Academy or NROTC?

[bunk22]

I think OCS should be your 3/c cruise. That way you dont have to do it when your done. The Marines do theirs during their 2/c cruise, but I think the Navy 2/c cruises (especially the aviation ones) are valuable teaching tools.

So what exactly does a mini OCS accomplish that 4 years of NROTC doesn't? I've got 14+ years active duty and have seen good and bad of all types to come from the Academy, NROTC, AOCS, OCS, etc. Not sure what benefit OCS would add.

 

[Flash]

So what exactly does a mini OCS accomplish that 4 years of NROTC doesn't? I've got 14+ years active duty and have seen good and bad of all types to come from the Academy, NROTC, AOCS, OCS, etc. Not sure what benefit OCS would add.

I agree wholeheartedly, I see no use in such a program........

 

[statesman]

I guess my feeling is that it is generally a good thing for everyone to have gone through some type of bootcamp at one point in time. Not to learn the culture, I believe the culture is learned through being around it for long enough.

I guess thats just my perspective as a Mid. My feelings might change once I commission.

 

[wiseguy04]

Best training of all was the summer cruises, in my opinion. It was pretty eye-opening for me. You get to see how the fleet really works, and how officers and enlisted actually interact with each other. Don't get me wrong, the other training is important and has its place, but you can only talk about the fleet in a classroom so much. Eventually the mids have to see it for themselves.

 

[bunk22]

I guess my feeling is that it is generally a good thing for everyone to have gone through some type of bootcamp at one point in time. Not to learn the culture, I believe the culture is learned through being around it for long enough.

I guess thats just my perspective as a Mid. My feelings might change once I commission.

That's what NROTC is in a way. Not bootcamp but training over a four year period.......reserve training. Adding OCS would simply be redundant. A good unit will teach you everything you need to know, get some physical fitness in ya at the same time, while fleet exposure comes through the 3rd and 1st class cruises.

 

[xj220]

Best training of all was the summer cruises, in my opinion. It was pretty eye-opening for me. You get to see how the fleet really works, and how officers and enlisted actually interact with each other. Don't get me wrong, the other training is important and has its place, but you can only talk about the fleet in a classroom so much. Eventually the mids have to see it for themselves.

I agree completely with this. My surface cruise (DDG 58 Laboon out of Norfolk) and PROTRAMID (CORTRAMID for the ROTC guys I think) were some of the best cruises I've had. The surface cruise certainly showed what the real fleet was like and how weird the Academy is sometimes. The hands on stuff is the best.

 

[statesman]

That being the case, what is the point of boot camp at all? Or Plebe summer?

 

[usmarinemike]

That being the case, what is the point of boot camp at all? Or Plebe summer?

To train, screen, evaluate, and indoctrinate...ROTC does the same thing in a different way. OCS is more of a fire hose. Both are a right of passage(I've seen a lot of attrition at ROTC). Enlisted boot camp is a little more psychologically taxing because the typical raw stock going in is a little different.

I have a feeling also that the ROTC and OCS accept two different kinds of people as well.