PLC combined this summer (2006)

[tazzdevil24]

I have currently submitted my package, and have been contracted aviation. I finally got over a knee injury playing lacrosse here at USC, and have been gettin my PT back into good to go. My last PFT was 256, and i need to get that up. Im a junior in college, and i will be doin the combined plc this summer. I have read various things about the 6 weeks juniors and seniors plc increments, and also about OCC. I am wondering if anyone can give some pointers of what to expect during the combined 10 week program, especially for us with no prior service, (and no rotc) experience. Thanks a ton, and if anyone is in the columbia, SC area and wants to get some PT in with me the more the merrier.

-Tazz

 

[KBayDog]

Check out the OCS forum; there's a butt-ton of info there to get you started.

As far as having no military/NROTC experience, you need to get in with the Semper Fi society at USC. I went to The Citadel, and our NROTC unit and Semper Fi Society had a lot of interaction with yours. You will learn a lot about the Corps, get to know your peers (once you are commissioned, your commissioning source/experience no longer matters, for all intents and purposes - you are all lieutenants, and will train together at TBS and beyond), and have plenty of opportunities to PT. The Semper Fi Society is open to anyone - all you need to have is an interest in the Marine Corps. Also, make contact with the NROTC unit. While you are not NROTC contracted, they will most likely let you join some of their PT sessions, audit their labs, etc. All you need to do is show an interest.

 

[tazzdevil24]

My roomate is nrotc, and in the spring ill be jumpin into the breakfast club here, I just had a question about gettin my hands on some boots, so I can get some runnin in with them. Do you know how easy it is to get some down at Parris Island or the air station at Beaufort, I might be able to make a weekend trip down there sometime.

Also just curious if you know any of the lacrosse players down at the citadel, cause our games with you guys always get pretty heated.

Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated
-Tazz

 

[NickPollock19]

honestly, you hear candidates talking about "get into running with boots!!" but at OCS they actually sorta build you up into them and help you break them in. You will wear your go fasters part of the day, and your boots part of the day for the first week or so to break them in. It wont just be day 1...ok boots only from here on out. Alot of it depends on your staff. After sule for us, they had us put our go fasters on, and that was at the end of our training evolution..so don't stress too much about the boots situation.

 

[Carno]

Yeah I really didn't think it was a big deal getting used to the boots at all.

 

[bigfish]

I'm a little older and am prior infantry so I'm used to running in boots. But being older means I don't recover quite as fast. I did OCC and was hurting very bad by the end of it. I still scored a 290 on the final PFT but I was definetly feeling it. With some problems in your knee, I would be sure to stretch very well. I went through in the winter and the amount and type of stretching we did was not adequate for me. Luckily a sports science guy was in the rack next to me and showed me some great stretches to do that eliminated the pain in my knees. Also don't be a dumb butt like me and buy a new pair of shoes right before OCS that you've never tried before. New shoes are a good idea but buy a type you've used before and give yourself a little bit of break in time. The OCC program will tax your body. There were a lot of guys limping by the end. You're probably pretty tough since you play a tough sport. That should be plenty to get you through, but do expect some pain. The 22 year olds that I went through with were feeling it too not just us old guys.

 

[Carno]

Yeah I'm only 20 and I was definitely worn down by the end of OCS. Even started to get stress fractures.

 

[jagges84]

If you go to Parris Island, right across the street from the exchange is the Uniform shop. Walk in, look to the right, and they have a bunch of used gear, mostly cammies and boots. This gear is from recruits that were dropped from training. VERY VERY cheap cammies and boots, and the boots are broken in a bit im sure. You can of course buy new gear in the exchange. Just make sure you dont get steel toed.

Also, you can try 2nd hand shops and thrift stores around PI and the air station, they may have boots there. Ebay always works too. Beufort is kind of a long way to go for boots.

I had been running in black jungles, but I just recently bought some MARPAT boots to run in, and have broken in for OCS, I paid 75 dollars for new pair at MacDill AFB (Its Centcom, so they sell Marine gear too).

 

[Raptor2216]

I don't know how it might be for the average OCS grad but I never ran in boots prior to OCS. I just broke them in by wearing them to school and such and I left seniors with a 293PFT and no injuries.

I will suggest that you pay attention to where you are going when you run because those quantico trails will get you when you least expect it. I know this is stupid simple but watch where you step! This can be tougher when you are running in formation somtimes but the candidates ahead of you should call heads up. Goodluck.

 

[VImarine]

Well I head to OCC in a week and at 31 (making 32 the first week) I'll defintely be stretching my butt off!