sTUPID qUESTIONS aBOUT ocs

[Garrett S.]

Yup, A-Pool is the time between checking into Pensacola and joining an API class. You go onto base every day to muster in khakis and hear any announcements they might have for you, and then the rest of the day is free. So basically 15 minutes of work per day, plus the commute.


Does that include IFS? That was the big hold-up when we were going through. Validators (people who have a private pilot's license and are allowed to skip IFS) were pushed through immediately, but everyone else was waiting about a month just to start IFS.

IFS is completely caught up at the moment and the wait for API isn't far behind at all.

 

[Garrett S.]

Thanks so much for the info, much appreciated. I have a few follow up questions which might be elementary, so I thank you in advance.

1. What is A-pool? Sounds like a waiting period?

2. If SNFO, where will I be fast tracked to and why the fast track?

Again, thanks so much in advance!

1. A-Pool is a transitory student pool. While there you will do your Division Officer Leadership Course (week long basics course), complete any medical stuff you may need as well as go through NAMI, IFS is loosely accountable to A-Pool as well. You will be under A-Pool until you go to API which places you in B-Pool. It's several things rolled into one and also serves as overflow holding is the short answer I suppose.

2. You will go through all the same processes as everyone else, you just get priority placement. So if there are 40 slots for API and there are 55 SNA's ahead of you, they will still class you up and knock someone back. Once you head to primary you will be in your own pipeline so its no longer applicable. I've heard plenty of reasons as to why they are hurrying us through. The one thing all the gouge has in common is that the fleet needs us sooner rather than later, any answer beyond that is either speculation or good gouge swimming in an ocean of bad gouge and thus indistinguishable.

***The dynamics of this could easily change a few months from now, its just how things currently are***

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Fun fact: there's also a C-Pool, or at least there was. During the government shutdown, they were having trouble cutting orders after API, so some who had finished API were temporarily stashed until their orders came through. At least they could wear their flight suits at that point.

 

[Uncle Fester]

SNFOs usually cycle through NASC more quickly because Wing-6 has a more predictable production-attrition rate and smaller student load. Nothing to do with "the Fleet needs (you)". The Fleet's needs are programmed into accession numbers way ahead of time, factoring in all the variables like community retention, pipeline attrition, etc etc etc. It's actually done way better now than in years past, when it wasn't uncommon for studs to wait months between stages and then get rushed through.

A-pool is used as sort of the master control valve for the whole Program. So it is possible to have a long A-pool wait, but should be and most likely will be your only long (ie, more than a week or two) wait. There is B-pool (delayed during API, like medical issues) and C-pool for guys delayed after completion, rarely used anymore short of a hurricane or other major training shutdown flight-side, like the government shutdown mentioned. Usually it's preferred to send you on to the Wings and let them manage you there.

Right now (June) is usually the smallest student pool. Floods again in late summer when the academy and ROTC kids start coming off grad leave, tapers off in late fall, another flood in Jan-Feb when the December grads come in, and so on.

 

[utswimmer37]

SNFOs usually cycle through NASC more quickly because Wing-6 has a more predictable production-attrition rate and smaller student load. Nothing to do with "the Fleet needs (you)". The Fleet's needs are programmed into accession numbers way ahead of time, factoring in all the variables like community retention, pipeline attrition, etc etc etc. It's actually done way better now than in years past, when it wasn't uncommon for studs to wait months between stages and then get rushed through.

A-pool is used as sort of the master control valve for the whole Program. So it is possible to have a long A-pool wait, but should be and most likely will be your only long (ie, more than a week or two) wait. There is B-pool (delayed during API, like medical issues) and C-pool for guys delayed after completion, rarely used anymore short of a hurricane or other major training shutdown flight-side, like the government shutdown mentioned. Usually it's preferred to send you on to the Wings and let them manage you there.

Right now (June) is usually the smallest student pool. Floods again in late summer when the academy and ROTC kids start coming off grad leave, tapers off in late fall, another flood in Jan-Feb when the December grads come in, and so on.

If we are looking at a Nov 21 comm date does that usually mean they won't try to push people through IFS right before the stand-down or is it the opposite where they give us a NLT date and we sit for a month because of the holidays? I have heard as well that once we PQ at OCS we usually have a decent idea of how it will play out in regards to timing, thoughts?

 

[America]

@Tycho_Brohe, @Garrett S., and @Uncle Fester - Thanks so much for the detailed information and response. Your information is invaluable to us trying to get to where you are. Much appreciated. Hope everyone's weekend is going well.

 

[Mr Spenz]

If we are looking at a Nov 21 comm date does that usually mean they won't try to push people through IFS right before the stand-down or is it the opposite where they give us a NLT date and we sit for a month because of the holidays? I have heard as well that once we PQ at OCS we usually have a decent idea of how it will play out in regards to timing, thoughts?

No. You won't know anything until you are down there. People that were my candio's were still waiting to class up when I got down there and I classed up before them. I waited a month some people in my class waited a few weeks even though the avg wait was 3-4 months. Focus on OCS.

 

[utswimmer37]

another stupid question then, are there any tips for people who sweat profusely, as in should I bring double the socks, shirts and skivvies or is the laundry turn around time enough to not have to worry about that stuff?

 

[LET73]

another stupid question then, are there any tips for people who sweat profusely, as in should I bring double the socks, shirts and skivvies or is the laundry turn around time enough to not have to worry about that stuff?

I wouldn't worry about it. Pretty much everyone is going to be sweating profusely, anyway.

 

[Spartan43]

I wouldn't worry about it. Pretty much everyone is going to be sweating profusely, anyway.

Yup, and the whole Indoc p-way will smell like a locker room. It is what it is.

Also, don't be afraid to speak up to the Candios when you're running low on clean laundry, chances are that everyone else is too. It happens way more often than it needs to.

 

[utswimmer37]

thats the smell of victory...

 

[Fronch]

another stupid question then, are there any tips for people who sweat profusely, as in should I bring double the socks, shirts and skivvies or is the laundry turn around time enough to not have to worry about that stuff?

Here's a completely unrelated question: How do I specifically request to not have @utswimmer37 as my roommate?

 

[utswimmer37]

Here's a completely unrelated question: How do I specifically request to not have @utswimmer37 as my roommate?

and I heard there is only on twin bed in each room so start submitting those requests now...also, I shout profanities in my sleep

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

...also, I shout profanities in my sleep

You might be surprised. Some people have had some very vivid dreams at OCS. One candidate dreamed that her DI came into her room and told her to sit at the position of attention, so she woke up her roommate and told her to do the same. She was absolutely convinced that it had happened. And there was another guy who snapped out of a dream screaming "ATTENTION ON DECK STANDBY!" It was rough at the time, but tragedy plus time equals comedy.

 

[CEC-MS]

You might be surprised. Some people have had some very vivid dreams at OCS. One candidate dreamed that her DI came into her room and told her to sit at the position of attention, so she woke up her roommate and told her to do the same. She was absolutely convinced that it had happened. And there was another guy who snapped out of a dream screaming "ATTENTION ON DECK STANDBY!" It was rough at the time, but tragedy plus time equals comedy.

I remember in boot camp I was averaging about 2 hours of sleep a night during service week, and near the end of the week I was toast. Someone woke me up for watch in the middle of the night, and I swore the lights were all on and I was the last person laying in my rack while everyone was at attention toeing the line (something I always feared). So I jumped up and did the same. A few seconds later the lights all seemed to fade to the dark berthing and I realized I was standing by myself in my underwear. The guy who just woke me up was laying on his rack watching me, and I tried to play it off like I wasn't being a total weirdo.