Updated list of things to bring?

[TA910]

Another question would be for my step daughter. Can I add her to DEERS as well?

 

[Renegade One]

Not a stupid question at all. I can't remember for sure, but I think they wanted my wife's actual license. You need it to enter her into DEERS and get her health benefits. You do that one of the first days, so you can send it back right away. You can bring a passport in place of a drivers license, which is what I did. If you and your wife don't have them, you should just go ahead and do it. They will definitely come in handy throughout your military career.

I could be wrong, but it would also be "wrong" if the local cone-heads didn't accept "Certified/Notarized True Copies" of anything belonging to your wife…like a Driver's License. Yeah..can't see taking that away from her. Or a Passport either...

 

[Renegade One]

Another question would be for my step daughter. Can I add her to DEERS as well?

Probably…if she's legally adopted, a minor, and fully dependent upon you for support. If any of those don't apply…seek advice from the local DEERS folks who know chapter and verse.

 

[TA910]

She is. Lives with me full time

 

[LegoNavy]

You should bring an official marriage certificate so that they can put you in as married at OCS. Those are like, $10 a copy, so that shouldn't be too difficult.

For her and your daughter entering DEERS, they can do so without you. They just need a copy of your orders and bring their official birth certificate, passport, and/or social security card. You can look on Tricare's website for a local ID card site and they can do this there. That's what my wife did because I brought a copy of her social security card/driver's license to OCS and it was not good enough.

 

[LegoNavy]

Okay, I was going to hold off on asking about this stuff until I have an actual OCS date, but this conversation has prompted me to start writing up a pack/do-not-pack list. Should I bring any of the following?

• Sunglasses
• "School supplies" (Notebooks, pencils, index cards, etc.)
• Mesh shower sponge
• Enough soap/shampoo/razor blades/etc. for the full 12 weeks? Or do I only bring enough to last until we get access to the NEX?
• Over-the-counter medication (Tylenol, cold medicine, etc.)
• Other medicine cabinet items (lozenges, IcyHot cream, sunscreen, etc.)
• Civilian clothes beyond what I walk into OCS wearing
• Laundry detergent, dryer sheets, etc.
• Cash (and if so, how much?)

Apologies in advance if any of these are stupid questions, but I figure it's better to ask than to bring something I shouldn't (or not bring something I should). Thanks!

Edit: Added a couple more I thought of.

Tycho hit the hail on the head for most of this but I'll chip in, too:

Sunglasses: secured (a.k.a. no)
School Supplies: good to go
Mesh shower sponge: good to go
soap/ toiletries: as much as you want. The NEX has a good selection but if you have a super specific unique brand of something you like, feel free to bring it, just more stuff for you to have in the beginning, though.
any kind of medication: secured, you must go to medical if you want anything. They're pretty liberal with Tylenol though. I had what I'm pretty sure was pneumonia and they gave me Tylenol for it.
Civilian clothes: it all stays in your lucky bag, and you cannot wear it while an officer candidate (any phase, i.e. Indoc, O/C, or Candio phase). So if you feel like wearing a different outfit for after you graduate, feel free to bring multiple outfits. I didn't.
Laundry Detergent, etc: I bought that stuff at the NEX. By the time you're actually able to do your own laundry, you'll have opened up a NEX run. You will have elected a laundry/linen body by that time, too, so what our class did which made the most sense was everyone pitched in $5 and the Linen/Laundry body bought a bunch of detergent for the company.
Cash: $10 for your first haircut. The way OCS is now, on your Indoc Sunday (first day there) they give you all you need for that first week, and you get it billed to your student account. Would it be smart to have more cash? probably. I brought $300 because that was old gouge that people recommended. That is way too much cash to have in the beginning. By the time you'll need cash for things (i.e. company sweats/class team gifts) you will have unlocked NEX runs and can use the ATM.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Cash: $10 for your first haircut. The way OCS is now, on your Indoc Sunday (first day there) they give you all you need for that first week, and you get it billed to your student account. Would it be smart to have more cash? probably. I brought $300 because that was old gouge that people recommended. That is way too much cash to have in the beginning. By the time you'll need cash for things (i.e. company sweats/class team gifts) you will have unlocked NEX runs and can use the ATM.

That reminds me, another thing it'd be great to have before going: a checking account (direct deposit) with USAA and/or NFCU. The bank by the NEX is an NFCU one, so you can either go with them, or USAA will refund all the ATM fees. I have USAA for almost everything now in terms of financial products.

 

[Fronch]

Tycho hit the hail on the head for most of this but I'll chip in, too:

Awesome, thanks to you and everyone else for the info. A couple more questions:

• I currently shave my head about every 3-4 days. Will I be allowed to keep doing that at OCS?
• Is sunscreen allowed/recommended?
• Should I bring a lock for storing valuables and/or personal items?

Thanks again, I feel pretty prepared for OCS at this point. Now if only I knew when I was going...

 

[gp360]

Not tighty whities

x2

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Awesome, thanks to you and everyone else for the info. A couple more questions:

• I currently shave my head about every 3-4 days. Will I be allowed to keep doing that at OCS?
• Is sunscreen allowed/recommended?
• Should I bring a lock for storing valuables and/or personal items?

Thanks again, I feel pretty prepared for OCS at this point. Now if only I knew when I was going...

Yes, yes, and maybe. I don't remember if our combo locks were issued.

 

[SaltyDawg85]

[quote="Sonog, post: 773635, member: not tighty whities[/quote]


What else is considered "briefs?"

 

[Surf]

That reminds me, another thing it'd be great to have before going: a checking account (direct deposit) with USAA and/or NFCU. The bank by the NEX is an NFCU one, so you can either go with them, or USAA will refund all the ATM fees. I have USAA for almost everything now in terms of financial products.

A question on that, I'm in the process of finding a new bank for the direct deposits (and everything else) and getting rid of my old bank. Can I open a USAA checking and savings before I show up? Or do I need some sort of paperwork since I'm not military yet?

Thanks

 

[SaltyDawg85]

A question on that, I'm in the process of finding a new bank for the direct deposits (and everything else) and getting rid of my old bank. Can I open a USAA checking and savings before I show up? Or do I need some sort of paperwork since I'm not military yet?

Thanks

Go ahead and call them. I called last week and told them my situation and they went ahead and got me all set up so I'd have my direct deposit info ready when I signed paperwork and swore in yesterday. They're very easy to talk and work with.

 

[Surf]

Go ahead and call them. I called last week and told them my situation and they went ahead and got me all set up so I'd have my direct deposit info ready when I signed paperwork and swore in yesterday. They're very easy to talk and work with.

Great thanks. As far as swearing in, you need that info when you swear in or at OCS Indoc check-in? You swear in with your OR right?

 

[SaltyDawg85]

Great thanks. As far as swearing in, you need that info when you swear in or at OCS Indoc check-in? You swear in with your OR right?

I was told to bring a blank check or completed direct deposit form with me when I swore in, they told me they'd send that info up ahead of time. And yes, you swear in with your OR. I called USAA after my OR received my FS but before I went in to sign and swear in.