards. Just remember that this is a tough month for recruiters becuase of all of the short weeks in January, and that they won't be there on Mon/Tues of next week.

The big thing for me right now is medical records. I had asthma as a child (until about 14) and had knee surgery (snowboard accident) when I was 20, so I have to show proof that a doctor said I no longer have asthma and that I had full range of motion in my knee and was cleared for physical activity. Telling them that I run everyday and train in Muay Thai does no good, they want the proof from the original doctors that diagnosed me.

If you don't have your record with you, that could be difficult. Mine is with my PCP and so I need to have them dig through it for those two pages I need or I need them to release it to me so I find it.

Other than medical records you'll need your college transcripts from every college, birth certificate (official one from the hospital), employment/character references for the past 3 yeas (which is done on a form given to you). I don't know where you can get this, but the form is DD FORM 370, OCT 2005, that I was given.

I was told that I have to go through MEPS/PRT before applying, so that might hold up the process even longer.

Good luck, I'm about 3/4 of the way done with everything, so I'm crossing my fingers I can get it in by Feb...if not, March is a nice month.

Good luck getting into Feb, but don't be too disappointed if you're pushed back to March - Jan had a lot of rollovers into Feb, and its getting later into Jan now.
You will need birth cert/license/SS cards for them to make copies. Passport too if you have one.
You had to talk to your previous employers? My OR told me to send them a letter expecting a fax from him, what I was doing, why and how their letter would help. But he said I couldn't see the letters in the event I had a negative review.
And actually you DON'T have to go through MEPS/PRT before applying - I didn't - and you'll be fine. Its whatever your OR's opinion is. Mine said that it's to expensive to send someone to MEPS if they can't get passed by the board, so I did mine after I got the pro-rec.

 

[OUSOONER]

Good luck getting into Feb, but don't be too disappointed if you're pushed back to March - Jan had a lot of rollovers into Feb, and its getting later into Jan now.
You will need birth cert/license/SS cards for them to make copies. Passport too if you have one.
You had to talk to your previous employers? My OR told me to send them a letter expecting a fax from him, what I was doing, why and how their letter would help. But he said I couldn't see the letters in the event I had a negative review.
And actually you DON'T have to go through MEPS/PRT before applying - I didn't - and you'll be fine. Its whatever your OR's opinion is. Mine said that it's to expensive to send someone to MEPS if they can't get passed by the board, so I did mine after I got the pro-rec.

Nugget..I think you're confusing some of the kit criteria for BDCP and straight OCS.

Non-BDCP is less academic in the sense that you do not need a degree completion sheet. It is under the assumption that you will have a degree soon, if not already. I did not have to provide SAT/ACT scores but I did anyway just because I felt it looked dumb having a section of the application incomplete. If Jackass is going BDCP then what you stated applies. Highschool GPA was unimportant too and not necessary for the kit.

I was able to drive my transcripts to my recruiters office. Maybe this is recruiter specific, I don't know. I can see why they might be more uptight for BDCP.

Also, with respect to employee LORs. I was just emailed the DD370 form and emailed it to every one of my contacts with instructions. They then just faxed the completed forms to the OR's office.

This site has all the documents your recruiter will provide for you. Wait until you contact an OR Jackass before you go off printing and filling out forms.. Scroll down to 'Other Forms', you can see what the DD 370 LOR form looks like. http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/publications/forms.htm

Good luck.

 

[DHudock]

"Other than medical records you'll need your college transcripts from every college, birth certificate (official one from the hospital)"



This part about the birth certificate is false (from what I've been told). I've been told that you DO NOT want to give them the cert. from the Hospital, but you want to turn in a Government Issued Birth Certificate.

 

[Tom]

Where I'm from you can get an official birth certificate printed out from the DMV.

 

[Flyer09]

When I was starting the application process, May 08, I was less than a year away from getting my BS degree. I had to fill out a degree completion sheet for my packet. You are going to have to talk with your OR to find out specifically what you will need in that department if you aren't going BDCP and don't yet have a degree.

Here is what I had to submit with my application;

Final HS GPA and copy of diploma
Official ACT Scores (never took SATs)
Official transcripts from college #1 (sent directly from university)
Official transcripts from college #2 (send directly from university)
Birth Certificate
Degree completition sheet
Letters of Recommendation
Surgical report from shoulder surgery in 2001
Surgical report from PRK surgery in June 2008
Completed Application
MedDocs from recent muscle pull and release from care note

 

[Flyer09]

Here is the word directly from the Navy's mouth;

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/Publications/Directives/1131.2C_CHAPT4_CHG3.pdf

The requirements start on page 11.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Save yourself some money and get your registrar's office to print out your ACT and SAT scores. Have them put the school seal on it. It was enough for my processor and it should be enough for yours if not then I guess your screwed but it's worth a shot. Seems like different recruiters/processors have different requirements. Find out what yours want.

 

[Flyer09]

ACT can send your records direct to your OR if needed as well I believe. I happened to have a copy of my scores that were mailed to me after i took the test and that was enough for my processor. You can also submit a request for your scores directly from ACT if you don't have them. Here is the link;

http://www.actstudent.org/scores/send/index.html

 

[OUSOONER]

ACT can send your records direct to your OR if needed as well I believe. I happened to have a copy of my scores that were mailed to me after i took the test and that was enough for my processor. You can also submit a request for your scores directly from ACT if you don't have them. Here is the link;

http://www.actstudent.org/scores/send/index.html

My highschool transcript has a box on the top right of it with my ACT scores broken down into each section and what percentile I was in. It also has the ACT 'seal' to show it's official, maybe that would suffice and reduce the wait time.

I just had to pay $1 to get a copy and it was done in less than 30 seconds. You also get the added benefit of catching up with the old ladies in the front office who remembered you. Hopefully for good reasons of course!

 

[Flyer09]

This part about the birth certificate is false (from what I've been told). I've been told that you DO NOT want to give them the cert. from the Hospital, but you want to turn in a Government Issued Birth Certificate.

I was told the same thing. It has to be issued by the state and not the hospital. Most states have a request form on their websites some place. At least I was able to request mine though my state's website http://www.michigan.gov/