Question about uniform cost in OCS

[Quackenbush74123]

Good afternoon everyone,
I was wondering if officer candidates need to pay for their uniforms out of their own money while in ocs, or if they are provided an initial uniform allowance which will go directly to the uniforms needed? I’ve mainly heard about receiving the 1500 or so cost as a credit/debt that is directly used for the uniform cost. However, I have a old friend that is going through OCS right now, stating he needs to pay 3700 for his uniforms out of his paycheck, not as an initial uniform allowance. Can anyone provide detailed clarification for me on this please?

 

[TyKing]

Good afternoon everyone,
I was wondering if officer candidates need to pay for their uniforms out of their own money while in ocs, or if they are provided an initial uniform allowance which will go directly to the uniforms needed? I’ve mainly heard about receiving the 1500 or so cost as a credit/debt that is directly used for the uniform cost. However, I have a old friend that is going through OCS right now, stating he needs to pay 3700 for his uniforms out of his paycheck, not as an initial uniform allowance. Can anyone provide detailed clarification for me on this please?

You will receive an one time officer clothing allowance that is about $1800. You will put all your clothing and other expenses you have at OCS on these military NEX gift cards. At the end of OCS you will have to pay off those cards with your own money that you accumulated at OCS. My bill was around $2700. However, I was not required to buy my summer whites since the season had changed over; and for an inspection and graduation we wore Service Dress Blues.

 

[Quackenbush74123]

You will receive an one time officer clothing allowance about $1800. You will put all your clothing and other expenses you have at OCS on these military NEX gift cards. At the end of OCS you will have to pay off those cards with your own money that you accumulated at OCS. My bill was around $2700. However, I was not required to buy my summer whites since the season had changed over; and for an inspection and graduation we wore Service Dress Blues.

thank you for the information you provided. Was your 2700 tab at the end the total including the 1800 applied or not including the 1800 applied? 2700 after applying the one time allowance is allot for uniforms in my opinion. However I understand there is a lot you have to pay for aside from the uniforms.

 

[TyKing]

thank you for the information you provided. Was your 2700 tab at the end the total including the 1800 applied or not including the 1800 applied? 2700 after applying the one time allowance is allot for uniforms in my opinion. However I understand there is a lot you have to pay for aside from the uniforms.

The $1800 clothing allowance is deposited straight into your personal bank account, so no it was not applied to my $2700 bill. With the $1800 clothing allowance, my actually bill was around $900. A lot of this will depend on what is required of you to buy and what you personally want to buy.

 

[FarSouth_CycleSAR]

Any prior E-6's go to a uniform thrift store and purchase Khakis, summer whites, SDB, etc prior to heading to OCS? Seems to be a super cost effective method to getting serviceable uniforms... Obviously E7 and above are told to bring those items, but E6 and below don't have them.

 

[TommyGuns89]

Any prior E-6's go to a uniform thrift store and purchase Khakis, summer whites, SDB, etc prior to heading to OCS? Seems to be a super cost effective method to getting serviceable uniforms... Obviously E7 and above are told to bring those items, but E6 and below don't have them.

Did you ever end up going to the thrift store before OCS for uniforms?? I tried going to the one in Annapolis a few weeks ago but they looked like crap and didn’t even have my sizes.

 

[therike]

The $1800 clothing allowance is deposited straight into your personal bank account, so no it was not applied to my $2700 bill. With the $1800 clothing allowance, my actually bill was around $900. A lot of this will depend on what is required of you to buy and what you personally want to buy.

Were you prior Active duty going to OCS receiving the clothing allowance or civilian comming into service?

 

[therike]

Did you ever end up going to the thrift store before OCS for uniforms?? I tried going to the one in Annapolis a few weeks ago but they looked like crap and didn’t even have my sizes.

I go to OCS in two months and currently an E6. I went to my local thrift shop and was able to get all uniforms required for OCS under 250 (before tailoring and dry cleaning).

 

[TyKing]

Were you prior Active duty going to OCS receiving the clothing allowance or civilian comming into service?

Everyone gets the clothing allowance, active duty and civilian both.

 

[therike]

Everyone gets the clothing allowance, active duty and civilian both.

Awesome, thank you very much.

 

[TommyGuns89]

I go to OCS in two months and currently an E6. I went to my local thrift shop and was able to get all uniforms required for OCS under 250 (before tailoring and dry clean

I go to OCS in two months and currently an E6. I went to my local thrift shop and was able to get all uniforms required for OCS under 250 (before tailoring and dry cleaning).

Man im trying to do the same. I leave next week and I get there a few days early so Im going to scout out the Thrift shop there in Newport.