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Comment by LoniJ on May 23, 2017 at 8:46am

There are different things that can happen. My son's experience was a little different because he graduated the week before Christmas in 2015. His medical paperwork had not been signed off by the flight surgeons in p'cola so he had to wait another week after graduation on that before starting OHARP. He opted to fly home for that time instead of sitting on base over the holiday. He was so ready to get off the base. OHARP is their assignment before going to flight school and is basically working at an office while he waits for a spot to open up in flight school. That can be a couple of months. He can request where he wants to do that. This time also gives him an opportunity to find housing which he has probably already discussed with some of his OCS classmates. I know as mom's we like to know what's going on but don't frustrate yourself. Hope I haven't totally confused you. I guess when we think military we think precision timing but when it comes to the moving and next assignment it is not always that way.

Comment by USNmom2017 on May 23, 2017 at 6:50am

I figured he would have to report that next week. We are about 6 hours from Pensacola. Hoping he can come home forest and get his car to take down. Do yiu know if that is possible? And are they able to find housing that quick? Thank you fir your answers. He is a grown young man, but you know wus mims, we like to find out.

Comment by LucyJo on May 23, 2017 at 12:47am

USNmom2017,
Welcome to the group!! It is so good to have this support, especially during OCS. My son just finished in March. The NFOs in his class received their orders and moved to Pensacola quickly in a week or less. It will depend on the needs how soon they move on. The pilots right now are waiting almost three months. That has been good for me since he has been home during that time on OHARP. He heads out this week for API finally. It is all very exciting for them. Good luck!!

Comment by Noni on May 22, 2017 at 10:14pm

USN mom2017
The Navy makes the travel arrangements. Your son will have his orders and everything will have to be checked off before leaving

Comment by Noni on May 22, 2017 at 10:12pm

USNmom2017
They usually get their orders a week or so before. At least my daughter did. Your son is a NFO so he may have to wait.... majority of the Ensins know where they are going and when they need to be at post. Your son will let you know all details. As parents we want all the details now. Remember this is the Navy and they are Marine trained. When they say now it's now not later.

Comment by USNmom2017 on May 22, 2017 at 9:59pm

A question about travel after OCS commissioning! I have read that they won't get their orders until that day! Are travel arrangements already made by then or do you have to hurry and make them?

Comment by M's mom on May 19, 2017 at 10:11pm

Hi Liz,  Everyone here has already given you such good advice; I don't have much to add.   As Noni wrote, read back as far as you can on these posts, and we probably have answered many of your questions already.  When you get to the bottom of this page, just click page 2 and keep going!  

Also, above the Comments Wall here, you will see the Discussion Forum.  Click on "View All," and read the most recent ones.  Things change constantly at OCS, so some of the older posts may give incorrect info.  My son went to OCS in 2012, and I found this site and the class Facebook pages invaluable, but I now have to defer to the newer OCS Moms for specific questions because so much has changed.  Good luck to your son!

Comment by CindyN on May 19, 2017 at 4:14pm

Liz,

I should start by saying that my son was in OCS about 2 years ago so some of my information may be out of date.

During the check-in process they will need to turn in their cells phones.  They will not get it back until they become Candi-O’s at the end of week 9.  Just before they have to hand their cell over, they will get to make one last call to let you know they arrived and to give you their mailing address.  This call will come on the Sunday of their check-in so stay close to your phone(s). I don’t know if they are reminded to save important phone and email addresses before they turn their phone over, or if my son knew to do that one his own.  But it is good advice to give your son before he goes.

Letters are very important, especially at the beginning. I didn't get many back (maybe 2) but he did say "write and send pictures/news".  So I wrote every day or two using  the service write2them.org to send letters and photos. The service took an email I sent to the service, printed it out and sent it in the appropriate white envelope. I think they mail it from closer to the base so it takes a couple of days off the mail time from where I am. At the time, it cost about $1.20 per letter (for a bit more than 2x a stamp) but for me, it is so convenient that I wrote more often. I often thought that writing to him was at least as therapeutic for me, if not more so, than it was for him. It may be good to include a list of phone numbers and email addresses in one of your letters.

Currently at the end of week 2 they will be able to sign up for a timeslot (10-15 minutes) to use the phone on weekends.   I believe the possible times were Fri evening, Sat evening and all day Sun.  They will not be calling from their cell phone, so be sure to answer any unknown caller from Rhode Island. They may need ATT prepaid phone cards to use for this.  Don't worry, there are usually some available with minutes left from prior classes that they can use to make their first call (There was a recent note that they call you and have you return their call at a number they provide, so a phone card may not be needed.)

Navyformoms will be a good resource for you. The Friends and Family Facebook group for your son’s class will also be an excellent source of information and support. The "Officer Training Command Newport" Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OTCNewport/?fref=ts) posts photos every week or two which were fun to see. You can start to watch that page now. It will give you a glimpse of life at OCS.

You can find a packing list here: http://www.ocs.navy.mil/ocs_requiredpaperwork.html I second GalleyMom’s note about good running shoes. And if you can talk them into bright colored shoes, it is a plus!

OCS is a challenging process for both the candidates and their families.  But there seems to be a method to their madness. The men and women that develop during OCS and you meet at graduation are pretty awesome. These young men and women who volunteer and get selected for Naval Officers are so impressive. It gives me so much hope for our future.

Comment by Nancy on May 19, 2017 at 3:26pm

Hi Liz! You will find this site very helpful. There is a vast support network and answers for almost all your questions. It helped me a lot just a few months ago, as you can see by all the questions I asked in the discussion forums! Don't forget to check those out! GalleyMom and Noni are right about everything. And do join the facebook page, and the classes before and after. I think I joined about 6 classes! I NEVER saw my son's picture on any of our class's facebook photos. It wasn't until after he had gotten home, and it was in the class 2 classes later and he was helping with their khaki inspection. So it pays to join all of them, the ones before for information, and the ones after for pictures. GalleyMom and Noni have great advice, particularly about memorizing as much stuff as he can before going and getting in shape.

Comment by Noni on May 19, 2017 at 2:05pm

Hi Liz,

Read all of the recent post.  Most of the new moms have asked the same questions.  

Support is the biggest thing you have to offer to him right now and while he is in OCS.  He will contact you the day he enters with his address.  Always keep you phone volume up, you never know when they will get to call home and when they do they will give you a phone number to call them back.  Write letters!  Those are going to be gold for a while.  Don't send letters with pictures etc. in them.  White envelops only.  No packages until Candio phase and from what Im learning is they are trying to phase that out.  My daughter graduated on Halloween of 2014.  Make sure you register for your sons OCS FB page and the class after it.  This is just incase he rolls.  I even joined the OCS Class before my daughter.  If you have questions don't hesitate to ask.

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