Navy OCS Chow Hall

[Renegade One]

Well, apropos of nothing at all, I suppose...we didn't have to do any of this crapola back when the Vietnam war was raging...Class 26-71. I recall "no talking while eating" when still a Poopie...probably something a little more relaxed after we got to the battalions, and nobody really screwed with us (that I recall) after the class got secured. Full sets of utensils and everything... I'm not particularly "against" any of this current stuff...suppose it serves a purpose...just not intuitive to me what that might be. Yeah, yeah, I know..."The instant, willing, obedience to orders, respect for authority...(blah blah blah...)"

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Here's a question. Do they teach you proper etiquette ever in OCS for dining-outs and such?

 

[RedFive]

Here's a question. Do they teach you proper etiquette ever in OCS for dining-outs and such?

You mean fork and knife school? No. One time we had a long discussion with our LT about that kind of stuff, but that was on his time and is not in the curriculum. I doubt that the other classes got anything like that.

Just goto OCS PewPew! I tried reading everything I could about it before I went and it didn't matter one bit. Go and do it for yourself. There's really no way to describe to an outsider what it's like. I could sit here all day and write about getting our p-way sanded six times in a day but you couldn't really comprehend what that means until you've been through it. That's not a shortcoming on your part -- it's just the way that it is.

 

[BigIron]

Well, apropos of nothing at all, I suppose...we didn't have to do any of this crapola back when the Vietnam war was raging...Class 26-71. I recall "no talking while eating" when still a Poopie...probably something a little more relaxed after we got to the battalions, and nobody really screwed with us (that I recall) after the class got secured. Full sets of utensils and everything... I'm not particularly "against" any of this current stuff...suppose it serves a purpose...just not intuitive to me what that might be. Yeah, yeah, I know..."The instant, willing, obedience to orders, respect for authority...(blah blah blah...)"

It was explained to me by a DI as a way to "enhance" the learning of close order drill. Every movement had a purpose and it took the whole table to eat. That's why it's a big deal what hand you eat with, your finger spacing when holding your cup, etc...

Honestly, I think it's just part of the package....just another stressor to overcome. Another piece of suck.

 

[BigIron]

Here's a question. Do they teach you proper etiquette ever in OCS for dining-outs and such?

Your squadron/ship/unit wardroom will brief the program of events/etiquette and what will happen before a dining out/in.

 

[OUSOONER]

IF I could hunt down all the OCS gouge (minus little tidbits here and there to make life at OCS a little more bearable) I would delete it all as it really gives no help to what YOUR experience is going to be like. There are so many variables that can make your stay in Newport, RI one of the best, rewarding experiences of your life...or be a nightmare.

I was fortunate enough to have a great Class Team, a tight knit class, a great roommate who lasted all 12 weeks with me, and not suffer any real bad injuries...(you get sick no matter what though). Any one of these variables and many others not listed could change your experience for better or worse.

@ Lazers...the only etiquette we got, was some shitty NKO course.

 

[RedFive]

IF I could hunt down all the OCS gouge I would delete it all...

Yes. Yes! I concur.

 

[BACONATOR]

Here's a question. Do they teach you proper etiquette ever in OCS for dining-outs and such?

Yes, when I went, every class at SOME point attended an OCS dining out (a good time where family can fly in and join you for a weekend), and you'll have a brief on etiquette, history, culture and tradition.

It was explained to me by a DI as a way to "enhance" the learning of close order drill. Every movement had a purpose and it took the whole table to eat. That's why it's a big deal what hand you eat with, your finger spacing when holding your cup, etc...

Honestly, I think it's just part of the package....just another stressor to overcome. Another piece of suck.

+2. Our DI pointed out that MANY of the movements (in addition to the unity of the table) are identical to the close-order drill we practice for drill-comp. The way we hold our cups with fingers together and thumb wrapped around was identical to how we held the M1. The sharp, deliberate movements. The facing movements when arriving and departing our seats etc.

And it's also supposed to make the most seemingly relaxing part of the day (eating) suck the most.

IF I could hunt down all the OCS gouge (minus little tidbits here and there to make life at OCS a little more bearable) I would delete it all as it really gives no help to what YOUR experience is going to be like. There are so many variables that can make your stay in Newport, RI one of the best, rewarding experiences of your life...or be a nightmare.

I was fortunate enough to have a great Class Team, a tight knit class, a great roommate who lasted all 12 weeks with me, and not suffer any real bad injuries...(you get sick no matter what though). Any one of these variables and many others not listed could change your experience for better or worse.

@ Lazers...the only etiquette we got, was some shitty NKO course.

Exactly right. Everyone's experience is different. Mine was the opposite of yours. Everyone hated me since I was singled out (thanks to AW) and got my class punished for my completely fabricated and exaggerated "misdeeds" (anyone who thinks that the punishment was warranted obviously hasn't been to SERE school). Also our roommates changed a few times, and our class was very clique-ish and groups didn't like other groups. Our first class officer also sucked so bad that we ended up getting another one in like week 3 since we kept getting beat without any officer oversight to reign in the DI and class chief.

 

[navy09]

Mine was the opposite of yours. Everyone hated me since I was singled out (thanks to AW) and got my class punished for my completely fabricated and exaggerated "misdeeds"...

For realz? Can you tell the backstory (or link it if you've already posted it)?

 

[Kickflip89]

When I went through OCS many years ago (Class 20-00, More Zeroes Than The Rest [Quite true, we were shitty]) There was a guy a few classes behind us that just took off one night. Hopped in his car and left in his 3rd week or something.

When he was finally found a few days later they asked him why he went UA, ruined his chances at becoming an officer, getting a weird discharge and generally screwed up his life. His answer: Chow Hall Procedures.

Of course, as Candi-O's, we all died laughing at this news. But, doing indoc for the newbs, you get to see how much stress some of these guys are having when they are first learning how to eat in the chow hall. Hell, one guy was so stressed out that he puked right there on his plate. I think he was scared to death that we were going to make him eat it. We didn't. Navy's not quite that hardcore.

I puked into a glass and drank it (intact procedures & knife hand) without thinking further about it first meal after wakeup wednesday morning. An indoc candidate is not a normal functioning member of society.

 

[BACONATOR]

I puked into a glass and drank it (intact procedures & knife hand) without thinking further about it first meal after wakeup wednesday morning. An indoc candidate is not a normal functioning member of society.

I was at OCS all of about an hour, fresh in my poopie suit. First chow time.... we were all scared shitless and unsure of what the fuck we had decided to get ourselves into. I'm staring blankly ahead and in my peripheral vision, I see a guy bend over, presumably to take a bite (we ate standing up for 7-8 weeks when I was at OCS). Instead of picking up his war spoon, he heaves all over his tray. No one saw. He stood there unsure of what to do for about 5 minutes before a candio comes over screaming.

"What did you do indoctrination candidate?! Spill your powerade??!"

"No, sir! This indoctrination candidate vomited on his tray, SIR!"

It was the first micro-moment of levity in the absolute mindless chaos of OCS, and more specifically, chow hall.

 

[Viashino684]

One of the funniest things that happened to me during Indoc week was learning the chow hall entry procedures. Specifically using the handsoap dispenser. Our class DI was standing next to the handsoap dispenser and yelling to get soap with "vicious intensity". Well, I walked up and with "vicious intensity" pushed in, pulled out and ripped the dispenser off of the wall. I stood there for a moment, looked at the handsoap dispenser in my hand, looked at my class DI as he stared back at me, handed it to him without saying anything and marched in for chow. Next meal all he said was "Don't kill the fricken handsoap dispenser this time".

bhahaha.. thats great, anyone burst out laughing? I dont think i'd be able to hold in a nice grin watching something like that.

 

[BACONATOR]

One of the funniest things that happened to me during Indoc week was learning the chow hall entry procedures. Specifically using the handsoap dispenser. Our class DI was standing next to the handsoap dispenser and yelling to get soap with "vicious intensity". Well, I walked up and with "vicious intensity" pushed in, pulled out and ripped the dispenser off of the wall. I stood there for a moment, looked at the handsoap dispenser in my hand, looked at my class DI as he stared back at me, handed it to him without saying anything and marched in for chow. Next meal all he said was "Don't kill the fricken handsoap dispenser this time".

By the time I checked in, that hand sanitizer dispenser outside the hatch was FUCKED. It was also always empty, and since hand sanitizing was part of the entry procedures, we still had to do it. So we shuffled past it tapping it lightly so as not to send it CAREENING off the wall. We must have knocked that damn thing off 25 times. Funny as hell in hindsight, but in the beginning before you found humor in the moment, we were unsure what to do as our Gunny stared us down, as it fell to the floor.

 

[BackOrdered]

Another Navy OCS thread about DI chicanery without mention of the Black Ninja. Never fails to surprise me.

 

[Spekkio]

Son, get in the grass and kill yo'self.

I thankfully had minimal interaction with the black ninja. Only time he got me was when he was coming into work in civvies, and I didn't recognize him. The only other time I interacted with him is when we were almost candios and he was telling us to know the red/black flag regulations.