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Comment by Marmie on October 3, 2013 at 9:32am

The facebook page has been set up for the OCS class starting Oct. 27 - search for US Navy OCS Class 06-14 Family and Friends

Comment by Marmie on September 30, 2013 at 7:43am

eightsonthemove - I believe my son is the same class as your husband - starts Oct 27?  I know my son is ready to get started.  He did mention in passing that he thought graduation was in February.  I hope to get that information nailed down a bit as well as the facebook page info for that class.  The next month is going to fly by!

 

Comment by M's mom on September 28, 2013 at 9:10pm

eightsonthemove:  My son graduated from OCS a year ago in Sept 2012.  I posted OUR graduation weekend timeline on this forum on Sept 19, 2012.  Search at the bottom of this page for PAGE 18, and look for my comments.  Things could be very different NOW though, so a good thing to do would be to join (or start) the Facebook Friends & Family group for your husband's class.  Also join the FB group for the class just ahead of his, and those folks can tell you what's going on in their class three weeks ahead of his.  Also search Facebook for the "OTCNewport" page.  This is the official OCS Command page and they post weekly pictures of training and updates on the current classes, so you might get to see your husband in one of the pictures!   Make sure he has your phone # and email address MEMORIZED because their phones are taken away & stored until week nine, and he will have to use a pay phone to call.  When they get email access at about week four, they won't be able to get to to their usual email contacts list and he will have to type in the address from memory.  Look below for our grad schedule. Hope this helps.

Comment by eightsonthemove on September 28, 2013 at 7:27pm

Hello everyone! I'm writing as a future OCS wife (my husband has been enlisted for 2+ years & is heading to Rhode Island at the end of October). I get to be the information central for all inquiring family & friends - yippee! Just wondering if anyone who has already experienced a typical OCS graduation week can provide any pointers or important information. Hi Moms event, how the weekend afterwards works, hotels to recommend, etc. Thanks in advance for any pointers! I'll be stalking this forum soon enough :)

Comment by TropikalParadize on August 30, 2013 at 2:52pm

Hey Annie, my husband just got done with OCS in May, and was also prior enlisted....let me know if you have any questions or anything!! 

Comment by M's mom on August 30, 2013 at 8:40am

Hi, Annie.   My son graduated from OCS in Sept 2012.  See my response to SpritLakeMom below about making sure he has your email address memorized, and also your phone #.  Their cell phones will be taken from them at check-in and they won't get them back until they are Candios at week ten, so they will have to use pay phones to call, and will not have access to their usual email contacts list.  So if he is used to just scrolling to "Annie" for calling, texting, etc. without knowing the actual # he is calling, make sure he knows these from memory.  Send a phone calling card with him with lots of minutes on it.  The public phones my son had to use charged 15 minutes just to connect a call!

Comment by HokieMamma on August 29, 2013 at 8:32pm

Congratulations, Annie.  My son is currently at OCS, finishing up his fourth week.  He was not prior enlisted, but a civilian, working as a mechanical engineer for a defense contractor. He has actually been at the Officer Training Command Newport for seven weeks, but did not pass his initial physical assessment, so he "rolled" out of his original class and was in H class for three weeks, until the next class came in.  He was able to pass his physical assessment on the second try!

I think the hardest thing for me has been the lack of communication.  He has now earned email privileges, but is still so busy, we have gotten very few emails.  So yes, the moms and spouses of the recruits are constantly on Facebook, looking for pictures, info, anything about our loved ones.  On Facebook, like the Officer Training Command Newport page - that is where they post the photos of the various classes.  Also join the group for your husband's class - you will get to commiserate with fellow spouses and moms. The administrators of the site also put up a lot of information and will answer questions.

Rolling in to H-class (holding) was not necessarily a bad thing.  My son got stronger doing a lot of physical activity and it gives them extra time to work on memorizing all the stuff they have to memorize and get used to the routine.  The drill instructors don't scream in their faces too much, either.

I watched the video, "Faces of OCS" about ten times that first week, just so I would know what my son was going through. He has now passed RLP and his first exam and is now in the academic phase, although they still have physical training and drill.

Good luck to your husband! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Comment by Anna on August 29, 2013 at 2:50pm

Annie,

Congratulations to your husband!!  My daughter graduated from OCS almost one year ago.  I also have a son who is putting in his paperwork to apply for OCS once he returns from Afghanistan.  I don't know how long your husband has been in as enlisted, but one thing my daughter talked about was how hard it was for sailors who had prior enlisted experience going into OCS and suddenly that are faced with the DIs screaming in their face and talking to them like they are all scum bags.  For some of these prior enlisted they are close to the same rate as the DIs and have been in the Navy as long also.  So just tell him to stay strong and keep his wits about him.  Just keep reminding him it's only 12 weeks and he can get through it!!!!  Best of luck to him!!!

Comment by gordons4 on August 29, 2013 at 10:47am

Hey Annie. Congratulations to your husband! Since he is enlisted you have probably already experienced the "he's gone and I can't talk to him" syndrome, which I think is a hard for a lot of us sending them to OCS for the first time. My daughter-in-law and I talked everyday to encourage each other--especially through the first few weeks. Since the limited phone calls went to her, she was great about immediately calling us and letting us know how he was doing. And on that note, stay positive and encouraging to your husband, no matter how bad he might sound. (Be prepared for no voice.) My DIL was very encouraging to her husband and prayed for him and then called me to cry. Your husband and you WILL get through this, and he will be standing taller at the end--rightly proud of all he has accomplished. Come here often for support...we will gladly give it. Oh, and most importantly, join the FB page for your husband's OCS class. Those first few weeks you will stalk FB waiting to see pictures, and it is so nice to see their face and feel like you are going through each step with them. I will be praying for you and your husband. Which class?

Comment by M's mom on June 16, 2013 at 12:45am

SpiritLakeMom: You probably meant OCS Class 12-13 that just graduated, if your daughter is in 15-13.  Write lots of encouraging letters to her and tell her to hang in there!  The first 3-4 weeks are the hardest.  Once they pass the RLP (room-locker-personnel) inspection at week four, then they are usually granted limited email use, and you will hear from her more often.  FYI: if she doesn't know your email address to type it from memory, send a letter to her NOW with all the email addresses you think she will want.  The candidates will not have access to their usual email program and contacts list to just click on "MOM," etc.  You will get a "test" email from her about week three from something like "@training.mil," if she knows your email address.

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