Comment

Comment by topdog1p on March 16, 2016 at 11:27pm

PaulaH what an exciting time for your daughter and an anxious time for us mom's. my son gradutation from OCS last sept. After RLP they do get to call and it was the first call since the day he checked in. They will also get email privileges. if i had checked my emails he sent the time slot he had to make his call thank God i was home and did not miss his call :) we were able to communicate thru the email and i did send a bit more snail mail too till he got his cell phone. 

Comment by bkat3 on March 16, 2016 at 11:28am

Reposting my prior comment regarding phone calls.  I got mail sooner than week 4.

After they pass RLP they will be able to use get on the phone list to use the phone on weekends.  I think it was 15 min limit.  From my experience it was after 8pm Fri or Sat or anytime Sun.  This is not their cell phone, so be sure to answer any unknown caller from Rhode Island.  They might 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.  They will not get their cell phones back until much later after they become Candios (end of week 9 or even early week 10).

Comment by PaulaH on March 16, 2016 at 8:41am

So we may get a call end of 4th week?  Is that the only call  until candios?  When can I expect my first letter? She took stamps!  Do they get a few minutes to write us?  Thanks for all the information so fa.     11-16 Anxious Mom:)

Comment by M's mom on March 15, 2016 at 8:46pm

I don't recall that there was a limit on attendees to my son's OCS graduation, but he had to turn in a firm list of names a few weeks before.  Every adult in your car going into the base must have a photo ID, and the gate guard will check these against the list of visitors' names submitted by the candidate, so no "surprise" guests!   Arrive at the graduation ceremony EARLY---an hour before is not too early to get good seats, especially if you have a crowd.  It was packed at my son's grad ceremony, and there was standing room only in the back of the auditorium. 

As bkell32 wrote, the candidates themselves rent the location and pay for the food at the Hi Moms reception, so they are usually assessed so much per guest.  Depending on how much the candidates decide to spend, it can be a cocktail reception, (what we had) or a full meal.  If a candidate has a crowd coming he/she will have to pay for them all.

Comment by bkat3 on March 15, 2016 at 3:16pm

Each class is a bit different, but graduation usually allows many family members to attend.  So, bring the grandparents!  The 'Hi Moms' reception may be limited due to the venue capacity.

Comment by NuclearOPSMom on March 15, 2016 at 1:31pm

Sorry - our family is new at this.  For OCS graduation, are you limited to the number of family members that can attend graduation? Grandparents would like to share in this experience also, but was not sure how many would be allowed.

Comment by M's mom on March 13, 2016 at 5:11pm

NuclearOPSMom:  OCS graduation is USUALLY on Friday of the 12th week of OCS, week one beginning with the Sunday they began OCS.  However, you don't want to buy plane tickets or make any other non-refundable arrangements just yet.  If a candidate fails any physical fitness assessment, or the big Room, Locker, and Personnel inspection (RLP) at week 4, they will get "rolled" back to Holding Class, then join the next incoming class 3 weeks later, so their graduation then becomes 3 weeks later than expected.  When my son was in OCS, we didn't buy plane tix until about 6-7 weeks in, to be sure; however you can easily change hotel reservations.  If you are going to graduation anytime between Memorial Day-- Labor Day, know that Newport is swarming with tourists in the summer, so make hotels reservations early. 

Most families arrived on Wednesday of graduation week, because there is a Thursday evening reception called "Hi Moms" for the families, usually cocktails and snacks.  (but Dads and others are welcome too!)  I think they call it that because we Moms always insist on being introduced to all of our kid's classmates and the Drill Instructors, etc. haha

Comment by NuclearOPSMom on March 13, 2016 at 1:24pm

My son is in class 11-16 Does anyone know where to find the scheduled date for graduation?

Comment by bkat3 on March 13, 2016 at 1:06pm

I should also add....no news really is good news.  I know how hard it is not hearing from them or knowing what is going on.  But calls in the first few weeks usually are due to being rolled back to H-class.

Comment by bkat3 on March 13, 2016 at 1:04pm

My daughter was 03-16.  After they pass RLP they will be able to use get on the phone list to use the phone on weekends.  I think it was 15 min limit.  From my experience it was after 8pm Fri or Sat or anytime Sun.  This is not their cell phone, so be sure to answer any unknown caller from Rhode Island.  They might 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.  They will not get their cell phones back until much later after they become Candios (end of week 9 or even early week 10).

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