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Comment by Marmie on February 5, 2015 at 6:23pm

Hi Moms is what the candidates decide (and they pay!).  Ours was heavy appetizers at the O Club.  On a side note be sure your LO lists everyone planning to attend.  Our daughter was turned away one of the times we went to the gate - although she had been admitted several other times :)

Comment by Rita on February 5, 2015 at 5:43pm

Thanks so much for the advice on hotels everyone!  I just called and talked to the gentleman at the Residence Inn.  So I changed my reservation from the Comfort Inn to the Res. Inn.  It'a about a mile closer and food is also a plus.  Dinner is M-T-W for anyone else interested.  Does Hi-Moms include a meal?  

Comment by pbmcdaniel on February 5, 2015 at 2:17pm

Rita,

We stayed at the Residence Inn in Middletown.  Wonderful experience and very reasonable.  They have a great breakfast and free buffets for dinner a couple of nights during the week.  The taxi ride to base was less than 10 mins and cost about $10.  Highly recommend!!

Enjoy your time.....it is a truly AWESOME experience!!

Comment by Anna on February 4, 2015 at 11:36pm

Rita,

Our family stayed in the Best Western in Middletown and it was a very nice hotel and very affordable for the several days we were there!!!!!!

Comment by M's mom on February 4, 2015 at 9:53pm

Rita: Concerning hotel reservations for OCS graduation, I advise folks to search for hotels in MIDDLETOWN, RI instead of Newport, because it's actually closer to the base.  If you look at a map, Newport is on a peninsula and the "Naval Education and Training Center" is to the north of downtown Newport, closer to Middletown.  Middletown has cheaper chain hotels such as Holiday Inn Express, etc.  Most of the hotels in Newport are resorts catering to the tourists, so are more expensive.  At least your son's grad will be in the spring, before Memorial Day when all the tourists influx, and the price of hotels skyrocket in the area until Labor Day.  I think there is a Best Western hotel right outside one of the gates to the base, where my son stayed the night before he reported to OCS.  I can't remember what week they took the official portraits at OCS, but they take several poses of them in their dress uniform, (whites for summer grads, blues for winter grads.)  Then, the candidates can order various packages, like school pictures.  I think there were instructions in the package that was mailed after graduation, on how to order more pics if you wanted additional.  They also include photos of their First Salute after commissioning, when the drill instructor and class petty officer now have to salute the new officers, and the new Ensigns traditionally have to give them each a silver dollar!

Comment by Gatormom on February 4, 2015 at 8:53pm

Thanks IT gal. Our son thinks there's a 90% chance he'll stay in Charleston. He's had a similar experience with the pace of things lol. He's getting married 2 weeks after graduation so lots on his mind right now! Thanks for your response.

Comment by ITgal on February 4, 2015 at 12:11am

Gatormom, Power school graduation is different than OCS graduation.  Less military pageantry, there's no PIR, and there's only the one event/ceremony, no Hi Mom's reception, etc.  It's more like a college graduation ceremony.  After 6 months of stress, hard work and long hours, they deserve the recognition.  Depending on whether he's staying in Charleston or going to Ballston Spa, and when his Prototype class begins, he may actually have some time to spend with you.  My son had a tough time adapting to the instructional methods in Power School (learning nuclear engineering from the Navy is like trying to take a drink from a fire hose, as they say), so graduating was a huge accomplishment.  We're lucky enough to live within a reasonable driving distance and it was well worth going.  We'll be returning to Charleston soon for his graduation from Prototype.

Comment by Rita on February 3, 2015 at 10:49pm

M's Mom, At this point it doesn't feel like I could be but I understand what you are saying!  I imagine I will be prouder!  In fact, this is my boy who wouldn't walk for his college graduation so there's going to be some over due pride waiting to burst when he gets pinned.  I received 2 nice letters from him today thanks to blizzard Juno. :)  I made hotel reservations yesterday for Newport.  Once he makes it to week 9, I'll make the flight reservations.  Just to be clear, I made the reservations in respect to the address on Meyerkord where he receives his mail.  Is this correct? Thanks for the tip on the pictures and the video.  When do they take the pictures? (which week)

Comment by Gatormom on February 1, 2015 at 8:22pm

Has anyone been to Nuke Power School graduation? That's the next event in our son's Naval career. As challenging as it's been, I'm thinking this could feel like a bigger accomplishment than OCS for him.

Comment by M's mom on February 1, 2015 at 8:31am

Rita: Yes, you CAN be prouder of him!  Just wait until his graduation/ commissioning ceremony.  You'll just about burst with pride!!!!  I know it is hard for some families to make it to Newport, but if you can get there, you'll never forget it!   They do video the graduation, though, for families who can't attend.  You can purchase a DVD afterwards, (or your son can order one in advance with his official portrait package) form the NEX (Navy Exchange store) on base. The DVD was great to show the folks back home who couldn't make it to Newport.

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