What Happens Exactly

[TurnandBurn55]

I'll tell you though, being on O-Staff (twice, even) was certainly one of the most rewarding experiences I had in NROTC. Just how much planning goes into it and how hard you have to work to make it come off as "real" to the 4/C is a real surprise.

chenama- Freshman O is like many things in the Navy. The real value is in the shock value. Don't worry about the day-by-day stuff, just come in really good shape and be prepared for a lot of harassment.

 

[chenama]

I heard they used a broom handle on one guy .... 'cause he said "pweeeeeeeseee".

 

[Flash]

You guys were lucky to get the schedule. We never had any idea what was going on when I went through. The instructors of my class did something very funny though (which I repeated during my time as an instructor)

It was the 3rd or 4th day of O-Week, and everyone was tired and beat from the lack of sleep and the heat, and the non stop drilling! So, it was afternoon, and we had been driling for a couple of hours, and the instructors said that since we had been doind such a good job on the drill deck that we could go inside and watch a movie. Of course, nobody believed them, but a couple of minutes later we were all in the lecture hall, lights out, told that we could relax and Saving Private Ryan was put in. The first few minutes go by, everyone calms down and really believes that we get to watch a movie. 5 minutes in, just before they storm the beach...the screen scrambles and the face of one of our DI's comes onto the screen and he starts yelling at us to get back on the Drill Deck. Then we were surrounding by all of the instructors yelling at as to get up...it was so damn funny!

Sounds......tough?! Makes me want to go to my room and cry........

 

[Crowbar]

Have you read this thread?

That week is not designed to be hard, and it's not hard. It may seem hard because you're experiencing a little bit of culture shock (away from home, new people, new rules, getting yelled at incessantly) but it's really not.

The people I saw who had the least problems during orientation were the ones who:
-kept their mouths closed (unless sounding off) and their ears open
-worked together, (don't be a blue falcon)
-they didn't act like they were better than anybody else. regardless of what you may have done (or not done) in high school, to the staff you're all equal. don't get a big head over anything

 

[Brett327]

Have you read this thread?

That week is not designed to be hard, and it's not hard. It may seem hard because you're experiencing a little bit of culture shock (away from home, new people, new rules, getting yelled at incessantly) but it's really not.

The people I saw who had the least problems during orientation were the ones who:
-kept their mouths closed (unless sounding off) and their ears open
-worked together, (don't be a blue falcon)
-they didn't act like they were better than anybody else. regardless of what you may have done (or not done) in high school, to the staff you're all equal. don't get a big head over anything

That's good advice in general for life in military service.

Brett

 

[MIDNJAC]

Oh its a blast! I had all Marines (GySgt, SSgt's, sgt's, you name it!) in charge of my Orientation week, and let me tell you...just try not to be "that guy" that stands out. Keep quite, listen, learn, and DONT fall asleep during lectures! I had a problem not laughing sometimes from what the DI's would say to other candidates, as well as myself, and got in a lot of trouble. But after its all over, it was worth it.

This past fall I was an instructor there. I had the best time. Just remember, the instructors are trying to make your life miserable and are laughing behing your backs. Dont take it too seriously.

seriously, don't listen to ^^ her.....their staff had like 8-9 DOR's in the first 4 days (including at least one or two scholarship candidates ). It will be the most terrifying experience of your young life, and should you be fortunate enough to live through it, you will walk through the halls of your NROTC unit like you have a stick up your @ss until at least Christmas break at the earliest....












j/k....there will be yelling, and PT, and more yelling and some drill, and crappy food, and not a lot of time to do normal tasks. But don't take it too seriously; that should not read as "be disrespectful" (as this will certainly get you unwanted attention), but don't let them get to you either. It is no where near as hard as boot camp, so if those 18 yr olds can get through that, you can certainly get through this. It is actually a little bit of fun at times, but I am sure there will be moments when you wish you were at home playing video games/drinking/sleeping/roller-blading/sno-shoeing but I assure you that things will be better after that first week. So have fun and don't stress about it

oh yeah, and did I mention that it is worth it? If you stick w/ the program and are lucky (and clearly cool) like me you might catch a ride or two in an F/A-18F your senior year on summer cruise (or even earlier according to some of our freshman who went and flew at CORTRAMID this year)....think about that during those short nights between drill and PT

 

[Shakey]

Very true, if a 17 or 18 old can get through Marine boot camp, or even BUD/S, you shouldn't have any problems with this. For the most part, it's just repetative, maybe even boring at times, but it doesn't last that long. You'll find that you're seniors' attitudes will change, as will the atmosphere at your unit after you complete orientation. You're all there for the same reason: to become Navy or Marine officers. They just happen to be a little farther along than you. Before you know it you'll be the one doing the yelling, but mostly importantly, teaching. No matter where your career in the Navy takes you, you'll always be mentoring those junior to you, and learning from those senior to you.

 

[ELCID05]

Flash, I was waiting for someone who went through a real "orientation week" to chime in.


'05

 

[nrotcbruin]

yeah differs at each unit...some are more lax than others...just have a good attitude when you go to your O-week.

 

[Barret]

Sorry guys, I don't know too much about O-week...Is it just one week, and a taste of OCS/Boot Camp, or longer than that? Also, is there some sort of building that each different college holds this at? Could someone please fill me in? Thanks.:icon_mi_1

 

[FMRAM]

Very true, if a 17 or 18 old can get through Marine boot camp, or even BUD/S, you shouldn't have any problems with this. For the most part, it's just repetative, maybe even boring at times, but it doesn't last that long. You'll find that you're seniors' attitudes will change, as will the atmosphere at your unit after you complete orientation. You're all there for the same reason: to become Navy or Marine officers. They just happen to be a little farther along than you. Before you know it you'll be the one doing the yelling, but mostly importantly, teaching. No matter where your career in the Navy takes you, you'll always be mentoring those junior to you, and learning from those senior to you.

Don't forget learning from the junior guys as well...

 

[squorch2]

I re-did the entire INDOC week for NROTC at GT and ensured that it was run according to our standards... as such, here's some advice.

1) Be. In. Shape. Be able to run, do pushups/situps and various calisthenics for 1-2 hours at a clip without complaining or wheezing.

2) If you complain, you should have a broken bone or ligament injury. If you don't, prepare to reap the whirlwind.

3) Be confident. Lead from the front. (a phrase you will hear for a long while)

4) Don't brag. Your JROTC/Sea Cadet experience holds no weight here.

5) Err on the side of courtesy. If you think you should have saluted, you're already behind the power curve.

6) Everything else will come to you while you make your way through the ROTC program... best of luck.

 

[IrishRed]

As someone that had already gone through Marine Corps OCS (before I blew out my shoulder and decided to go NROTC) my O-week was pretty easy. I do know it differs greatly from school to school, but I would contact your University's CO and ask some questions if you're curious. I am sure they will have far greater knowledge on how to properly prepare for it than any of us would, as it is doubtful that you will have a day-by-day similar experience to anything posted on here. My only advice is to just know that it's a game. Far more inept people have gone through it sucessfully, and far more people have gone through a lot worse training than NROTC o-week. So suck it up and push through. That DOR stuff is BS unless you're REALLY don't want it in the first place. There's no reason to drop from anything - even a run. You're too young to quit at anything.

 

[MIDNJAC]

As someone that had already gone through Marine Corps OCS (before I blew out my shoulder and decided to go NROTC) my O-week was pretty easy. I do know it differs greatly from school to school, but I would contact your University's CO and ask some questions if you're curious. I am sure they will have far greater knowledge on how to properly prepare for it than any of us would, as it is doubtful that you will have a day-by-day similar experience to anything posted on here. My only advice is to just know that it's a game. Far more inept people have gone through it sucessfully, and far more people have gone through a lot worse training than NROTC o-week. So suck it up and push through. That DOR stuff is BS unless you're REALLY don't want it in the first place. There's no reason to drop from anything - even a run. You're too young to quit at anything.

werd....there are some unbelievable retards (both mentally and socially akward) that make it through O-week (and the NROTC program for that matter) so don't worry....even if you are a hardcore civilian like I was, you will soon pick up the finer points of "military" life. 100 % mental.....you will not be DQ'ed unless you quit

 

[HighDimension]

I'll tell you though, being on O-Staff (twice, even) was certainly one of the most rewarding experiences I had in NROTC. Just how much planning goes into it and how hard you have to work to make it come off as "real" to the 4/C is a real surprise.

I'll second that. I worked on staff for this orientation and I had an amazing time. It is an great time to bond with the fellow mids in the unit!

WRT coming in as a candidate: Keep an open mind. Don't listen to the fools that complain constantly because they will bring you down. Try your hardest to excel but realize that you probably won't ever satisfy your detailers. It is their job to indoctrinate you to the military lifestyle. Good luck!

edit: one more thing, don't show up looking like a bag of ass. Get a haircut ( you don't have to go hardcore military, just make it "neat") and don't be that guy that shows up without shaving, with diamond studs in ears, and a shirt that says " don't be so emo" . You WILL be noticed.