The Basics of TBS

[rugger4042]

Just going through some of the other posts within this thread and could not find the answer I was looking for concerning what TBS's daily routine really is. I was accepted into the OCC-188 class, and was looking for some more info on what happens after OCS.
I know their is no average day at TBS, but what does a typical day look like (i.e. when to you wake up, when are classes, what is the PT like, do we have little or lots of free time, and etc...)
Is it as rigid as say the regiment at Navy or West point? It seems that alot of people live off base, so is it like a college atmosphere, without all the parties. This is all new to me and anything would be most helpful.

 

[SemperGumbi]

On Deck time (wake up 5-30 minutes before this) is usually from 0400 to about 0830
Generally it is around 500-0630

You will usually secure between 1600 and 2330
Frequently it is around 1800

Classes are any time in there, usually between 0600 and 1800

PT is about once a week and it varies depending on your PT rep. It can be a 6 mile boot/ute run or flak football, or anything in between.

Usually you will have little free time, and even when you secure you will have orders and stuff to write or stuff to study for.

It is somewhere between OCS and college. You will be treated like a Lance Lieutenant instead of like a real officer in the United States Military, but have much more freedom and can make more real decisions (although many lieutenants are afraid to).

It is what you make of it. Some people absolutely hate it, some would live there given the choice.

 

[schmied]

so as far as living, I'm sure it's like dorm living...or is it? OCS style, i.e. a big room with 30 other people? If it is like dorm living, can you have creature comforts as in TV, PS2, etc? Are you in uniform 24/7 6 months?

 

[jbelsha53]

you live in dorm-type barracks. You'll either be in a suite of 2 rooms with 2-3 other lieutenants (one room with racks, the other with desks), or in a room with one roommate.

As far as creature comforts, bring everything. I have a TV, Xbox, DVD, laptop. guitar, etc etc, and I'm glad I brought all of it. There's not much of a restriction on what you bring, as long as it's not dangerous/etc

During working hours you will be in the uniform of the day, 99% of the time cammies. On occasion you'll wear bravos (a new rule that just went into effect last week - first friday of every month we wear bravos), but it's almost always cammies. Once you secure for the day, you can wear whatever you want, so even if I'm not leaving the base I'll usually throw on some comfortable civilian stuff.

 

[Shadow9660]

Since we're on the subject, how much leave (if any) are you given between OCS and TBS, is it leave not taken from your yearly 30 days, and whats the usual wait after OCS to class up? If you don't class up right away...what do you do all day? thanks

 

[SpeedyJ]

Usually you will have little free time, and even when you secure you will have orders and stuff to write or stuff to study for

Are you kidding? TBS is where I polished my excellent Halo skills. I can't remember having more free time, i.e. waiting to get secured. A bit of advice, if you want to get secured earlier than later your leaders have to have the intestinal fortitude to make it happen. There really is no reason to sit around for four hours waiting to get secured. If you are going to Bravo company your XO (Capt Faye) is a stud. He comes off as kind of a hard ass but is really pretty funny. He was in my company at TBS.

 

[froghead1]

Couple of quick TBS questions

1. Anyone have any idea how holidays will work while we're at TBS? (starting with Bravo in Jan) I know we're Lt's, but being in a training environment seems to change how things work. Will we get federal holidays off, or in the case of, say, MLK day, a three day weekend?

2. How necessary is it to have a sword at the beginning of TBS? Can you borrow/rent one for the sword classes if you don't want to buy one right now?

3. Are the FEX's usually during the week, not extended into the weekend?

4. Finally, has anyone tried to access the TBS site to download forms such as the check in list, etc? It seems to be down right now.

Thanks

 

[PSno23]

1. I know that for MLK day, it will be a 72 hour holiday (3 days). For President's Day and Memorial Day, they'll be 96's (four days).

2. You will have to have a sword at least 1/3 of the way through the POI (period of instruction, what they call the training cycle at TBS). There will be time to get measured for your sword and all that. The TBS uniform shop and The Marine Shop will work with you to make sure you have your sword by the time you have to do Manual of the Sword.

3. As far as I know, FEX's are done during the week. The only time you will have to do stuff on the weekends is if you have to do remedial stuff, such as Land Nav and I believe one weekend is dedicated to Urban Patrolling, not until later on in the POI, though.

4. I didn't try to do that. When I checked in after Thanksgiving for Alpha Co., they provided a checklist for me and I found I had more than enough time to complete the tasks. Be prepared to write yet another autobiography, but this time you get to type it! It will have to be done a certain way, which you will find out when you get there.

 

[KBayDog]

You will be treated like a Lance Lieutenant instead of like a real officer in the United States Military, but have much more freedom and can make more real decisions (although many lieutenants are afraid to).

And therein lies the problem - lieutenants afraid to make real decisions. Most folks (particularly when in a company billet) are more worried about their precious billet evaluations than doing their jobs - taking care of the 200+ Marines they are in charge of.

"Yes, Sir!" "Aye aye, Sir!" Never will you hear or see a student company staff member jumping on a CO's, XO's, or SPC's desk to get stuff done. And this is why you wait for "the word" for so friggin' long.

When you are in charge, reach down and grab a pair, and do what is right for the people you are leading, not for your precious little eval. Make decisions, make calls, MAKE MISTAKES, and learn from them.

Believe me, the staff wants decision makers, not "yes men."