OCS

[Jeff]

OK, I just got back from my one 5 day stay at OCS and let me tell you that OCS absolutely sucks. We just got all the paper work and physiclas out of the way pretty much and did our in PRT. They took it a little easy on us and did not unleash our DI completely on us yet cause they wanted us all to come back. Anyone thats been through the program know anything about Gunnery Sgt. White? That is my DI. I now know why so many people tell me that there is nothing they can tell you to prepare you for OCS. I do assure you that you will want to know the Big 3 cold prior to going if possible, It wiil make your first two weeks a lot easier. My class is only 28 people, which is very small for an OCS class, and since a class started up immediately before us we they feel that we will not be getting very many roll-ins. The only good thing so far is that my class has no real fat bodys and everyone passed their in PRT. Which is a rare thing from what I understand.

The best advice I can give you for getting ready for OCS, is:

1. Know the Big 3, and if possible learn the rank structure before going.

2. Be ballistic at all times. If you don't know, this is screaming at the top of your lungs. That is the biggest problem with my class, especially since the classes ahead of us have almost twice as many voices. You will loose your voice pretty much by the end of the first week, and if you didn't you are not loud enough.

3. Remember that nothing you do is going to be right, no matter how well you did it it will not be good enough.

4. Get into shape, because from 0430 to 2200 you will be on your feet for just about the whole day, always doing something, and when it comes time for your in PRT you will be tired and your score will probably be lower than what you are at home.

5. All aviators, stay hydrated this will be pounded into your head a million times, but I have met three guys already who lost there designators from passing out due to dehydration. If at any time you pass out at OCS, SNAs and SNFOs will be stripped of their designator for good. I also met one guy who was stripped of SNA disignator for complaining of migrains.

6. Just remember that it is going to be 13 weeks of hell and it has nothing to do with the real navy, and as soon as you get through that the real fun will begin.

7. Don't worry to much about studying for course work in OCS. Everyone of the Candidate Officer and Officer Candidates alike stress to take everything one step at a time. Don't think about your week four inspection in week one or two. Studying the courses prior to getting there seems to be of no advantage to those I have spoken with, because it is the gouge from your senior classes that will get you through the exam, not studying the entire book.

Keep in mind I was only in there for a week but I learned and did more in a week than I could have imagined.

Anyone out there home from OCS on the Christmas break also.

 

[Kraftwerk]

Hoorah Indoctrination Class 13-01!
If you have any way of contacting your classmates and warn them of their impending doom, do so. It'll get a lot worse after you return, as you'll have an extra 4 days as an Indoc class. This week was easier for you as neither the DI's or the Candy-O's were allowed to scream at you. They will be after the holidays though. Yeah, you are a small class, and that's good in indoc week but as you pick up watch duty it'll be tougher for you. I'm sure you'll pick up a couple of rollouts after christmas, 12-01 lost 5 bodies over friggin' Naval History fer god's sake. Don't know much about GYSGT White other than that he's one of the USMC's best as are all the OCS DI's. You say that OCS sucks, don't worry, things will get better after your indoc week is over and you come toghether as a class. Teamwork and ballistics will save you at OCS. TEAMWORK AND BALLISTICS WILL SAVE YOUR ASS AT OCS. And the correct procedure for seating in chow hall is ...
These tables, both sides, ready.... POST! Doesn't matter that he was wrong. What saved that guy was that he said it reasonably loud enough. You know of what I speak, right?
Hoorah for no rolls on the IN-PRT!

 

[Jeff]

I know of what you speak Kraftwerk. The Candidate Officers from 08-01 copied the chow hall procedures out of the OCR for us to study over the break. I am still mixed on how I feel about us having gone for those few days, yeah it gave us a heads up, but now we have a whole indoc week to do and all the admin. is out of the way. We must know the big three, have brass polished, shoes shined and know chow hall cold when we get back. Yeah we got a lot more gouge and answers to questions from classes 07-01 and 08-01 than an indoc class would normally get but it just means that we have to be that much better than an indoc class would normally be. So I still have my reservations about my real indoc week when I get back, but ballistics will be what kills us more than anything.

Three Questions for you.
1. Will your voices return rather quickly, cause mine was gone within the first two days?

2. Do you get used to having to drink so much water? I have never seen grown men have to make so many head calls in my life. It is just funny.

3. Does every class take that long to get chow hall down?


Edited by - jeff on 12/16/2000 13:49:23

 

[Kraftwerk]

1. Your voice chords will be permanently scarred by OCS... kidding. It'll get better over the break, I lost mine after two days too, but you'll get used to ballistics after a while. Remember, shout with your diaphragm, not your voice chords, almost like when you burp. (for lack of a better comparison) It will lessen the suffering.

2. Indoctrination Candidates, you have to hydrate! This is very important, believe me, they're not just saying it to make you go peepee every hour. I've been pissing like a racehorse ever since week one, and head calls are made at least every hour once you get past indoc week (you can also self-motivate under some evolutions). If you pass out due to heat related stress, you WILL lose your designator. Expect to make at least one head call during sleep time.

3. Chow hall will come. It depends mostly upon the Section Leader that he/she is on the ball and knows the knowledge cold. If yer SL is hosing up the class will also hose up and pay dearly. Chow hall procedure isn't the hardest of the knowledge to learn, you do it three times a day, right? It'll stick, depends upon how fast your 28 individuals all come together as a team. Remember, GYSGT White wants to hear one heel when facing the door, and one fist when taking trays. Also, stay in step with the first person in line when going to the Traybody. If not, they'll tell you to get back and try it again. And again. The faster you learn, the less you will suffer.

 

[Jeff]

Vicki-

It doesn't seem to common of an occurance, but it does happen and you will hear of if not meet people who this has happened to. As long as you stay hydrated, it shouldn't be a problem though, and there is no reason that anyone should dehydrate while you are in OCS. I wouldn't put to much thought into that though.

 

[Kraftwerk]

Vicki..
1. You'll NEED an alarm clock. Just as long as it doesn't plug into a wall you should be okay.
2. The more you know the better. Two of my shipmates who did not know "Anchors Aweigh" of "Marine Corps Hymn" were caught mouthing something resembling the words by the DI's...in chow hall. Needless to say, they got their butts handed to them.
3. Chapsticks are small and therefore hard to find when searching bags. Also, if you ask for one during sick call, they'll give you one. But using one of your own is considered self-medicating, but hey...

 

[Jeff]

Just to emphasize what Matt and Kraftwerk said:

The DIs run the show, even when you don't think they are watching "They are." Personally I only have two spacemates and both of them have alarm clocks that use outlets. Mine is battery operated, but no one has said anything to them yet. They just make sure it doesn't come out until after taps and is up as soom as it goes off. You will need it from day one.

Just a note on contraband. Any type of medication or application is considered contraband. So don't be suprised if they take your chapstick. Also, this may sound stupid, but any type of weapon is not allowed. We actually had someone show up with a handgun and a rifle in his car. Needless to say that did not go over so well. Use common sense while you pack.

Other than the Big Three, we haven't done anything else.

 

[Dave Shutter]

How did they find the guns in his car? Did he open his mouth or do they search cars when you get there. I was thinking about packing my trunk with a few "amemnities" for liberty, if I got it anyway.

D

 

[Jeff]

When you pull in to park there are Candidate Officers standing there, and they ask you to if you have anything that may be considered a weapon in your car. It was better of him to tell them, than try to hide it and have someone find out later. If you bring your own car you can bring whatever you want and leave it in there. For pilots, I would recommend bringing extra clothes and things you will need to survive through API, because there is a chance that they will not grant you leave to go home and get your stuff prior to starting API.

 

[Eagle1]

Actually everyone who graduates from OCS and is headed for API is granted seven days of leave, sometimes more, by Flight Management. So I wouldn't worry about bringing your whole life down there in your car. A tip: cars are a great place to store all sorts of goodies for use at OCS. You will be allowed to visit your car at least once a week (called POV runs in OCS parlance). These are great opportunities for self medicating with vitamin C, Advil, etc as well as a little spiritual self medication with a Snickers bar or some other form of forbidden fruit.