summer OCS

[danthaman]

Hey all you inbound candidates,
This website helped me tremendously in preparing for OCS and I wanted to repay that debt to all you guys heading there this summer. I just graduated from 191, and the Colonel has and is changing a lot about the program and used us as a testbed. I'm not going to post one of those long drawn out novels about what to expect and how to prepare (there are already enough out there) but instead wanted to extend and invitation for you to ask any questions you might have...because I know you got 'em. Feel free to PM me or use this thread. Good luck and stay motivated!
Dan

 

[Raptor2216]

Congratulations on finishing up. I assume you are heading for C. co?

 

[jamnww]

what types of things has he been changing?

 

[goosegagnon2]

what types of things has he been changing?

I would like to know too.

 

[Slammer2]

One thing that I heard form the OSO the other day was that they're much tougher on the initial PFT score. I'm guessing that means a lot more guys being sent home early on.

 

[danthaman]

thanks, and yes I report to charlie on thursday. The last two classes have had high attrition rates. My platoon had nearly a 50% attrition rate. They have changed the E-course and some other physical events. Pickup is done a little differently than before. Another thing they tried out on us was essay tests. We had two of them, the rest of the tests are multiple choice.

As far as the initial pft goes, as long as you get a first class (225 or higher) you have no problems. If you score below you go before the colonel and plead to stay. Take your training seriously now. DO NOT get injured, but make sure you are training. OCS is very tough physically, mainly because you don't get enough sleep and days off to recover. The initial pft is a graded event so you don't want to do poorly on it. They are very strict on form and almost everybody's initial pft score dropped from their pre-ship score. Don't cheat on the pull-ups and sit ups, if you do it will only hurt you when you get there. Start at a dead hang and make sure your chin goes above the bar and your arms fully lock out. My pre-ship pft was a 255, and my initial dropped to a 235. My intermediate was a 285 and my final was a 280 because I lost one pull-up.

One more thing that I will mention is packing lists. I would ignore the packing lists posted on this website. When I left I packed everything from one of the big packing lists listed in one of these forums and spent a bunch of cash only to find out that they made us buy all the same crap when we got there so I had two of everything. One thing you definitely want to bring is one of those map lamps that strap on your head (you can get them for 14 bucks at wal-mart by all the camping supplies and flashlights). Those are lifesavers, as you will spend much time late at night in a dark squad bay squaring your trash away. You might want to bring some more tape, we were all out before we got to make our first px call.

Let me know if you all have any more questions.

 

[jamnww]

Interesting to hear that things seem to have gone back to the way they were about 3 years ago, funny actually. My company dropped about 45% through attrition / injuries. Initial PFT seems like the same old fun...

Interesting...

 

[zag]

Question

Much has been made of attrition based on integrity. What kind of integrity violations are these?

 

[NavyLonghorn]

One thing that I heard form the OSO the other day was that they're much tougher on the initial PFT score. I'm guessing that means a lot more guys being sent home early on.

Do they do that at Marine OCS? Go home instead of shape up?

 

[Slammer2]

I suppose lying about anything

 

[mmx1]

Do they do that at Marine OCS? Go home instead of shape up?

The initial test is meant to screen guys that won't be able to keep up. They let some borderline cases (a few seconds on the run) stay, and let guys retake the sections they failed. It doesn't do any good keeping people that will almost be guaranteed to have trouble on the physical events to stay.

 

[jamnww]

Much has been made of attrition based on integrity. What kind of integrity violations are these?

dishonesty, theft (obviously)...

I mean you would think that its pretty straight forward and sometimes it is but other times the line is hazy and you can get into trouble real quick if you don't think before you talk...

example thats straight forward = candidate was outside on a payphone during libo the last weekend...staff sgt from a different company saw him and started yelling thinking it was someone from his company, kid ran off back to the squad bay...when asked if he was outside and if it was him he said no...ie lied about it...he went home

example thats not so straight forward = guy in my plt had some papers out reviewing before one of the tests, instructor started passing out the test (still several rows ahead) without saying to put the crap away...saw the guy and started yelling at him "why do you have that $hit out? your trying to cheeting on my tests?" guy got spooked and of course said no, that he wasn't trying to cheet...instructor came back with "so your calling me a liar? your trying to cheet then you call me a liar?", guy said no he wasn't calling him a liar...and it snowballed from there with the instructor saying "so you are trying to cheat then?" and so forth...to make a long story short, kid only stayed because when the Plt Sgt asked what happened the entire plt backed him up on it...and that the guy wasn't trying to cheet...

when the instructor is yelling at you for answers its very easy to talk without thinking and to thereby get yourself in trouble...basically what it comes down to is that they need to know whether you will tell the truth and do the right thing even when its not to your personal advantage...

 

[jamnww]

Do they do that at Marine OCS? Go home instead of shape up?

you are supposed to come in shape and prepared...if you can't get a 1st class PFT when you get there then you are just wasting their time...yes, they will send you home...

 

[NavyLonghorn]

Haha. The Navy will work with a person for months (in H company) to shape them up.

 

[Crowbar]

Haha. The Navy will work with a person for months (in H company) to shape them up.

At the depots we have the Physical Conditioning Platoon aka "PCP" or "Pork Chop Platoon" that does the same thing. OCS doesn't bother.