Any one have information about OCS ceremony and events?

[aksimpson]

Hi,
We are looking for information about how the graduation ceremony and other events of OCS work. My Joshua is graduating at the end of the month, and we don't even know what to pack! Is everything formal, do I need a gown, or just a nice summer dress for the banquet? We are from California, will we stick out like sore thumbs on the East Coast with the clothes we wear?

Does he get time off after the ceremony and how long does he get before reporting to his next position?

Please let us know if you have any thoughts and recommendations.

Thanks,
Anna and Josh's family

[Mom25]

You might want to look under groups for "OCS Graduate Moms" where a lot of information is shared on graduation and visiting Newport. A nice dress is fairly standard. You definitely do not need a gown. My husband wore a jacket and no tie, as many of the men did. He did wear his uniform the next day - a pretty tight fit! Hopefully it will be a bit warmer and drier while you are there. Congratulations on your Ensign-to-be.
-Chris

[Elvisfan]

My son Daniel is graduating from Navy OCS on June 19th. I know that there is a Hi Moms day and dinner at the Yacht Club on Thursday, the day before graduation Friday. Daniel thinks that graduation is at 9 a.m. My son will have 3 weeks between graduation and reporting back to Rhode Island for 3 weeks of SWO school. After the SWO school I believe he'll report to his duty station which is Norfolk, VA. Really we don't know any times for certain. I think it just depends on what job your son will be doing as to when he'll be reporting. I'm hoping this week we'll receive our invitations. Daniel said that he filled out something pertaining to pictures and videos of graduation. Also where to send invitations.I wish I had more information to give you but I hope I was of some help. Good Luck to you and your Son!

[Kathy c.]

Hi, my son graduated OCS back in Nov. 07, his was the 1st. class to be held back in RI, which is where we live so that was nice. The HiMom dinner was very nice, not too formal though, a nice dress, but certainlly not a gown, I think his dad just wore nice shirt (No tie or jacket). The weather should be warm by then, but you never know in RI, I would say bring a light jacket or sweater. Grad. is at 9, but you can meet them for the last run, (I think that was at 5am) his dad went to that, not me...I had too many relatives coming with me (like I said we live in RI so I think we had about 20 people there). The graduation was awesome, take a lot of pictures, you can buy the video later. My son got to leave with us right after it was done, he didn;t start nuke power school till Jan 2 (which he ended up with pneumonia so was delayed until the next class end of Feb. 08) He had to work everyday at the local recruiting center in Boston Ma. So far he has loved every step of the way. He is waiting to finish prototype, and then find out where he will be stationed. (he's a nuke sub officer). Well good luck and let me know if there's anything I can help you with. RI is really pretty in the summer, enjoy Newport...there's a lot to see. Kathy

[Elvisfan]

Hi Kathy, my son Daniel is graduating this Friday the 19th. We didn't receive our invitations. Do you think that will be a problem? Daniel doesn't think it will be. Did you have anything on the base the day of the Hi Moms dinner? Do you remember by any chance what time the Hi Moms dinner was? Sorry to ask so many questions. My Mom and I are leaving tomorrow heading up to Rhode Island. With a stopover in Delaware. My sister lives there. I'm feeling so many emotions right now. I can't even explain why...Daniel will be able to come home with us too. SWO school is backed up until the end of August. So he'll get to spend his summer here doing whatever the Navy requires him to do while in the waiting period. On Graduation day the last run is at 5a.m. Will we have time after the run to come back to our hotel to get changed for the graduation or do we need to be prepared to stay at the base? I was hoping our invites would include some information but that didn't happen for us? Did your sons Graduation take place outside? Daniel said it will be decided today if it'll be in or out depending on the weather forecast. I can't wait to see my son, I know he'll have changed alot! Thank you so much for any information you can give me. It'll be greatly appreciated!

[aksimpson]

Hi Elvisfan, I would recommend looking in the OCS Graduate Moms group, thats what Mom25 told me, and it was pretty good advise. These are the things I've learned just from reading everyone else's experiences. Your invitations come right before the event, probably after you've already gone. My bf Josh had to put our names in to be cleared to get onto the base.
Others have said that there will be time between the run and the ceremony, the run should take 1/2 hour and it starts at 5. Mostly people have said that Graduation takes place in the gym, it has been cold and rainy there lately, so you will probably have to sit in bleachers inside rather than outside. Its nice that Daniel gets to go home for the summer, Josh is still unsure where he will be able to go. :(

I haven't heard about other events on the base before Hi Moms, I assumed that was the first time we see our guys.

Good luck with your questions, Have Fun with your Son, and Enjoy the Trip,

Anna

[Kathy c.]

Hi Elvisfan, You're probablly already on your way to RI, the weather is supposed to be rainy so I would think they will have it inside. You didn't need the invitations when my son grad., they just stopped us at the gate and when we said we were there for ocs graduation, they just let us through, we had several cars with us! You should have time to go back to hotel to change. I think it's at 11 am, just try to get there early for a front row seat! It's an awesome event, one you won;t ever forget! Enjoy every minute of it. Take care, kathy

[ICTHRUCHAOS]

You can find answers to this and many others - specific to Navy OCS at this site


http://www.usnavyocs.com/portal/index.php

[Jakesmom]

Hi there,
I am looking for someone who has already been to bootcamp graduation. I'd like answers to some of those same questions. My son is graduating at the end of the month also, and I am much to anxious to wait 3 weeks for the graduation info packet. I was wondering what time we will be able to be with him until on Sunday? Not sure what time to book flight home. I wasn't aware that there was going to be a formal dinner, does that info come in the packet, or should I be looking for it on this site? What are some of the other activities throughout the weekend?

Thanks,
Jake's Family