sTUPID qUESTIONS aBOUT ocs

[BeLikeMike]

One more quick question that I couldn't find the exact answer for:

- What kind of ribbons/medals are allowed for priors? Does it matter if they are ultra thin? Should they be Anodized medals or not?

Ribbons does not matter. I had ultra thins when I was there. Anodized metals on the other hand is not authorized. Usually only the Marine Corp allows that. Here's what the uniform reg says: "Plating or polishing medals is prohibited except personnel assigned to Washington Ceremonial Guard." Ref: Uniform Regulations, para 5314

 

[Spookcumber]

Ribbons does not matter. I had ultra thins when I was there. Anodized metals on the other hand is not authorized. Usually only the Marine Corp allows that. Here's what the uniform reg says: "Plating or polishing medals is prohibited except personnel assigned to Washington Ceremonial Guard." Ref: Uniform Regulations, para 5314

Ah gotcha, thank you! Oh wow I had no idea. I've only worn medals once and back then I only had a couple . Thank you again.

 

[agentw]

Stupid application question here. I'm hopefully just a week away from actually submitting my application (one more MEPS trip) and I'm having some internal debate on what designations to apply for. While lurking around AW for the past several months, I always see groupings of three designators, often SNA/SNFO/SWO. My own personal choices are split between INTEL/SWO-O/SWO/SNFO. So here is the question, while my recruiter has said that up to 5 designations can be placed on a single application, I have never seen mention of more than 3 being posted. Is there a reason for that, besides making it seem like I don't know what I want?

 

[acrjr718]

I've seen it mentioned around here that the SWO board will not consider applications that don't have SWO listed as the first choice-- is that true?

 

[Lasoiree]

My recruiter told me that the chances of a community taking you if they aren't your first choice are slim if you are competitive for your first choice.

 

[WEGL12]

Stupid application question here. I'm hopefully just a week away from actually submitting my application (one more MEPS trip) and I'm having some internal debate on what designations to apply for. While lurking around AW for the past several months, I always see groupings of three designators, often SNA/SNFO/SWO. My own personal choices are split between INTEL/SWO-O/SWO/SNFO. So here is the question, while my recruiter has said that up to 5 designations can be placed on a single application, I have never seen mention of more than 3 being posted. Is there a reason for that, besides making it seem like I don't know what I want?

I believe the application was revised a few years ago allowing up to 5 choices. I know when I applied in 2010, there were only three spots. I believe the application changed a little over two years ago, not completely sure.

 

[jander12]

Stupid application question here. I'm hopefully just a week away from actually submitting my application (one more MEPS trip) and I'm having some internal debate on what designations to apply for. While lurking around AW for the past several months, I always see groupings of three designators, often SNA/SNFO/SWO. My own personal choices are split between INTEL/SWO-O/SWO/SNFO. So here is the question, while my recruiter has said that up to 5 designations can be placed on a single application, I have never seen mention of more than 3 being posted. Is there a reason for that, besides making it seem like I don't know what I want?

I had 5 spots, and all 5 spots were filled with something different (some people will put the same thing down multiple times, or will only be happy with Aviation so only put SNA/NFO). SNA/NFO/INTEL/IW/IP. I believe the board member’s views should be, “This guy/gal wants to be in the US Navy and would be ‘happy’ with AT LEAST 5 different designators. His FIRST CHOICE is SNA, but he/she’s qualified for our community and I think he/she’d do well/contribute (or vice versa).” Sure, they could say, “well, if it’s not his/her first choice than he/she doesn’t really want to be in our community.”

But I don’t think that would happen if you’re qualified for the community. And, there's always the situation where they are able to be extremely selective and between two applications that are "identical" in nearly every way except for their 1st choice, they choose the applicant with their community as 1st choice. And there's always the situation where they don't want to waste a pro-rec Y on you if they think you'll get your first choice...

So basically, I don't think there's a "right way" to do this. Damned if we put multiple designators; damned if we don't (or are we?).

What you want is to be a Naval Officer and are open to multiple designators.

*I'm not a board member, so this is NOT 1st hand experience.

 

[acrjr718]

My recruiter told me that the chances of a community taking you if they aren't your first choice are slim if you are competitive for your first choice.

Hm, thanks. Any other comments?

 

[44magnum]

A potential issue just occurred to me. . . I cannot roll up my NWU sleeves, because my arms are too big. Seriously. I know I'm not the only one with this issue either. In the fleet I have the option of not rolling them up, but at OCS it looks like I would be required to roll them in the Summer months. I know custom fit uniforms can be ordered, but I've never met an LS who knew how to do that, and if they did it would probably take a year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Would they let me keep my sleeves down?

 

[LFCFan]

A potential issue just occurred to me. . . I cannot roll up my NWU sleeves, because my arms are too big. Seriously. I know I'm not the only one with this issue either. In the fleet I have the option of not rolling them up, but at OCS it looks like I would be required to roll them in the Summer months. I know custom fit uniforms can be ordered, but I've never met an LS who knew how to do that, and if they did it would probably take a year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Would they let me keep my sleeves down?

I think you should be more concerned about cleaning the grey matter off of the uniforms in time for RLP after an RDC's head explodes because they can't comprehend letting one person not be uniform with the rest. "Do we all need to take the liners out of our parkas or can some of us leave them in?" - actual debate my class had last spring amongst ourselves. And the candios said they had to all be in or out. Thanks asshats, where ever you are.

They aren't going to have a choice if you physically can't do it. You'd probably be OKed to not do it, but you will get a lot of questions asked for the first day or two until word gets around about that guy with huge arms in Chief so-and-sos class. We had a guy in my class who had to order custom boots and wore sneakers for quite a while.

If anything, they will give the rest of the class a hard time for not having arms as massive as yours, and it will become a fun inside joke that everyone will remember for a long time

 

[agentw]

I believe the application was revised a few years ago allowing up to 5 choices. I know when I applied in 2010, there were only three spots. I believe the application changed a little over two years ago, not completely sure.

I had 5 spots, and all 5 spots were filled with something different ... So basically, I don't think there's a "right way" to do this. Damned if we put multiple designators; damned if we don't (or are we?).

What you want is to be a Naval Officer and are open to multiple designators...

Thanks for replies. If they're offering, might as well use them, right? And SWO-O and SWO and kinda like applying to the same community, right? Boats and all that jazz.

 

[Coulanon]

Question regarding travel/move following OCS graduation for a married non-prior. The current plan is to have my wife load our car with essentials and stuff we don't care to have others move and drive with my mom and step-dad to Newport for commissioning, whenever that is. Parents will be heading to see some other siblings on the east coast and wife and I will head for Pensacola provided I don't have OHARP orders prior to that. We will then have the Navy move the rest of our HHG once we have a place in P-Cola. Guess I am wondering if this makes sense or looking for any other suggestions, I will be flying to OCS regardless because there is no way my pickup could make that trek from Minnesota.

Also, as part of the HHG I would be looking to ship my motorcycle, is this common or is there a different way that is done? Thanks!

 

[Givemeinfo]

I understand that closer towards the end of OCS ship selection takes place based on class rank. What determines your ranking in the class? Is it a combination of points from PRT, inspections, and written tests? Do some things count more than others?

 

[Mr Spenz]

I understand that closer towards the end of OCS ship selection takes place based on class rank. What determines your ranking in the class? Is it a combination of points from PRT, inspections, and written tests? Do some things count more than others?

I believe ship selection is just the group of SWO's getting together with a list of available ships and they figure out who wants to go where. Never heard of it being based on class rank. Also class rank at OCS does not matter, once you commission everyone is an Ensign and has a fresh start. I know a few people that thought OCS was the Navy (it's not) and others like myself did well and cared only about getting through not class rank.

 

[Givemeinfo]

I believe ship selection is just the group of SWO's getting together with a list of available ships and they figure out who wants to go where. Never heard of it being based on class rank. Also class rank at OCS does not matter, once you commission everyone is an Ensign and has a fresh start. I know a few people that thought OCS was the Navy (it's not) and others like myself did well and cared only about getting through not class rank.

Ok thank you, maybe I was misinformed.