skittle986
Ensign, Civil engineer corps, U.S Navy.
I read somewhere 2 but then I also read that they will give you a pair when you get there. Which is true and does color matter?
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Updated list of things to bring?
- Thread starter TSmyth
- Start date
They will not give you a pair when you get their and color does not matter. I would try to stay away from super neon colored shoes just to avoid drawing extra attention to yourself. Having a second pair is nice so you can set one pair aside for your first inspection, RLP, however it is not required. Personally, I brought two decent pairs just in case one pair took a crap early on and sure enough my first pair was destroyed from doing facing movements on the grinder. Right after RLP was over, during week 3, I was able to use my back up pair with no worries.
I took one good pair of running shoes. Ended up having my wife buy a second set and mail them to me. Unless things have changed you might need a second clean pair for RLP.
Some people bought cheap shoes from the NEX for this second pair. That's personal choice. I just bought a pair that I knew I liked for running, used them for RLP and kept them until my other pair wore out after OCS.
Just make sure the shoes you wear are good. I had good shoes, but slush and rain my first week there led to a bad blister, and it was awful. Anything you can do to avoid that. Which is where I put my plug for Fox River boot socks. I can't wear my black boots without them. They go on sale from time to time, and are worth every penny.
For those OCS bound, my experience, I wore them every day, but kept the issued ones for RLP. Even with the logo, they were black and noone cared.
Some people bought cheap shoes from the NEX for this second pair. That's personal choice. I just bought a pair that I knew I liked for running, used them for RLP and kept them until my other pair wore out after OCS.
Just make sure the shoes you wear are good. I had good shoes, but slush and rain my first week there led to a bad blister, and it was awful. Anything you can do to avoid that. Which is where I put my plug for Fox River boot socks. I can't wear my black boots without them. They go on sale from time to time, and are worth every penny.
For those OCS bound, my experience, I wore them every day, but kept the issued ones for RLP. Even with the logo, they were black and noone cared.
DETERMINED15
Member
Just out of curiosity...what all did you bring with you?
skittle986
Ensign, Civil engineer corps, U.S Navy.
Thank you for responding. I have a pair of asics 8 that i bought and am now considering buying another pair just because of what was said below. I have a pair that I am truing with but my toes hits the top of them a lot ski don't think those would be good to take with me. Especially being that we have to wear crew socks which are thick.
They say to arrive in the proper clothing but what clothing is that? I thought that you had to lock up your civilian clothing once you arrived so I'm a little confused as to what to wear when arriving.
They say to arrive in the proper clothing but what clothing is that? I thought that you had to lock up your civilian clothing once you arrived so I'm a little confused as to what to wear when arriving.
Just arrive in appropriate street clothes and good shoes to run around in. I don't remember all the details of the first day, but you are not going to be working out in this outfit but you are going to be running from place to place for a few. Comfortable, and nothing that will get you noticed early would be best. They will go away with the rest of your civilian stuff after the first day.
skittle986
Ensign, Civil engineer corps, U.S Navy.
skittle986
Ensign, Civil engineer corps, U.S Navy.
Did you bring anything else that is not on the "what to bring to OCS" list?
I went to OCS in 2011 so anything is up for change since then.
I took a lot of stuff. A lot more than I needed to as we had a lot better access to the NEX than we thought. Things I remember wishing I had brought was the stuff I actually had my wife send me, and it's all personal preference stuff that you can't buy at the NEX. I don't like Kiwi shoe shine, I like Lincoln brand stuff (someone at OCS had a tin and let me try, it is a lot better) and the aforementioned Fox River socks.
Anything else you can pretty much buy while you're there and you might be able to share with others. Cleaning supplies you pretty much have to buy there. But if you have these things, then I would bring them: cuticle scissors, clear nail polish, super glue. It really doesn't take as much as people build it up. You will also need slightly more than 7 pairs of underwear and socks, at least at first laundry does not run smoothly.
Things I bought there that I am glad I did: Extra boot socks, extra shirts, extra towel, extra shower bag, extra set of sweats (for sleeping in winter, new building might be better)
Things I bought that I regret (or that others bought):
- So many white crew socks. So many.
- Books. It is tempting because a lot of OCS is crushingly boring, but there are free books floating around there. Now I have like 3 "how to be an officer" books that I read most of on watch and will probably never read again.
- Iron/ironing board. If it hasn't changed there are piles of these floating around. They are all busted up, but what is your new $50 iron the first time you let someone else use it, or someone bumps you in the hall? Equally busted.
- Vitamins. Maybe just our class, but when class team let us we all went crazy for buying vitamins.
- Any expensive item, just for RLP. Buying an extra pair of pricey boots or shoes you won't wear again, just for RLP is dumb. You are not going to fail because you have worn an item, you will fail if it is apparent you didn't put in the time and attention (or the mood strikes to fail you, depends on the day)
- So many PT uniforms. I don't know how many were issued. But I have worn the official PT uniform only a few times since OCS (YMMV, that depends on command, community, how you PT, etc...) but I have a whole drawer of them that I came back from OCS with.
This is all my experience, from 2011, so take it with a grain of salt.
I took a lot of stuff. A lot more than I needed to as we had a lot better access to the NEX than we thought. Things I remember wishing I had brought was the stuff I actually had my wife send me, and it's all personal preference stuff that you can't buy at the NEX. I don't like Kiwi shoe shine, I like Lincoln brand stuff (someone at OCS had a tin and let me try, it is a lot better) and the aforementioned Fox River socks.
Anything else you can pretty much buy while you're there and you might be able to share with others. Cleaning supplies you pretty much have to buy there. But if you have these things, then I would bring them: cuticle scissors, clear nail polish, super glue. It really doesn't take as much as people build it up. You will also need slightly more than 7 pairs of underwear and socks, at least at first laundry does not run smoothly.
Things I bought there that I am glad I did: Extra boot socks, extra shirts, extra towel, extra shower bag, extra set of sweats (for sleeping in winter, new building might be better)
Things I bought that I regret (or that others bought):
- So many white crew socks. So many.
- Books. It is tempting because a lot of OCS is crushingly boring, but there are free books floating around there. Now I have like 3 "how to be an officer" books that I read most of on watch and will probably never read again.
- Iron/ironing board. If it hasn't changed there are piles of these floating around. They are all busted up, but what is your new $50 iron the first time you let someone else use it, or someone bumps you in the hall? Equally busted.
- Vitamins. Maybe just our class, but when class team let us we all went crazy for buying vitamins.
- Any expensive item, just for RLP. Buying an extra pair of pricey boots or shoes you won't wear again, just for RLP is dumb. You are not going to fail because you have worn an item, you will fail if it is apparent you didn't put in the time and attention (or the mood strikes to fail you, depends on the day)
- So many PT uniforms. I don't know how many were issued. But I have worn the official PT uniform only a few times since OCS (YMMV, that depends on command, community, how you PT, etc...) but I have a whole drawer of them that I came back from OCS with.
This is all my experience, from 2011, so take it with a grain of salt.
yakboyslim hit it spot on but to answer your question I brought everything the OCS website recommended(as of OCT 2013) and barely used any of it. Every class I saw when I went through made NEX runs regularly. Typically before an inspection or close to the weekend the president or VP will ask who needs to make a NEX run and if they can justify it the class team will usually allow you to do so. Until your given that first NEX run, they issue you enough to make it through just fine.
DETERMINED15
Member
WHen exactly are we issued (sized) for uniforms? To my understanding there are no more poopie suits....so are we in Navy sweats until the first issue?
Yes, you'll be in sweats during the first week. I can't remember when exactly you get fitted for NWU'S but you don't need to worry about that right now...Focus on studying your gouge, which can be found on the OCS website, and your physical fitness.
DETERMINED15
Member
Thanks. I have the gouge down. I'm AD so I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to bring my uniforms (the ones that will transition) as well as how much personal items that I with me when I check in.
Initial uniform issue was on Thursday, last I recall. Buy a $30 Timex Ironman digital watch with an alarm function. Even if you don't get it back for awhile, it's worth the relatively small investment. We got ours back fairly early, and when you wake up in the middle of the night and have no idea what time it is, and you're debating whether to go back to sleep or just wait for the "Reveille, reveille, reveille," that Indiglo will come in handy.
And I would bring the NWU's, as long as they're not too faded. Otherwise you'll pay something like 50 bucks apiece for the new gear, so might as well bring it and just have them change the nametapes over to gold. Not sure what other uniforms you have that might transition, maybe the shirt from your black-and-tans, as long as it's not wash khaki (they'll issue you the poly-wool, so they might not match).
And I would bring the NWU's, as long as they're not too faded. Otherwise you'll pay something like 50 bucks apiece for the new gear, so might as well bring it and just have them change the nametapes over to gold. Not sure what other uniforms you have that might transition, maybe the shirt from your black-and-tans, as long as it's not wash khaki (they'll issue you the poly-wool, so they might not match).
DETERMINED15
Member
Thanks for the info. Question...is it 4 NWU sets that will be issued?