OCS beatings and odd exercises

[St0rk]

I know exactly what you mean, and I didn't have to climb a lard covered obelisk to 'get it' either.

Part of the reason it sounds so foolish, and stupid, is that it is like you are trying to talk it up more than it really was. People who don't know the secret handshake, or the special reach around, will think you are describing something much worse, and it really isn't. Almost all other military accession programs do the same thing, and yet don't want to call it something more than it really is, so what makes Navy OCS so special? Not much I would suppose.

Unless you really got your ass beat, which doesn't happen anymore, quit pretending.

Everyone always thinks that their plight is the most noteworthy--or challenging if the situation calls for it; it doesn't matter how it measures up to the norm.

However, coming from the perspective of an OCS graduate...there is something to be noted about a place that makes grown adults horde candy/food like children.

 

[lmnop]

Part of the reason it sounds so foolish, and stupid, is that it is like you are trying to talk it up more than it really was. People who don't know the secret handshake, or the special reach around, will think you are describing something much worse, and it really isn't. Almost all other military accession programs do the same thing, and yet don't want to call it something more than it really is, so what makes Navy OCS so special? Not much I would suppose.

Unless you really got your ass beat, which doesn't happen anymore, quit pretending.

I have been through OCS, and what I take away from many of these posts is that OCS is heading in the opposite direction of most military schools...it's getting exponentially more difficult. I know that individual experiences will always differ, but I find that scenario unlikely. If so, I'm glad I went through before it got hard.

 

[Kickflip89]

I know exactly what you mean, and I didn't have to climb a lard covered obelisk to 'get it' either.

Part of the reason it sounds so foolish, and stupid, is that it is like you are trying to talk it up more than it really was. People who don't know the secret handshake, or the special reach around, will think you are describing something much worse, and it really isn't. Almost all other military accession programs do the same thing, and yet don't want to call it something more than it really is, so what makes Navy OCS so special? Not much I would suppose.

Unless you really got your ass beat, which doesn't happen anymore, quit pretending.

Actually, I've only referred to them as beatings with other OCS grads...and we didn't call them beatings because it made us sound tough, we did it because we thought it was kind of funny and it just fit from a mental standpoint as well. I always thought referring to them as beatings made the stories funnier (which is really important while you're in OCS) and the RPT sessions easier to endure.

 

[abracadabra11]

I know exactly what you mean, and I didn't have to climb a lard covered obelisk to 'get it' either.

Part of the reason it sounds so foolish, and stupid, is that it is like you are trying to talk it up more than it really was. People who don't know the secret handshake, or the special reach around, will think you are describing something much worse, and it really isn't. Almost all other military accession programs do the same thing, and yet don't want to call it something more than it really is, so what makes Navy OCS so special? Not much I would suppose.

Unless you really got your ass beat, which doesn't happen anymore, quit pretending.

While I agree with much of this, I don't think that anyone is trying to 'pretend' that things were harder for them. I think it's a matter of recency. Plebes talk about how much plebe summer sucked, recent OCS grads talk about how difficult OCS was, primary grads gripe about the trials of primary...ad infinitum

At some point, you start to realize that it really isn't that bad.

P.S. 8 counts are a gift from GOD.

 

[JD81]

I echo BS with unless you have been there you won't quite understand, BUT I dont think anyone here is talking it up to anything more than it is. The name 'beating' is just what it has always been called and probably what it will always be called. As for physical 'interactions', I can think of 4 occasions while I was there where candidates did get roughed up a little (me included) and even knocked out cold, and not necessarily by a DI either.

 

[Harrier Dude]

The Royal Marines call punitive PT sessions "beastings". I wonder if there is some kind of bleed over there to navy OCS. Maybe a DI who did an exchange tour at some point?

We never called them that when I was there. In fact, I don't remember a specific term for it, aside from being "put in the pit" (which evidently is now called SUYA) or "reporting to hell", which was basically Batt I specific. I guess "getting PT'd" would be the closest term used back then.

 

[BigIron]

I know exactly what you mean, and I didn't have to climb a lard covered obelisk to 'get it' either.

Part of the reason it sounds so foolish, and stupid, is that it is like you are trying to talk it up more than it really was. People who don't know the secret handshake, or the special reach around, will think you are describing something much worse, and it really isn't. Almost all other military accession programs do the same thing, and yet don't want to call it something more than it really is, so what makes Navy OCS so special? Not much I would suppose.

Unless you really got your ass beat, which doesn't happen anymore, quit pretending.

Were you an OCS graduate?

 

[Harrier Dude]

Were you an OCS graduate?

Does it really matter? It's not like what happens at OCS is much of a secret. Unless somebody was in a really weak/easy NROTC unit, they've likely had a similarly painful PT experience. Maybe not in terms of duration or severity, but certainly enough to understand the context.

 

[BigIron]

Does it really matter? It's not like what happens at OCS is much of a secret. Unless somebody was in a really weak/easy NROTC unit, they've likely had a similarly painful PT experience. Maybe not in terms of duration or severity, but certainly enough to understand the context.

I asked him if he was an OCS graduate.

 

[BigRed389]

I have been through OCS, and what I take away from many of these posts is that OCS is heading in the opposite direction of most military schools...it's getting exponentially more difficult. I know that individual experiences will always differ, but I find that scenario unlikely. If so, I'm glad I went through before it got hard.

The OCS stories I heard from the 90's guys and even some of the 80's AOCS guys pretty much put me in my place.

Physically at least, OCS IS getting easier if the old tales are to be believed.

 

[BACONATOR]

well as far as beatings and suviving a tough experience... I'm sure the playing field gets leveled at SERE for all commissioning sources. I mean all aviators go, and all I've heard is that it sucks worse than OCS, so there ya go.

 

[picklesuit]

well as far as beatings and suviving a tough experience... I'm sure the playing field gets leveled at SERE for all commissioning sources. I mean all aviators go, and all I've heard is that it sucks worse than OCS, so there ya go.

I went through SERE in San Diego back in '05 and OCS in '06...I thought OCS was harder, but if I had to do SERE for 3 months I might have changed my mind.

 

[Flash]

Were you an OCS graduate?

No.

It is the reason why I like mocking the term 'beatings' and other OCS war stories.

The OCS stories I heard from the 90's guys and even some of the 80's AOCS guys pretty much put me in my place.

Physically at least, OCS IS getting easier if the old tales are to be believed.

Things were always tougher in the old days for all programs, and they will continue to get easier for infinity for all of them. Don't believe all of the hype.

well as far as beatings and suviving a tough experience... I'm sure the playing field gets leveled at SERE for all commissioning sources. I mean all aviators go, and all I've heard is that it sucks worse than OCS, so there ya go.

Yeah, I don't think so. SERE sucked, but it was only for a very short time.

 

[Herc_Dude]

It is the reason why I like mocking the term 'beatings' and other OCS war stories.

So there I was, miles deep in the Quantico woods. My squad was about to attack a fire-team size element that hadn't displaced despite numerous attacks from other squads. Their resolve was remarkable.

I only had 10 rds (ok, they were blanks, but they sound kinda real) left in my mag, but I still had a mission to complete. We softened them up with some combined arms - mortars inbound! (ok, it was simulated mortars with the flash-bang thingys, but it sounded real)...

As we approached the enemy was conveniently dressed in desert cammies despite the fact that they were operating in a woodland environment. Stupid CLA ... Then came my moment. What I was bred to do. What I was born to do. "Buddy rushes!!!!"

 

[Flash]

So there I was.......

Dude, you rock!! Can I buy you a beer and hear more?