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OCS stories/experiences
- Thread starter joboy_2.0
- Start date
Never went through OCS or when I came in, AOCS. I went the easy route, NROTC. However, I have a kind of funny OCS story. During API, I tore my knee up on the cross-country course and had to have surgery. I was med-down for 6 mos so I was stashed at Schools Command. I stood duty at the quarter deck a few days a week and often would check in AOCS types...usually on the weekend I think. So one day, in walks this girl, really petite and says she's checking in for AOCS. I ask for her orders.....she sets her stuff down and starts to dig in her front jean pockets. I'm thinking, what is she doing? After what seemed a bit to long for her hand to be searching in her pockets, she pulls out the smallest folded paper square. I mean this thing was folded as tight and small as one could fold 8x10 paper. She hands me this little wad of paper and I proceed to open up her orders. I suppose you had to be there but it was funny and I thought, maybe, this girl is going to have a really good time at AOCS. I think she was part of the last or second to last AOCS class at P-cola.
I was really really hoping I could go to OCS in Rhode Island during the winter. I'm no stranger to Florida humidity and I do most of my running in the dead of night because of it. Add pollen allergies to the mix and me and summer are worst enemies. Strangely, running at night hasn't affected my times during the daylight hours. Still I'll probably force myself to switch to daylight running soon since I HAVE to run in P'cola in the dead of summer:icon_rage .
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Pollen sucks in Rhode Island too depending on time of year. Gets just as hot/humid as Pcola, but not for as long.
And goose shit... I came from Georgia, and Rhode Island in July/August was almost unbearable. Then we had snow on the ground still in April. The seasons there are extreme, but liberty makes up for it...
Oh well, at least pollen season dies down in Florida around June. I was thinking more towards winter if I were to go to Rhode Island. I'd rather be cold than hot.
White_Male
New Member
So is the moral of the story is if you want to get out and not pay back any of the money that was given to you, pretend to attempt suicide?
If you are a piece of sh!t, yes.
tailspin
New Member
Times they are a changin'. Back in the olden days (1969) if you did poorly you end up port side Coke machine officer on a carrier. Do good and you could maybe get flight school, subs (if Adm Rickover approved) or Swiftboats. Beyond me why anyone wanted the latter, but it was considered "career enchancing."
In reply to Sly1978, Barnard1425, HALpilot and IRfly
I finally decided to join AirWarriors so that I could weigh into the fray regarding class officers. Since I AM an OCS class officer AND a pilot, let me clear the air a bit. Yes, usually pilots take flying orders for their shore tour (such as training squadrons), but don't write off anyone who isn't currently flying as being "on the way out". In my particular case, the P-3 community decided to downsize the number of pilots in winter '04-'05 and I was sent to my shore tour early so that the squadron could meet a manning number. Instead of the usual 10-12 months notice to find orders for my shore tour I was given two months notice, and by then all flying orders were filled (by guys who knew they were leaving 8-10 months prior). I took orders to OCS hoping to get a part-time flying job with the VTs here in P-cola, but not long after checking onboard the BRAC law was passed which voted to move OCS to Newport, RI. Even though the date wasn't set (it's now set for end of this fiscal year), as soon as the VTs heard my parent command was leaving town they dropped me like a hot potato. So, I am doing the best job I can here at OCS training future pilots, officers and leaders. I don't share my story as an attempt to gain sympathy, but to let you know that you can't afford to make a judgement call on the people who have a direct influence on your success as a candidate. I take my job seriously and put as much time, effort and energy into being a good role model for future officers as I did being a pilot. I am doing everything I can to make myself competitive and stay in the Navy, including getting an MBA during this tour and volunteering for a tour in Iraq next year. So what about the other class officers? Even though I'm now the only pilot here (the other took orders to be a shooter on a boat out of Norfolk; once again, trying to be competitive and stay Navy), out of all nine of the class officers currently at OCS (including SWOs, Subnucs and myself) only one is getting out.
Now, to address Joboy's post, it only makes sense to prepare yourself as much as possible. DON'T buy into the mindset that you can just show up as-is and everything will somehow come out okay. Yes, the majority of candidates who come to OCS eventually make it out (some take longer than others due to failure/remediation), but I have seen firsthand individuals get sent home or, worse yet, get sent to Great Lakes for boot camp to become enlisted (that's for BDCP program candidates). I'm not saying that being an enlisted in and of itself is worse than going home, but to know that you had a chance to be an officer and you now have to start at the bottom simply due to your lack of preparation, that thought would make it very bitter. Additionally, when those around you at Great Lakes find out that you flunked out of OCS you will catch more than your share of pain.
To prepare, view it as a two-fold mission. First, prepare PHYSICALLY; Curl ups (crunches), push ups and running are the biggest, since that's what the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) consists of. And, by the way, FORM IS IMPORTANT. I had a very sharp, motivated candidate in one of my classes who could do push-ups for two minutes straight without resting, but since his form was bad he only got credit for something like 12 pushups on the in-PRT, which is a failure. He was only in my class for two days and had to roll back to the next class because of the PRT failure. For running, DON'T use a treadmill; run on a hard surface like a road (best) or track (okay). Running on a treadmill works your leg muscles differently than actual "push-your-body-forward-down-the-road" running, so you won't be able to do as well on the morning runs.
Second, prepare MENTALLY. For starters, learn the big three (chain of command, code of conduct & general orders of a sentry) VERBATIM. Verbatim means WORD FOR WORD. That may sound obvious, but I hit so many candidates for missing simple words it's frustrating. If it says "any", don't say "a", if it says "I will MAKE no oral or written statement..." don't say "I will GIVE no oral or written statement...". The other knowledge you have to learn here doesn't have to be verbatim, just the key elements, but since you have plenty of time to learn the big three before you even get here, there is no excuse for not knowing them cold. Next, learn time management. Most days at OCS you only have an hour or two of "free time", which means you need to learn to make the most of it. If you are living the carefree college life with only 2-3 classes a day and the rest of the time you're on your own schedule, then OCS will be a shock. Also, learn attention to detail. Like the example above, if a memorized item is written a certain way, don't think that just hitting the general idea is enough. Set your goals high, then strive to achieve them.
I am available to provide whatever insight or advice I can. I came through OCS in Sept-Dec 1999, so I have experienced both sides. I will do everything I can to help you suceed, but I will also hold you to the standard as it is written, so challenge yourself to meet it.
Barnard1425 said:
I finally decided to join AirWarriors so that I could weigh into the fray regarding class officers. Since I AM an OCS class officer AND a pilot, let me clear the air a bit. Yes, usually pilots take flying orders for their shore tour (such as training squadrons), but don't write off anyone who isn't currently flying as being "on the way out". In my particular case, the P-3 community decided to downsize the number of pilots in winter '04-'05 and I was sent to my shore tour early so that the squadron could meet a manning number. Instead of the usual 10-12 months notice to find orders for my shore tour I was given two months notice, and by then all flying orders were filled (by guys who knew they were leaving 8-10 months prior). I took orders to OCS hoping to get a part-time flying job with the VTs here in P-cola, but not long after checking onboard the BRAC law was passed which voted to move OCS to Newport, RI. Even though the date wasn't set (it's now set for end of this fiscal year), as soon as the VTs heard my parent command was leaving town they dropped me like a hot potato. So, I am doing the best job I can here at OCS training future pilots, officers and leaders. I don't share my story as an attempt to gain sympathy, but to let you know that you can't afford to make a judgement call on the people who have a direct influence on your success as a candidate. I take my job seriously and put as much time, effort and energy into being a good role model for future officers as I did being a pilot. I am doing everything I can to make myself competitive and stay in the Navy, including getting an MBA during this tour and volunteering for a tour in Iraq next year. So what about the other class officers? Even though I'm now the only pilot here (the other took orders to be a shooter on a boat out of Norfolk; once again, trying to be competitive and stay Navy), out of all nine of the class officers currently at OCS (including SWOs, Subnucs and myself) only one is getting out.
Now, to address Joboy's post, it only makes sense to prepare yourself as much as possible. DON'T buy into the mindset that you can just show up as-is and everything will somehow come out okay. Yes, the majority of candidates who come to OCS eventually make it out (some take longer than others due to failure/remediation), but I have seen firsthand individuals get sent home or, worse yet, get sent to Great Lakes for boot camp to become enlisted (that's for BDCP program candidates). I'm not saying that being an enlisted in and of itself is worse than going home, but to know that you had a chance to be an officer and you now have to start at the bottom simply due to your lack of preparation, that thought would make it very bitter. Additionally, when those around you at Great Lakes find out that you flunked out of OCS you will catch more than your share of pain.
To prepare, view it as a two-fold mission. First, prepare PHYSICALLY; Curl ups (crunches), push ups and running are the biggest, since that's what the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) consists of. And, by the way, FORM IS IMPORTANT. I had a very sharp, motivated candidate in one of my classes who could do push-ups for two minutes straight without resting, but since his form was bad he only got credit for something like 12 pushups on the in-PRT, which is a failure. He was only in my class for two days and had to roll back to the next class because of the PRT failure. For running, DON'T use a treadmill; run on a hard surface like a road (best) or track (okay). Running on a treadmill works your leg muscles differently than actual "push-your-body-forward-down-the-road" running, so you won't be able to do as well on the morning runs.
Second, prepare MENTALLY. For starters, learn the big three (chain of command, code of conduct & general orders of a sentry) VERBATIM. Verbatim means WORD FOR WORD. That may sound obvious, but I hit so many candidates for missing simple words it's frustrating. If it says "any", don't say "a", if it says "I will MAKE no oral or written statement..." don't say "I will GIVE no oral or written statement...". The other knowledge you have to learn here doesn't have to be verbatim, just the key elements, but since you have plenty of time to learn the big three before you even get here, there is no excuse for not knowing them cold. Next, learn time management. Most days at OCS you only have an hour or two of "free time", which means you need to learn to make the most of it. If you are living the carefree college life with only 2-3 classes a day and the rest of the time you're on your own schedule, then OCS will be a shock. Also, learn attention to detail. Like the example above, if a memorized item is written a certain way, don't think that just hitting the general idea is enough. Set your goals high, then strive to achieve them.
I am available to provide whatever insight or advice I can. I came through OCS in Sept-Dec 1999, so I have experienced both sides. I will do everything I can to help you suceed, but I will also hold you to the standard as it is written, so challenge yourself to meet it.
When I went through LDO/CWO indoctrination school (Mustang University) we did absolutely NOTHING with the DCO's. Different school, different classes, different training. While our inspections were, I'm sure, less stressful than the OC inspections, our military bearing and uniform appearance was impeccable.