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Comment by M's mom on October 13, 2015 at 10:10pm

Hi myvampress.  Graduation for OCS is usually on the Friday of the 13th week of OCS; however, there are several important inspections and physical fitness tests that, if failed, will cause a candidate to "roll" back to Holding Class for three weeks, and then they will join the new incoming class.  If this happens to a candidate, it will put their graduation off for three weeks, so you really aren't sure until later on if your candidate will graduate with his original class.  Hotel reservations can be cancelled/changed, but don't buy plane tickets too early, because there is usually a hefty fee to change those.

If your loved one is starting OCS on Nov 8th, he should be about half-way through by Christmas, and should be pretty confident by then that he will graduate on time.  I think OCS does not train for two weeks at Christmas time, but the candidates only get one week to go home. Half the class gets to go home one week, and the other half gets to go the other week.  The half that is at OCS each week has to do maintenance chores around the barracks like power waxing the floors, etc.   I doubt that week counts as one of the 13 weeks, but I don't know; my son was not at OCS over Christmas.  I'm sure some other Moms here can chime in on this, if they had candidates there over the holidays.

 

Comment by JLR on October 13, 2015 at 3:07pm

Hi ALNavywife.  My son wasn't enlisted -- he applied while he was in college -- but it took about two years from first contact with the recruiter to actually showing up at OCS (he's a Candio as of Wednesday, yay!)  They lost paperwork several times -- which he had to replace, and asked for different paperwork literally at the last minute (the day before the board was supposed to meet) which caused him to miss at least one board.  From the time he actually got all his paperwork in (not counting the losses and additional requests) it was about a year before he heard "yes" and a year and four months before he actually started.  From what I've read on the other boards (i.e., with the LOs in his current class) 1 to 2 years is not unusual.

Comment by LarLar on October 12, 2015 at 2:47pm

is this group still active, anyone OCS 04-16?

Comment by Anna on September 9, 2015 at 11:57am

Doreen,

Please be careful and do not post actual dates of your son's report date.  That is considered troop movement and a small violation of OPSEC rules.  Edit your post to just say November or "end of year" but don't be specific.  I know it's a little thing but it's one of those things that could lead to putting troops in danger.

Comment by JediGrey on September 9, 2015 at 11:54am

Doreen - also you won't know until the last minute when he will be getting the time to come home. Don't buy an airline ticket in advance because you will be paying to change it! I think we got our kid the last seat on the plane. Send him back a day early. If there are weather issues and his flight gets cancelled it will not be good for him. Better to have a day of grace to be sure he is back in time.

Comment by JediGrey on September 9, 2015 at 11:39am

Doreen-my son started OCS about the same time last year. He did come home for Christmas for about a week. I believe the school shut down for two weeks and half came home the first week, the other half the second week. Perhaps it was because last winter was particularly brutal, but don't be surprised if some of the things you read here or see on the Facebook page may not apply to your son's class. Weather cancelled or delayed a lot of things. Also, be very very careful about what you say here and especially on the Facebook page. If you don't want it to get back to your son, don't put it out there. No matter how closed you think a group is, it really isn't. Stay upbeat, stay patient. You are in for quite a ride!

Comment by JLR on September 6, 2015 at 4:47pm

GalleryMom: your good thoughts must have worked.  I got word yesterday that he passed; although it took two tries.  He was relieved; he said that the DI only passed one person in group she inspected the first day and that he was one of the four in ten passed the second day.  It seems very clear that the intent is to get folks working together and function in stressful situations.

Comment by M's mom on September 4, 2015 at 12:01am

TxNavyWife:   When my son graduated OCS, they did have a Pass-in-Review the day before graduation in which the candidates marched in formation in their camo uniforms and demonstrated their rifle drills.  It was very impressive, so I'm sorry to hear that they don't do that anymore, along with First Salutes, as GalleyMom reported on the recent graduation.

If your husband will graduate after Oct 1, his class will probably wear their dress blue uniforms to graduate in.  The whites are only worn in the summer months for formal occasions. (I think they wear whites in the tropics, like Hawaii, year round.)

Comment by M's mom on September 3, 2015 at 11:38pm

GalleyMom:  You are very kind and generous to offer to host my vagabond son and his wife, but they have already been through Texas, and stayed with my brother in Houston.  They were heading towards Colorado somewhere, last time they checked in.   This is sort of a delayed honeymoon for them since they had to head right to Whidbey Island for duty after getting married 2 years ago.  Then he was deployed for 10 months, so I'm glad they are having this time to reconnect.  Their plan is to drive through at least 40 states and 2 Canadian provinces in an epic six-week trip!

As to how I got my son to clean out his room when he was home, I finally just had to.. insist.  I had prepared several large boxes in his room for "Goodwill," "Yard sale," "Keep,"  and "Trash."    I told him he should definitely keep some things for posterity and sentimental reasons that I would store for him until he returned from Japan, but as for the rest of it, decisions had to be made.  We boxed up a big load of clothes for Goodwill.  He had a bunch of computer game DVD's and software that we will put in a yard sale.  He tossed bags and bags of junk.  He did have a few delighted moments going through his clutter, of "Oh, I wondered what happened to THAT."   So, he rediscovered a few forgotten treasures, but he wound up with a relatively small box of things that he really wanted to keep.  DS breathed an audible sigh of relief when it was all over.  He KNEW it had to be done, but he just needed to be forced to do it.  

While this was going on, daughter-in-law decided to hide out in our guest bedroom where they were staying, with her nose in a book.  That was a good thing, because DS discovered in his desk a bunch of pics and mushy souvenirs of old girlfriends, but now that he is a married man, he wisely decided to toss out!!!  hahaha

Comment by TxNavyWife on September 3, 2015 at 12:15pm

Thanks Galley Mom! That was exactly the answer I needed. I knew I could count on this forum for answers! :D

I guess I get to go dress shopping now  ^_^

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