Tips/Advice for Navy OCS (transportation & preparation)

[Libby Ann]

Hey guys, I was recently notified by my recruiter that I was selected for both pilot & NFO.
We are now finalizing the last documents and scheduling my swear in so that I can obtain my date to go to OCS.

My recruiter told me to look around and see if there any other people that could help me out on carpooling, or roomating at hotels from arrival to OCS for Sunday check in.

I know I don't have my date to exactly know who else is leaving that time to be able to meet up. But those who have experience on what they did on arrival; did you guys meet up with someone on this forum and shared a hotel together?

Also I was also told of the option of driving your own car, well I never really traveled to the other side of USA, but I am currently located in Temecula, Ca.

Any advice would help!
Thanks!!

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

The Navy will buy you a ticket to fly to Newport. You don't need to drive and I'd highly advise not to drive cross-country just for 12 weeks and maybe using your car the last 2-3 weekends of OCS. Have your OR/Processor book your plane ticket and either them or you book a hotel through either Navy Gateway or Navy Lodge in Newport (you can google and call both).

Also, being PROREC doesn't mean you're swearing in. You still need to wait for your FINAL SELECT letter to arrive with exact OCS date.

 

[Piposterous]

The Navy will buy you a ticket to fly to Newport. You don't need to drive and I'd highly advise not to drive cross-country just for 12 weeks and maybe using your car the last 2-3 weekends of OCS. Have your OR/Processor book your plane ticket and either them or you book a hotel through either Navy Gateway or Navy Lodge in Newport (you can google and call both).


Also, being PROREC doesn't mean you're swearing in. You still need to wait for your FINAL SELECT letter to arrive with exact OCS date.

I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but I'm just curious - what is the process of the boards determining the FINSEL admittants? Generally how many SNA/NFO's who are Pro-rec'd get FINSEL? Also, what is the timeline between getting Pro-rec'd and FINSEL?

 

[Libby Ann]

The Navy will buy you a ticket to fly to Newport. You don't need to drive and I'd highly advise not to drive cross-country just for 12 weeks and maybe using your car the last 2-3 weekends of OCS. Have your OR/Processor book your plane ticket and either them or you book a hotel through either Navy Gateway or Navy Lodge in Newport (you can google and call both).

Also, being PROREC doesn't mean you're swearing in. You still need to wait for your FINAL SELECT letter to arrive with exact OCS date.

Right, I understand, never hurts to prepare ahead of time. So have you tried befriending someone and making a plan to meet up along with room mating? What did you do? (if you already went through OCS)

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

I know I don't have my date to exactly know who else is leaving that time to be able to meet up. But those who have experience on what they did on arrival; did you guys meet up with someone on this forum and shared a hotel together?

Yup, I got in touch with my future classmates on this thread. We also made a Facebook group for our class and exchanged numbers so we could get together that Saturday night before classing up. Once you do get your date, check on here for a thread with your class date. If there's not one made yet, practice some "initiative" (leadership trait) and start one.

Right, I understand, never hurts to prepare ahead of time. So have you tried befriending someone and making a plan to meet up along with room mating? What did you do? (if you already went through OCS)

Rufio is an Officer Recruiter. Not sure if he went through OCS, though.

 

[Libby Ann]

Yup, I got in touch with my future classmates on this thread. We also made a Facebook group for our class and exchanged numbers so we could get together that Saturday night before classing up. Once you do get your date, check on here for a thread with your class date. If there's not one made yet, practice some "initiative" (leadership trait) and start one.

Awesome thats what I was hoping to find out! Glad to know that. Thanks, once I get everything all set and hopefully selected I will do that.
Thank you very much for your advice!

 

[ccasabar]

Awesome thats what I was hoping to find out! Glad to know that. Thanks, once I get everything all set and hopefully selected I will do that.
Thank you very much for your advice!

I got Pro'Rec and Medical Approved for NFO. I'm just waiting for my conditional release from USNR, currently sitting at PERS, then my CO will call me and let me know my ship out date. But, yeah, I'm doing the road trip from Orange County, CA when I find out my date.
First off, the navy is going to pay for gas, food, and lodging.
Second, after week 9, I've read we can use our POV's
Third, After OCS, it's a road trip to Pcola,FL for flight school

Those are just my thoughts on POV'n to RI. But yeah, I'm also keeping up with my PT. I heard 3mile runs eeryday. Hope that helps

 

[Libby Ann]

Thank you!
Is there a paid flight going to the next step after OCS?
Whether it would be back home for a few days, or to flight school?

 

[lenninscjay]

All, just thought I'd post this, a lot of travel/reimbursement/post-OCS move questions are answered in this thread: 'Automobile to Newport?

But since I'm here, and I've been meaning to ask my OR...

I'll be travelling to OCS from Hawaii. I haven't seen my family for about 1.5yrs at this point so I planned to fly Honolulu-Chicago, stay a week (extended family). Then fly Chicago to Baltimore (where I grew up), see family, grab my car, drive to Long Island, NY on the way to Newport (stay a night with friends, tidy up the storage locker) and then drive the rest of the way to Newport.

I'm assuming (from what I've read on this site) since I'll be buying my own plane ticket and it's not to Newport (plus it'll be 2 weeks early), no reimbursement there? (It's not like I can drive from HNL-Newport.) Also, no reimbursement CHI-BALTO. But I can probably be reimbursed from BALTO-Newport. Sound about right?

 

[lenninscjay]

Thank you!
Is there a paid flight going to the next step after OCS?
Whether it would be back home for a few days, or to flight school?

After OCS I think you get orders. If you drove, I think you might get 2-3 days to drive (I'm assuming you can be reimbursed once you get down there.) If you don't have a car, I'm thinking they might buy you a ticket? (Similar to the training travel reimbursement to OCS). Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[lenninscjay]

And just as I said that... Got a call... No FINSEL yet but I'm penciled in to the 22 MAR OCS class date. There goes my plans!

I did ask my OR if APR 12 was an option considering my travel plans and he said he'd ask the PM / DO. I'm committed and ready to go either way. Have to get used to the Navy's schedule sooner or later! . Regardless, I'm stoked!

 

[ccasabar]

All, just thought I'd post this, a lot of travel/reimbursement/post-OCS move questions are answered in this thread: 'Automobile to Newport?

But since I'm here, and I've been meaning to ask my OR...

I'll be travelling to OCS from Hawaii. I haven't seen my family for about 1.5yrs at this point so I planned to fly Honolulu-Chicago, stay a week (extended family). Then fly Chicago to Baltimore (where I grew up), see family, grab my car, drive to Long Island, NY on the way to Newport (stay a night with friends, tidy up the storage locker) and then drive the rest of the way to Newport.

I'm assuming (from what I've read on this site) since I'll be buying my own plane ticket and it's not to Newport (plus it'll be 2 weeks early), no reimbursement there? (It's not like I can drive from HNL-Newport.) Also, no reimbursement CHI-BALTO. But I can probably be reimbursed from BALTO-Newport. Sound about right?

From my military experience, unless your orders account for you to POV, you'll get reimbursed. If nothing is on those orders saying that, then you wont get any money back. +plus, Most likely your orders will be from home of record to RI.That being said,^ what you proposed sounds like you wont get any money back. That's just my understanding. But then again, you won't know if you don't try. Congrats and good luck

 

[lenninscjay]

...wisdom...

Thanks! It's all up in the air now anyway. So we'll see, I appreciate the blessings though

 

[ccasabar]

Thank you!
Is there a paid flight going to the next step after OCS?
Whether it would be back home for a few days, or to flight school?

After OCS I think you get orders. If you drove, I think you might get 2-3 days to drive (I'm assuming you can be reimbursed once you get down there.) If you don't have a car, I'm thinking they might buy you a ticket? (Similar to the training travel reimbursement to OCS). Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Navy's going to pay for any flight where the Navy needs you to be, meaning from home of record to OCS, OCS to P-cola, P-cola to FRS. Navy wont pay for your flights to go home, unless discharging. Other than that, I don't think you'll be allowed to go on leave right after OCS. If anything, I suggest you find a fellow sna/snfo in your OCS class who has a car, so you can get the travel money, split travel expenses, sight see, while traveling to the same place, P-cola.

Breakdown $$$
Navy gives you 4days for travel from OCS to P-cola(~1380miles), where they reimburse lodging(keep receipts)
4days x $91 per day of travel per diem =$364 (per diem, aka food allowance. spend $5 per meal each day, you wont go through $91. you keep the other $76/perday)
Gas for ~1380miles x $0.55per mile = $759 (split gas w/ shipmates = mad savings)
total $~1123 http://usmilitary.about.com/od/travelpay/a/travel.-v1l.htm
^the money the gov will give you to drive. unless you're making it rain dollar dollar bill to your destination, you keep a decent chunk of change from the drive.

vice Flying to Ptown $0 money

^just my opinion

 

[Libby Ann]

Navy's going to pay for any flight where the Navy needs you to be, meaning from home of record to OCS, OCS to P-cola, P-cola to FRS. Navy wont pay for your flights to go home, unless discharging. Other than that, I don't think you'll be allowed to go on leave right after OCS. If anything, I suggest you find a fellow sna/snfo in your OCS class who has a car, so you can get the travel money, split travel expenses, sight see, while traveling to the same place, P-cola.

Breakdown $$$
Navy gives you 4days for travel from OCS to P-cola(~1380miles), where they reimburse lodging(keep receipts)
4days x $91 per day of travel per diem =$364 (per diem, aka food allowance. spend $5 per meal each day, you wont go through $91. you keep the other $76/perday)
Gas for ~1380miles x $0.55per mile = $759 (split gas w/ shipmates = mad savings)
total $~1123 http://usmilitary.about.com/od/travelpay/a/travel.-v1l.htm
^the money the gov will give you to drive. unless you're making it rain dollar dollar bill to your destination, you keep a decent chunk of change from the drive.

vice Flying to Ptown $0 money

^just my opinion

I was reading your information, but I was so excited to see that you got a B.S. In kines, from CSUF!?
I majored in health science, and graduated from CSUF !!! Just thought I'd mention it.