OCS expenses

[Gator1277]

I'm new here, I've searched the forums looking for answers to my questions, but haven't had any luck. I was hoping that someone on here could help me out.

My OSO had told me that the MC will pay for my travel to and from OCS, but I was hoping to spend a few days in the DC area, after my six weeks at PLC. Is it easy to change my returning flight, or would I have to buy a new ticket?

Being prior enlisted I was wondering what exactly I would have to buy at OCS. I have two brand new sets of woodland cammies, and one good set of deserts. How much should I expect to spend out of pocket?

Thanks for your help.
S/F

 

[2ndGen]

Being prior enlisted I was wondering what exactly I would have to buy at OCS. I have two brand new sets of woodland cammies, and one good set of deserts. How much should I expect to spend out of pocket?

Thanks for your help.
S/F

Not to sure about the plane ticket, talk to your OSO. But this stuff has been discussed a bunch.

Everything that I have ever read is that you take $300 bucks to OCS. Some take more. After a couple of weeks, you will get paid so its up to you how much you want to bring.

 

[Cobra Commander]

I'm new here, I've searched the forums looking for answers to my questions, but haven't had any luck. I was hoping that someone on here could help me out.

My OSO had told me that the MC will pay for my travel to and from OCS, but I was hoping to spend a few days in the DC area, after my six weeks at PLC. Is it easy to change my returning flight, or would I have to buy a new ticket?

Being prior enlisted I was wondering what exactly I would have to buy at OCS. I have two brand new sets of woodland cammies, and one good set of deserts. How much should I expect to spend out of pocket?

Thanks for your help.
S/F

It's easy to change the return trip if you get the travel agency phone # ahead of time. I'm not sure they're open on the weekend so you may have to have someone call for you during the week with your information.

Your OSO will let you know how much to bring for all the crap they make you buy. I want to say it's around $200 but I don't remember.

 

[Gator1277]

Thanks for the replies. I'll double-check with my OSO about the travel agency. Good idea.

I've been searching the forums more about the OCS uniform question. Had to get a little creative with my search parameters. I'm getting the 'less is more' vibe.

Thanks again. S/F

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Instead of using the search, try the "carpet bomb" approach. Just go to the OCS subforum, set it to lists threads "from the beginning" and start at the last page and work forward. My mousewheel-click opens webpages in a new tab, so I just hit every thread that looks interesting, and after I have 10 or so lined up I check them out.

You can probably answer every question you have, and then some, with this approach.

 

[el douge]

Dude. I'm here right now in week 5 and I brought 5oo bucks. I've spent about 20 of it in cash. I've been paid and the other expenses Ive used my credit card. You'll have a student account when you get here and you can put most of your expenses on that account and then pay for it when you graduate. I've spent the bulk of my money on haircuts and extra gear for RLP...you'll find out about that soon enough...its not fun.

Good luck! Don't give up when you're here!

 

[BACONATOR]

Dude. I'm here right now in week 5 and I brought 5oo bucks. I've spent about 20 of it in cash. I've been paid and the other expenses Ive used my credit card. You'll have a student account when you get here and you can put most of your expenses on that account and then pay for it when you graduate. I've spent the bulk of my money on haircuts and extra gear for RLP...you'll find out about that soon enough...its not fun.

Good luck! Don't give up when you're here!

I know you're at OCS, but -1 for reading comprehension. MARINE OCS.

 

[usmarinemike]

I know you're at OCS, but -1 for reading comprehension. MARINE OCS.

I was wondering what he wasking about. I thought I had become outdated or something.

Defnitely take the amount of cash your OSO says and then some. Some people in your squad aren't going to bring enough money and it builds genuine cred to buy them the things they need until you finally get some libo for them to get some cash.

 

[el douge]

I know you're at OCS, but -1 for reading comprehension. MARINE OCS.

Oops! My bad...I was in class and it was the first time I had checked the site since I'd been here...did a quick read.

 

[srqwho]

Oops! My bad...I was in class and it was the first time I had checked the site since I'd been here...did a quick read.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL CANDIDATE! On your face... PUSH.

 

[Vegas]

I was there this summer, We needed 3 sets of woodlands and 1 set of deserts but you might need more deserts if its winter Im not really sure about that one. I am sure that you will need $7 cash each week for haircuts, $280-$300 for bag issue(random stuff you will need pt gear, socks, hygine gear, etc and you have to buy everything even if you have it already. Thats the bare minimum you will need, but in the 2nd half of OCS theres a bunch of stuff like eating out during liberty or getting a hotel(i think its stupid), platoon T-shirts are going to run you about $12 and they offer other stuff like hoodies sweats and longsleeve Ts to all with varying prices, the last night you have the option of all going in on a catered meal that will be around $15 if you do it. Platoon photos are around $6 they also offered us these books (cruise books I think they were called) with pictures from the experience and those were $35 I think. All in all I spent close to $350 and I diddnt buy most of the stuff I just listed.

 

[Sennin]

Im pure civilian hopeful at this point, but a voracious reader. I've read the main OCS handbook (would post, but not linked in a location, and dont want to hog server bandwidth)
But you can google these file names, should find em somewhere:
Candidate Regulations.pdf
Officer Candidate Pre-ship Checklist.doc

The OCS.USMC site recommends 300 cash as a mandatory amount to arrive with.
The Candidate guide says $350.

A word of caution, I have heard its frowned down upon (maybe just MEPS, but likely OCS as well) DO NOT SHOW UP WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF CASH. You look ghetto rich.
Probably could play it safe and bring 400 so you can buy that first round of drinks on liberty for your good mates in training before they find the cash machine.

Just what I've read so far.

 

[usmarinemike]

Im pure civilian hopeful at this point, but a voracious reader. I've read the main OCS handbook (would post, but not linked in a location, and dont want to hog server bandwidth)
But you can google these file names, should find em somewhere:
Candidate Regulations.pdf
Officer Candidate Pre-ship Checklist.doc

The OCS.USMC site recommends 300 cash as a mandatory amount to arrive with.
The Candidate guide says $350.

A word of caution, I have heard its frowned down upon (maybe just MEPS, but likely OCS as well) DO NOT SHOW UP WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF CASH. You look ghetto rich.
Probably could play it safe and bring 400 so you can buy that first round of drinks on liberty for your good mates in training before they find the cash machine.

Just what I've read so far.

Keep reading those candidate regs...Better yet, print up a set and hold them up to your face while you stand at the position of attention for at least 3 hours each day.

 

[pearcem]

I recommend bringing 400-500. If for some reason you don't make it to an atm during libo (like if you're duty platoon and don't get off base), this ensures that you still have enough cash to get what you need at the PX, haircuts, chip in for cleaning supplies, etc. No one ever looked for how much cash you had, not even during pickup, until about week 5 when a few candidates had a bunch of cash stolen. I bought a ton of shit at OCS on libo, but could use my card for most of it. It was all little things, like extra gear for inspections, more socks, blister junk, body glide, etc.

As far as the flights go, we could change ours, but since we had 7 companies on deck this summer, once the staff caught wind of it, it became a problem for the travel agency, and batallion put a stop to it. So do it early if you get a chance. It might not be a problem if it's a smaller class. A lot of people just said no thanks to the ticket, stayed for a few days, then booked their own.