OCS PAy?

[Navy_DT]

Coming in OCS (civilian- prior enlisted to Supply Corps).... what is the pay while In OCS again? Is it like E-5 pay or something?

 

[jt71582]

E-5 unless you were an E-6 or higher...then you just make what you made before. If unmarried you don't get BAH, and most of your BAS is taken to pay for the chow you will learn to love eating with a spoon.

 

[Navy_DT]

If you are married is it partial BAH or according to where your family lives?

 

[Roosterj]

If I can piggy back another question

Because we pay for uniforms and haircuts how much of that money makes it into our bank accounts?

 

[jt71582]

Not a lot. OCS is expensive. Everything from uniforms, hi-moms, photographs (200 bucks!), etc. comes out of your money.

YMMV of course, but I spent a whole bunch of money the few times we got liberty too. That, and Christmas fell over that time, so some should make it.

 

[sonicboom]

JT, how often can you communicate by either phone or email? 1x a week?

 

[jt71582]

Well I'm a candio now and it's a bit different. I could read AW before, just was afraid to post because EVERYONE knows about it up here.

OCS sucks just like everyone says, but they keep you so busy that it really does go fast. I'll share more later.

 

[sonicboom]

I could read AW before, just was afraid to post because EVERYONE knows about it up here.

Why were you afraid?

 

[MasterBates]

JT, how often can you communicate by either phone or email? 1x a week?

Do I really need to change your user name to ET?

When I was at OCS, MAYBE once a week from church for about 5 minutes if you were lucky, at least until your class secured.

Which could be anywhere from 1-3 months.

 

[sonicboom]

Oh for fucks sake it was a question. I'm not trying to communicate with my alien brethren. My family just wanted a rough idea. :icon_rage

 

[HAL Pilot]

So how many times will I get to call home from the squadron during an average work day? What about during a flight? Will I get cell coverage in the plane? Will the final controller get pissed if I call the wife during a PAR?

ET - you sound like a broken record. You and the family have got to accept there will be a lot of seperations where constant contact just isn't going to happen.

 

[sonicboom]

With all due respect, sir, I really don't deserve the smart remarks.

ET - you sound like a broken record.

I've asked two totally different questions - one regarding contact during deployment (a legitimate question considering I'm thinking about starting a family) and another for OCS (also legitimate considering my parents are curious).

You and the family have got to accept there will be a lot of seperations where constant contact just isn't going to happen.

My family and I have accepted this. I'm looking forward to nothing more than getting out of my parents' home, and my girlfriend is totally on board with the Navy career. I wouldn't have selected this as a career if I were not 150% gungho about this. I simply asked a question, so I'd appreciate it if responses were limited to answers only. Again, no disrespect intended. Just trying to express where I'm coming from.

 

[m0tbaillie]

With all due respect, sir, I really don't deserve the smart remarks.



I've asked two totally different questions - one regarding contact during deployment (a legitimate question considering I'm thinking about starting a family) and another for OCS (also legitimate considering my parents are curious).



My family and I have accepted this. I'm looking forward to nothing more than getting out of my parents' home, and my girlfriend is totally on board with the Navy career. I wouldn't have selected this as a career if I were not 150% gungho about this. I simply asked a question, so I'd appreciate it if responses were limited to answers only. Again, no disrespect intended. Just trying to express where I'm coming from.

Use the search function. You're not the first person to go to OCS with a family and a girlfriend back home. They're only giving you shit because you're asking a question that could be solved in 30 seconds of searching as opposed to injecting it into a completely unrelated thread.

 

[Spekkio]

If I can piggy back another question

Because we pay for uniforms and haircuts how much of that money makes it into our bank accounts?

Well, it's direct deposit, so all the money will make it into your bank account. The question is how much you will have to pay back out.

You get a uniform allowance of ~$1700 that gets deposited around your 2nd or 3rd paycheck. Uniforms will cost $2200-2500, depending on how much stuff you have to repurchase and whether or not you opt for Brooks Bros. dress uniforms, and the bill is due at the end of OCS. Getting a star card will save you 10% on that bill. I got another ~$700 uniform allowance following my graduation; I think this is universal, but not sure.

You get E-5 pay while at OCS. If you are BDCP, you will also collect BAH. If you are NUPOC, you will get E-6 pay + BAH. BAS is there, but it's taken right out for chow hall dues.

The $20 you give when you go there covers haircuts. Later on (as in like week 7-8+), you'll most likely get haircuts at the NEX for $5, so that's not really an expensive component.

Don't be stupid like some classes that spend a ton of money on hi-mom's and other superfluous crap. After a $60/head dining out at the Mariott for shitty food (we didn't choose that location), we decided to go cheap on all the other stuff. Those who kept up with their class dues got back about $350 out of about $600 paid ($50/wk for 12 wks). The DIs may have been a little peeved that we didn't buy them all a free night of drinking, but the people who had families to feed definitely appreciated it. This is one area where our class was actually level-headed.

Class shirts will cost you another $160-220, depending on how many sets you get. One set is mandatory, and you will wear it as your PT gear for 3 weeks. I got 2 because I didn't want to revert back to wearing the same PT gear for 6 days straight like pre-RLP. The class prior to mine decided to get sweatpants/shorts as well; I highly suggest you try talking people out of this if they ever bring it up.

I thought (read: knew) that the photographs were a ripoff, but my mom wanted a portrait so I bought one anyway. In hindsight, I would suggest holding off and just seeking a separate photographer for cheaper. It's not too difficult to setup an appointment with a portrait photographer, put on your chokers/blues, take a few snaps, and have a photographer photoshop a flag behind you. Your family will have the opportunity to take photographs during your first salute/when the class lines up for a photo (and you'll love standing at parade rest for what seems like forever while they do it). It won't be pro, but to me it wasn't worth the extra $60 to have almost the same photograph.

Aside from that, the people who spend a ton of money at OCS are the ones who go out every night on liberty and drop a ton of money making up for lost drinking time, people who decide to sleep at a hotel on overnight liberty just 'cuz, and people who like to eat out at every possible moment. This only is in effect for 2-4 weeks max, but you'd be surprised how much money you can go through by binging on all the crap you've been deprived of for 8-10 weeks, especially in ritzy Newport, RI.

 

[m0tbaillie]

If you are BDCP, you will also collect BAH.

Is this confirmed? If so, that's AWESOME!

E-5 BAH for Newport is $1,254/mo for FY09 that's a nice chunk of change for three~ months ($3,762 total).