Congrats to your son! Scroll down in this comment line to June 25, 2020 and read my response to penelopewms about OCS.
I hope you will be able to attend his commissioning ceremony. You will just about burst with pride! It meant so much more to me than my son's high school or college graduation. Take plenty of tissues. Anchors Aweigh!
My sons been waiting to go to OCS for 9 months. His date kept getting pushed back but is finally leaving on Saturday. Any advice? Don't think we will get to graduation because of Covid. I'm so proud and so anxious!
Congrats to you son! Write lots of encouraging letters to your son with all the news from home! When my son was in OCS, they were kept isolated, no cell phones or email for about four weeks. The only thing they could receive was good ol' fashioned paper letters, until they were allowed email after about the first month. (Things may be different now.) My son said those letters from home were a real treat, so write often.
When my son was there, they could NOT receive any treats or other "contraband" except letters, so make sure anyone to whom you give your son's mailing address knows the rules and doesn't send cookies, for instance. Those who received contraband in my son's class were punished by having to do many, many pushups, even if they didn't ask for it to be sent!
Advise your son that he must keep his eyes on the prize, and do not quit, no matter what! OCS is hard, physically and mentally. At some point, the Drill Instructors punish all of them unfairly, just to see who will give up. He must know this is part of the process, and just do whatever is ordered.
Those first 4 weeks are the hardest. If he can get through that, it does get better, as the next class comes in and his class will move up in seniority.
Considering the current COVID situation, I'm sure OCS will probably do a live streaming online of the graduation ceremony, (but I could be wrong.) Since they will probably want to avoid big crowds in the auditorium, they may not have a graduation open to civilians at all. We attended my son's graduation, and we were able to order a DVD video of the ceremony, so we could show it to relatives at home who were not able to attend. Maybe someone who has a recent OCS grad can chime in here and tell you how they are currently handling graduation.
Also, not that we want to drive you away from Navy for Moms, but if you do Facebook, you might want to search for a Facebook group for your son's class. Search for "Navy OCS Class XX -XX Friends and Family" or similar wording where XX -XX is his class number. Since the Navy's new fiscal year starts Oct 1st, his class number will probably be XX-21. Usually these are closed groups, and you have to ask to join, but it was such support for me to connect with other families in the same class and share the news!
Also search on Facebook for "Officer Training Command Newport." They (used to) post pictures there of the current classes doing their training, and you might see your son.
Good luck to him, and hang in there Mom! You think you are proud now, just wait until you see him in his dress uniform as a new Navy Ensign!! (Even if just a picture online!)
That's so exciting, congratulations to you and your son! I agree with everything M's mom said, write those letters! Oh, and be sure you don't send any cards with glitter. Also, a phone card is highly recommended (at least it was a year ago). I ordered this one from Amazon and sent it in one of my letters, it worked perfectly.
My son was in much the same situation earlier this year, with his report dates getting pushed back and then a very short notice to swear in and hop in a plane! I was worried about the "List" of items they were supposed to pack, here are a few things I have learned: White socks with colored toe and heel are OK --just no logo where it can be seen (try to get a heavy duty brand, we bought Fox River--our local farm store carries them), and they can take and keep their own athletic shoes, so if he has a brand or style that he is most comfortable in, have him take a new pair, he should also go get a pair of good insoles for the boots he will be issued. Send him with a calling card, my son says they are not easy to get at the N-Ex, I found those at Walgreens, they are different than "pre-paid" phone cards, you can send one of these in a letter, that is allowable (anything that would fit flat in an envelope, as long as it is NOT food/gum); after the first 3 weeks he will probably be able to get a time slot to use the pay phones to call home on the weekend...but the first call or two might only be a few minutes long until they figure out how to use the phones and calling cards. He can and SHOULD take snacks (nuts, protein or granola bars, beef jerky etc.) for ROM (the Quarantine period); If he drinks protein drinks and is ok with mixing them with water, he should pack a tub of that too (he won't be able to take it with him after ROM, but he can use it during ROM). He will be able to use his own computer during ROM. He should pack a bag just for ROM with workout clothes, towel, washcloth, extra socks and underwear, this will be things that will get packed away after the quarantine. He will be able to have his own phone during ROM, but after OCS starts, those letters from home are SO important. They can have pictures sent to them in the envelopes...but only 2 or 3 at a time so the envelope isn't too fat, so I would take photos on my phone, then go to Walgreens and create a "Collage" with 6-8 random pictures (4x6 $0.39 --pretty awesome deal), after I sent the first one, he asked me to send more! Have friends, relatives and church friends write too (caution them not to send anything with glitter because it gets on uniforms and ...need I say more?, they might not get a letter back in return, but your OC will appreciate every one he gets. Lastly, go buy him one of those x-large pancake turner/flipper kitchen utensil. He will thank you for it later, it will save his knuckles when making his bed! One other thing, If he tends to have heavy facial hair, he should take a regular razor with cartridge blades AND an electric shaver. He will make some great friends! Congrats and wish him the best!
My son really appreciated when I sent him a bit of news and sports from the outside world so I always tried to include that in my letters. No disaster news, just overall events. Your son may be in OCS during the election so he may appreciate learning the results, etc. Otherwise, they will hear nothing! My son found OCS hard but he said he tried to think of it as a "game" that he had to conquer. No one was really mad at him when they were shouting, it was just part of the role they had to play. That helped him get through it. Good luck to your son! I think I can speak for all of us Navy parents when I say we are proud of all the young men and women who take on this challenge!
Congratulations to your son! My son just finished ROM & is in his 1st week of OCS! The waiting to leave was the worst. My son was pushed back twice. You've got some great advice from the others who posted here! Currently graduation is that is live streamed on the Officer Training Command Newport FB page & unfortunately no civilians are allowed at this point. https://www.facebook.com/OTCNewport/
For a phone calling card we purchased one of these AT&T virtual cards because it was referenced as the same that could be found on base at the NEX (but we were told that most times they were sold out there). My son hasn't been able to call home yet so I can't speak to how well it works but I'm sure hoping since it's a Navy specific card, we won't have issues. https://www.facebook.com/OTCNewport/
My son, along with me & his Dad, felt that ROM was actually a great way to acclimate to being at OCS. It does get boring, they are only allowed out of their rooms for 1 hour in the morning & 1 hour in the afternoon for PT, but since my son has no prior military experience, it gave him a chance to get over his initial nerves & really put in a last solid 2 weeks completely focused on PT & studying. They keep their phones so he texted & video called which helped with the transition also. Of course, I'm curious how he's doing now that OCS has started but I'm just writing lots of letters.
My son took a plastic clip board to help with making his bed instead of the pancake flipper but he had heard both work.
Yes to taking food & snacks for ROM, as was mentioned previously. The meals are carb heavy. Breakfast was usually a bfast burrito, orange or apple, apple or orange juice & sometimes a pop tart. Lunch is sandwich, granola bar or yogurt, orange/apple, chips, water, dinner was a variety but on the Navy's birthday they got steak! I guess the hot commodity was mayo for the sandwich at lunch. Usually no condiment for the sandwich; they did usually get salad dressing but usually just Italian. My son took mayo & ranch dressing & was able to use both & he made friends by sharing, haha!
My son used this woman's videos to help decide what to take, they are very informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYAowtKObXY This recent grad recommended Fox River socks also & my son purchased their boot & dress socks.
RE: letters - my son said don't include anything with the letter that can be felt through envelope. So, I've been using Word, to copy/paste pictures & funny memes onto the paper that way. I guess it depends on their DI how much they are harassed for receiving anything but a plain white envelope letter, ie don't draw a heart on the outside or put it in a flowery/fancy envelope. They can receive packages but no food & they do have to open packages in front of someone. .
If you have any specific questions about ROM, please ask & I'll do my best to answer since my son just finished it.
I was browsing greeting cards in CVS Pharmacy today and saw some I don't think I've ever seen before --Veteran's Day cards! Most were generic "Thank you for your service" messages, but some were specific to the branches, so I bought one for my son with a Navy theme and ships on it, and will send it to him for Nov 11th.
Whenever I see someone in a military uniform, I always thank them for their service, but I realized that maybe I don't thank my son and tell him how proud I am often enough.
Sure thing! My son took the following for snacks for ROM. (Bear in mind that he has trouble gaining/maintaining weight.) :) He took trail mix (2 gallon sized ziploc containers full!) :), protein bars, those individual tuna fish packets, he took both mayo & ranch dressing, pretzels, individual snack containers of peanut butter, granola bars, those crackers packets that have cheese or peanut butter inside the crackers, Cheez-it crackers & Cliff bars.Also, he packed everything, including his clothing, in ziplock baggies w/the nice slide closure, mostly gallon sized. He said this was really helpful, even once there, to keep everything neat. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much, Kim8, that is very helpful! Do you mind telling me what kind of clothes your son packed for ROM? We are guessing our son just needs comfortable exercise clothes, and should try to keep the packing to a minimal. Does that sound about right? He leaves next week and we are suddenly realizing how little we know!
Sarah, you're very welcome. I was surprised how stressful the week prior to leaving was with trying to make decisions & then pack. My son handled a lot of his clothing himself so I'll do my best to remember. I believe he took 4 shirts & 4 shorts, 1 zip up hoodie & 1 track pant. He bought his own white socks for OCS so he used those for ROM too & he brought his own good Brooks running shoes & has continued to use those instead of the issued ones which I believe are New Balance. The weather is changing so your son may want to adjust accordingly. They can do laundry. My son & his suite-mates did all their laundry together to make it easy. During ROM, they did get issued their PT gear but my son saved that for the official start of OCS so it would stay nicer looking.
If you're wondering, my son took a full sized suitcase & a backpack & he said that most of his class was did the same. His class had a private FB group & then they used a messaging app so they could all communicate prior to & during ROM...this was very helpful. This same FB group may be for family & friends also or there could be a separate one; these have been great to be a part of so you may want to search FB for "Navy OCS class _ _-21"(whatever his class number is) to see if his class has one.
I saw the Kim answered about the same way I would have. I know my son also took a big jug/container of "Muscle Milk" protein powder, he had to mix it with water, but it done the job! My son also took beef jerky, quite a few protein snack bars, a jar of peanut butter and a big container of mixed nuts (an a lot of other stuff too). He did have a few items left over at the end, but one person in their class tested positive, so everyone donated "leftovers" to the group that had to stay behind.
Thanks Ging_83! My son has been making fun of me for over thinking things, but....did your son take a water bottle to mix his protein shakes in? I was also wondering if he should take a notebook and pen, do you know anything about that? I don’t remember seeing that on any list, but thought it would be useful for studying.
yes, my son took a shaker type water bottle to mix it in. I'm pretty sure he had a small pad of paper and pen. They will stay pretty busy during ROM with some online courses, but if he likes crosswords, Sudoku, etc., he can take those...or even a book to read. Don't worry about overthinking things, I'm pretty sure I won that category LOL! My son (and others) were even able to order items from Amazon Prime while in ROM. Just make sure that you start sending him letters as soon as he is out of ROM, those mean the world to them when everything gets 'crazy'! When my son got to Candio phase and was able to video chat, he showed me the inside lid of his desk and it was covered by all of the pictures I had sent.
Sarah, one other thing regarding letters is that we're finding that it's taking about a week for letters to get there & we live in Ohio so factor that into the timeline. My son says the same that mail call is the best time of the day so send lots of them!
Thanks so much Ging_83 and Kim8! I think I have done panicking as my son’s nerves have begun to surface. Now I just want him to be able to enjoy his last few days at home. Will he send us his address when he is in ROM? I think our dog is the one he will really miss, so I have already been stock-piling photos of her! Thanks again!
Sarah, you are very welcome! This will be your son's address. You need to know the class number to fill in the spaces below. I think your son will be 07-21 if he's starting on Nov 29th but pls try to confirm that with someone else too. :)
OC (Loved one's Name) Officer Candidate School Class XX-21 Officer Training Command Newport 1356 Meyerkord Avenue Newport, RI 02841
Question hopefully you can answer.My son tested positive for Covid during ROM and he and his bunk mate was immediately isolated. He texted us today to say he is being moved to H class for 2 weeks until goes to class up. I don't know what that statement means.
I'm sorry your son tested positive. I hope he doesn't experience many symptoms & recovers quickly. H class stands for Holding class & that is where candidates will go for various reasons like a medical illness/injury or if they don't pass an "evolution" which is a physical and/or knowledge test that they need to pass to continue on in their training. The candidate has to wait for the next class to get to the point in training where they were at, in your case, the start of ocs training. They have a new class starting every 3 weeks. "Class up" is when they join the next class. Hope this helps.
Thanks Kim8! That was so helpful. My son is great and has had no symptoms thankfully. Your explanation answered all my questions! I appreciate it.He hopes to start on 11/29. It all makes sense.
Hello experienced Navy Moms! Can you tell me about your DS or DD experience in SERE? I am stressing. Navy training is very thorough, but it's hard because I have heard some tough stories. No word yet from my DS.
I'm interested in the answer to Allison's question, too. My son is a Midshipman 1st class, and I'm just learning about SERE training after reading Allison's post. My son hopes to be an aviator or NFO, so from what I'm reading, it looks like he will have to go through SERE at some point, too.
I would like to know about SERE too. My son is currently in Advanced Flight Training as an SNA.. Still has a ways to go to earn his wings, but he has mentioned SERE to me.. I have heard about it but do not know many details about it. All I know is it is for two weeks, right?
Hi Moms...I'll weigh in on the SERE question. Stands for Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape. As far as I know it's still two weeks long. The first week (or so) is instruction. Everything they need to know to do those four things. Then they take them out to the wilderness...depends on where as to to what kind of terrain they get. I've heard of Maine, Washington State, the desert in Southern California. And then, they get to practice the skills they have learned. Some of it they have a team mate, I believe. There are different exercises that they are presented with; problems to solve. They do end up getting captured and subjected to some tactics they have to get through. Throughout the week they are carefully watched. I'm sure that if someone were in real danger, they would intervene.
My son is an F18 pilot; went through SERE right after he winged, 6 years ago. They are instructed not to tell us much, as it does need to be somewhat secret for their protection. My son's comment was it was very valuable training but he wouldn't want to do it again.
He also said that when they got on the bus to go back home, they gave them a ham sandwich with american cheese on white bread and it was the best thing he had ever tasted!
I prayed alot that week; talked with my DIL every day; and was so grateful to get the phone call when he was done.
Thanks CheriH. I really appreciate the information. It's hard to wait for that call that he's back home. I am trying to focus on the fact that they don't throw them into anything without lots of training. And maybe all those years on Boy Scout hiking trips will help a little!.
CheriH’s assessment matches what I know or understand as well. There are various scenarios they simulate and it includes strategic access or non-access to leadership and resources. My son lost a lot of weight and he was lean prior to beginning the course. They all seem to stuff themselves when it is complete. No one wants to repeat the course but find it valuable. We aren’t supposed to know details and that’s ok.
My son went to SERE when there was a foot of snow on the ground in early March. He was the highest rank in the group, so he received some special attention. It was valuable training for him.
Thank you everyone for your support and information. My DS called last night. He said he was tired and lost a lot of weight. He said SERE was a great experience - and he is glad he doesn't have to do again!
Hello all! I'm new to the group/this site. My son is currently awaiting the results of a 4/12 board. Does anyone else have a youngster waiting in the wings? Any idea of how long before a candidate learns if she/he selected for OCS?
Hi NavyplusArmy, The board results vary wildly. Last summer my son’s board took almost two months. If you look on air warriors.com there will be a group discussion about your child’s board and people will start posting when they get results. I hope this is helpful, and good luck to your child!
Hi NavyplusArmy. I has been a bit since my son was at OCS 2015. I think it was 2-3 weeks but of course all pre-covid. He then had a phone interview and more testing to enter the nuclear program. He was finally sworn in at Washington DC after testing there and an interview with the Admiral of the Navy. Hopefully you will not have to wait long for the answer.
My son just graduated on March 12, 2021. I marked things in my calendar to be able to look back & so Feb 10th the board met to review my son's app & he heard of his acceptance on Feb 27th. The wait seemed so much longer than 2 weeks! Hang in there! Good suggestion by Sarah for airwarriors.com. Anyone can look through posts but your son would have to register if he wants to post anything.
Jennifer grew up in Augusta, GA flying with her Dad in a Cessna 172 since she was 8 years old. She moved to Cleveland, OH and got her private pilot’s license through Kent State University and graduated with a Chemistry degree from the University of Akron. In 2010, she joined the Navy and was commissioned as an officer in 2012. Her first duty station was NAS Pensacola, where she trained on the T-6B as a Naval Flight Officer. She selected the E-6 Mercury in 2014 and transferred to Tinker AFB, OK. Jennifer received her Wings of Gold in 2016. While at VQ-3 in Oklahoma, she became an Aviation Safety Officer and found her passion for aviation safety. In 2019 she transferred back to NAS Pensacola to teach Crew Resource Management at the Naval School of Aviation Safety. In 2021, she was selected for lateral transfer to the Navy’s Aerospace Experimental Psychology program and will receive her second Wings of Gold in 2022. She has her eyes set on a PhD in Aviation with a human factors specialization and is hoping to stay in Pensacola, FL for her next tour. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys playing with her dogs, exploring the outdoors, and RV-ing!
Anna, what an amazing career so far! I know you are just so very proud of her! Her accomplishments are truly amazing. I’m curious about one thing. Did she go in wanting to be a NFO, or was she hoping for aviation? How did she like being on E-6? The lateral transfer sounds amazing. My son’s NROTC commanding officer mentioned a lat real transfer into aeronautical engineering as a long-term career possibility for my son (he’s an aerospace engineering major and loves it).
She is in the aviation community and did hope to get a pilot spot when she went to OCS. Unfortunately she didn't get that but has been happy with her career path. Her time in Tinker was interesting but once again, being a woman in a male dominated field proved to be very challenging for her during that assignment. But she is really looking forward to this next chapter of her career and much of it is because of her experiences. Good luck to your son, I hope he gets his lat transfer. Sounds like it will lead to a good career choice for him!!!
Thanks for posting the story about your daughter. Your pride in her is justified! What an amazing career so far. I'm sure she will continue to excel in her new assignment. It seems so long ago now, (almost 9 years!) that your daughter graduated from OCS in the next class after my son.
My son is still at Ft Meade, MD with the US Military Cyber Security Command, but is starting to get feelers from his detailer about his next duty assignment. He hopes to stay in for a 20-year career. He and your daughter are almost half-way there now!
Anna, great article about your daughter! You are justifiably proud of her career. Isn’t it interesting how our children's careers seem to have found them. My son has said that sometimes he thinks the Navy knows him better than he knows himself.
jsefamily
Sep 23, 2020
Anna
Kim8,
Congratulations to your son!!! Get ready for the roller coaster ride of being a Navy Mom!!!!
Sep 23, 2020
M's mom
Kim8,
Congrats to your son! Scroll down in this comment line to June 25, 2020 and read my response to penelopewms about OCS.
I hope you will be able to attend his commissioning ceremony. You will just about burst with pride! It meant so much more to me than my son's high school or college graduation. Take plenty of tissues. Anchors Aweigh!
Sep 23, 2020
Helomom
M's mom - Did you get the note I sent to your inbox?
Sep 23, 2020
M's mom
Helomom,
I just saw your comment today as I was reading this thread, Sorry! I just sent you a reply back to YOUR inbox!
Sep 23, 2020
topdog1p
Congrats Kim8 to your son! My son just hit his 5 years mark from his commissioning. It was one of our proudest moments.
Sep 24, 2020
jagsailor
My sons been waiting to go to OCS for 9 months. His date kept getting pushed back but is finally leaving on Saturday. Any advice? Don't think we will get to graduation because of Covid. I'm so proud and so anxious!
Oct 21, 2020
M's mom
jagsailor,
Congrats to you son! Write lots of encouraging letters to your son with all the news from home! When my son was in OCS, they were kept isolated, no cell phones or email for about four weeks. The only thing they could receive was good ol' fashioned paper letters, until they were allowed email after about the first month. (Things may be different now.) My son said those letters from home were a real treat, so write often.
When my son was there, they could NOT receive any treats or other "contraband" except letters, so make sure anyone to whom you give your son's mailing address knows the rules and doesn't send cookies, for instance. Those who received contraband in my son's class were punished by having to do many, many pushups, even if they didn't ask for it to be sent!
Advise your son that he must keep his eyes on the prize, and do not quit, no matter what! OCS is hard, physically and mentally. At some point, the Drill Instructors punish all of them unfairly, just to see who will give up. He must know this is part of the process, and just do whatever is ordered.
Those first 4 weeks are the hardest. If he can get through that, it does get better, as the next class comes in and his class will move up in seniority.
Considering the current COVID situation, I'm sure OCS will probably do a live streaming online of the graduation ceremony, (but I could be wrong.) Since they will probably want to avoid big crowds in the auditorium, they may not have a graduation open to civilians at all. We attended my son's graduation, and we were able to order a DVD video of the ceremony, so we could show it to relatives at home who were not able to attend. Maybe someone who has a recent OCS grad can chime in here and tell you how they are currently handling graduation.
Also, not that we want to drive you away from Navy for Moms, but if you do Facebook, you might want to search for a Facebook group for your son's class. Search for "Navy OCS Class XX -XX Friends and Family" or similar wording where XX -XX is his class number. Since the Navy's new fiscal year starts Oct 1st, his class number will probably be XX-21. Usually these are closed groups, and you have to ask to join, but it was such support for me to connect with other families in the same class and share the news!
Also search on Facebook for "Officer Training Command Newport." They (used to) post pictures there of the current classes doing their training, and you might see your son.
Good luck to him, and hang in there Mom! You think you are proud now, just wait until you see him in his dress uniform as a new Navy Ensign!! (Even if just a picture online!)
Oct 21, 2020
ProudMom
jagsailor,
That's so exciting, congratulations to you and your son! I agree with everything M's mom said, write those letters! Oh, and be sure you don't send any cards with glitter. Also, a phone card is highly recommended (at least it was a year ago). I ordered this one from Amazon and sent it in one of my letters, it worked perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QFS9CDL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search...
Best wishes!!
Oct 22, 2020
Ging_83
jagsailor,
My son was in much the same situation earlier this year, with his report dates getting pushed back and then a very short notice to swear in and hop in a plane! I was worried about the "List" of items they were supposed to pack, here are a few things I have learned: White socks with colored toe and heel are OK --just no logo where it can be seen (try to get a heavy duty brand, we bought Fox River--our local farm store carries them), and they can take and keep their own athletic shoes, so if he has a brand or style that he is most comfortable in, have him take a new pair, he should also go get a pair of good insoles for the boots he will be issued. Send him with a calling card, my son says they are not easy to get at the N-Ex, I found those at Walgreens, they are different than "pre-paid" phone cards, you can send one of these in a letter, that is allowable (anything that would fit flat in an envelope, as long as it is NOT food/gum); after the first 3 weeks he will probably be able to get a time slot to use the pay phones to call home on the weekend...but the first call or two might only be a few minutes long until they figure out how to use the phones and calling cards. He can and SHOULD take snacks (nuts, protein or granola bars, beef jerky etc.) for ROM (the Quarantine period); If he drinks protein drinks and is ok with mixing them with water, he should pack a tub of that too (he won't be able to take it with him after ROM, but he can use it during ROM). He will be able to use his own computer during ROM. He should pack a bag just for ROM with workout clothes, towel, washcloth, extra socks and underwear, this will be things that will get packed away after the quarantine. He will be able to have his own phone during ROM, but after OCS starts, those letters from home are SO important. They can have pictures sent to them in the envelopes...but only 2 or 3 at a time so the envelope isn't too fat, so I would take photos on my phone, then go to Walgreens and create a "Collage" with 6-8 random pictures (4x6 $0.39 --pretty awesome deal), after I sent the first one, he asked me to send more! Have friends, relatives and church friends write too (caution them not to send anything with glitter because it gets on uniforms and ...need I say more?, they might not get a letter back in return, but your OC will appreciate every one he gets. Lastly, go buy him one of those x-large pancake turner/flipper kitchen utensil. He will thank you for it later, it will save his knuckles when making his bed! One other thing, If he tends to have heavy facial hair, he should take a regular razor with cartridge blades AND an electric shaver. He will make some great friends! Congrats and wish him the best!
Oct 22, 2020
Allison
My son really appreciated when I sent him a bit of news and sports from the outside world so I always tried to include that in my letters. No disaster news, just overall events. Your son may be in OCS during the election so he may appreciate learning the results, etc. Otherwise, they will hear nothing! My son found OCS hard but he said he tried to think of it as a "game" that he had to conquer. No one was really mad at him when they were shouting, it was just part of the role they had to play. That helped him get through it. Good luck to your son! I think I can speak for all of us Navy parents when I say we are proud of all the young men and women who take on this challenge!
Oct 22, 2020
Kim8
jagsailor
Congratulations to your son! My son just finished ROM & is in his 1st week of OCS! The waiting to leave was the worst. My son was pushed back twice. You've got some great advice from the others who posted here! Currently graduation is that is live streamed on the Officer Training Command Newport FB page & unfortunately no civilians are allowed at this point. https://www.facebook.com/OTCNewport/
For a phone calling card we purchased one of these AT&T virtual cards because it was referenced as the same that could be found on base at the NEX (but we were told that most times they were sold out there). My son hasn't been able to call home yet so I can't speak to how well it works but I'm sure hoping since it's a Navy specific card, we won't have issues. https://www.facebook.com/OTCNewport/
My son, along with me & his Dad, felt that ROM was actually a great way to acclimate to being at OCS. It does get boring, they are only allowed out of their rooms for 1 hour in the morning & 1 hour in the afternoon for PT, but since my son has no prior military experience, it gave him a chance to get over his initial nerves & really put in a last solid 2 weeks completely focused on PT & studying. They keep their phones so he texted & video called which helped with the transition also. Of course, I'm curious how he's doing now that OCS has started but I'm just writing lots of letters.
My son took a plastic clip board to help with making his bed instead of the pancake flipper but he had heard both work.
Yes to taking food & snacks for ROM, as was mentioned previously. The meals are carb heavy. Breakfast was usually a bfast burrito, orange or apple, apple or orange juice & sometimes a pop tart. Lunch is sandwich, granola bar or yogurt, orange/apple, chips, water, dinner was a variety but on the Navy's birthday they got steak! I guess the hot commodity was mayo for the sandwich at lunch. Usually no condiment for the sandwich; they did usually get salad dressing but usually just Italian. My son took mayo & ranch dressing & was able to use both & he made friends by sharing, haha!
My son used this woman's videos to help decide what to take, they are very informative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYAowtKObXY This recent grad recommended Fox River socks also & my son purchased their boot & dress socks.
RE: letters - my son said don't include anything with the letter that can be felt through envelope. So, I've been using Word, to copy/paste pictures & funny memes onto the paper that way. I guess it depends on their DI how much they are harassed for receiving anything but a plain white envelope letter, ie don't draw a heart on the outside or put it in a flowery/fancy envelope. They can receive packages but no food & they do have to open packages in front of someone. .
If you have any specific questions about ROM, please ask & I'll do my best to answer since my son just finished it.
Oct 22, 2020
jagsailor
Thank you so much Kim8,Allison, and Ging_83 for great advice! Embarking on a new journey!Thanks for the help on this site all of you!!
Oct 23, 2020
M's mom
Moms,
I was browsing greeting cards in CVS Pharmacy today and saw some I don't think I've ever seen before --Veteran's Day cards! Most were generic "Thank you for your service" messages, but some were specific to the branches, so I bought one for my son with a Navy theme and ships on it, and will send it to him for Nov 11th.
Whenever I see someone in a military uniform, I always thank them for their service, but I realized that maybe I don't thank my son and tell him how proud I am often enough.
So remember your sailors on Veteran's Day!
Oct 29, 2020
Sarah
Nov 7, 2020
Kim8
Hi Sarah,
Sure thing! My son took the following for snacks for ROM. (Bear in mind that he has trouble gaining/maintaining weight.) :) He took trail mix (2 gallon sized ziploc containers full!) :), protein bars, those individual tuna fish packets, he took both mayo & ranch dressing, pretzels, individual snack containers of peanut butter, granola bars, those crackers packets that have cheese or peanut butter inside the crackers, Cheez-it crackers & Cliff bars.Also, he packed everything, including his clothing, in ziplock baggies w/the nice slide closure, mostly gallon sized. He said this was really helpful, even once there, to keep everything neat. Hope this helps!
Nov 7, 2020
Sarah
Thank you so much, Kim8, that is very helpful! Do you mind telling me what kind of clothes your son packed for ROM? We are guessing our son just needs comfortable exercise clothes, and should try to keep the packing to a minimal. Does that sound about right? He leaves next week and we are suddenly realizing how little we know!
Nov 7, 2020
Kim8
Sarah, you're very welcome. I was surprised how stressful the week prior to leaving was with trying to make decisions & then pack. My son handled a lot of his clothing himself so I'll do my best to remember. I believe he took 4 shirts & 4 shorts, 1 zip up hoodie & 1 track pant. He bought his own white socks for OCS so he used those for ROM too & he brought his own good Brooks running shoes & has continued to use those instead of the issued ones which I believe are New Balance. The weather is changing so your son may want to adjust accordingly. They can do laundry. My son & his suite-mates did all their laundry together to make it easy. During ROM, they did get issued their PT gear but my son saved that for the official start of OCS so it would stay nicer looking.
If you're wondering, my son took a full sized suitcase & a backpack & he said that most of his class was did the same. His class had a private FB group & then they used a messaging app so they could all communicate prior to & during ROM...this was very helpful. This same FB group may be for family & friends also or there could be a separate one; these have been great to be a part of so you may want to search FB for "Navy OCS class _ _-21"(whatever his class number is) to see if his class has one.
Nov 7, 2020
Sarah
Kim8, My son and I both thank you very much for sharing your experience, it is much appreciated and extremely helpful!
Nov 7, 2020
Ging_83
I saw the Kim answered about the same way I would have. I know my son also took a big jug/container of "Muscle Milk" protein powder, he had to mix it with water, but it done the job! My son also took beef jerky, quite a few protein snack bars, a jar of peanut butter and a big container of mixed nuts (an a lot of other stuff too). He did have a few items left over at the end, but one person in their class tested positive, so everyone donated "leftovers" to the group that had to stay behind.
Nov 9, 2020
Sarah
Thanks Ging_83! My son has been making fun of me for over thinking things, but....did your son take a water bottle to mix his protein shakes in? I was also wondering if he should take a notebook and pen, do you know anything about that? I don’t remember seeing that on any list, but thought it would be useful for studying.
Nov 9, 2020
Ging_83
yes, my son took a shaker type water bottle to mix it in. I'm pretty sure he had a small pad of paper and pen. They will stay pretty busy during ROM with some online courses, but if he likes crosswords, Sudoku, etc., he can take those...or even a book to read. Don't worry about overthinking things, I'm pretty sure I won that category LOL! My son (and others) were even able to order items from Amazon Prime while in ROM. Just make sure that you start sending him letters as soon as he is out of ROM, those mean the world to them when everything gets 'crazy'! When my son got to Candio phase and was able to video chat, he showed me the inside lid of his desk and it was covered by all of the pictures I had sent.
Nov 10, 2020
Kim8
Sarah, one other thing regarding letters is that we're finding that it's taking about a week for letters to get there & we live in Ohio so factor that into the timeline. My son says the same that mail call is the best time of the day so send lots of them!
Nov 10, 2020
Sarah
Thanks so much Ging_83 and Kim8! I think I have done panicking as my son’s nerves have begun to surface. Now I just want him to be able to enjoy his last few days at home. Will he send us his address when he is in ROM? I think our dog is the one he will really miss, so I have already been stock-piling photos of her! Thanks again!
Nov 10, 2020
Kim8
Sarah, you are very welcome! This will be your son's address. You need to know the class number to fill in the spaces below. I think your son will be 07-21 if he's starting on Nov 29th but pls try to confirm that with someone else too. :)
OC (Loved one's Name)
Officer Candidate School
Class XX-21
Officer Training Command Newport
1356 Meyerkord Avenue
Newport, RI 02841
Nov 10, 2020
Sarah
Yes, I think that is his class number too! Thank you so much!x
Nov 10, 2020
jagsailor
Hi everyone,
Question hopefully you can answer.My son tested positive for Covid during ROM and he and his bunk mate was immediately isolated. He texted us today to say he is being moved to H class for 2 weeks until goes to class up. I don't know what that statement means.
Thanks!
Nov 13, 2020
Kim8
Hi jagsailor,
I'm sorry your son tested positive. I hope he doesn't experience many symptoms & recovers quickly. H class stands for Holding class & that is where candidates will go for various reasons like a medical illness/injury or if they don't pass an "evolution" which is a physical and/or knowledge test that they need to pass to continue on in their training. The candidate has to wait for the next class to get to the point in training where they were at, in your case, the start of ocs training. They have a new class starting every 3 weeks. "Class up" is when they join the next class. Hope this helps.
Nov 13, 2020
jagsailor
Thanks Kim8! That was so helpful. My son is great and has had no symptoms thankfully. Your explanation answered all my questions! I appreciate it.He hopes to start on 11/29. It all makes sense.
Nov 13, 2020
Allison
Hello experienced Navy Moms! Can you tell me about your DS or DD experience in SERE? I am stressing. Navy training is very thorough, but it's hard because I have heard some tough stories. No word yet from my DS.
Nov 15, 2020
Glenni
I'm interested in the answer to Allison's question, too. My son is a Midshipman 1st class, and I'm just learning about SERE training after reading Allison's post. My son hopes to be an aviator or NFO, so from what I'm reading, it looks like he will have to go through SERE at some point, too.
Nov 17, 2020
redheadlass
I would like to know about SERE too. My son is currently in Advanced Flight Training as an SNA.. Still has a ways to go to earn his wings, but he has mentioned SERE to me.. I have heard about it but do not know many details about it. All I know is it is for two weeks, right?
Nov 17, 2020
CheriH
Hi Moms...I'll weigh in on the SERE question. Stands for Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape. As far as I know it's still two weeks long. The first week (or so) is instruction. Everything they need to know to do those four things. Then they take them out to the wilderness...depends on where as to to what kind of terrain they get. I've heard of Maine, Washington State, the desert in Southern California. And then, they get to practice the skills they have learned. Some of it they have a team mate, I believe. There are different exercises that they are presented with; problems to solve. They do end up getting captured and subjected to some tactics they have to get through. Throughout the week they are carefully watched. I'm sure that if someone were in real danger, they would intervene.
My son is an F18 pilot; went through SERE right after he winged, 6 years ago. They are instructed not to tell us much, as it does need to be somewhat secret for their protection. My son's comment was it was very valuable training but he wouldn't want to do it again.
He also said that when they got on the bus to go back home, they gave them a ham sandwich with american cheese on white bread and it was the best thing he had ever tasted!
I prayed alot that week; talked with my DIL every day; and was so grateful to get the phone call when he was done.
I hope that helps!
Nov 17, 2020
Allison
Thanks CheriH. I really appreciate the information. It's hard to wait for that call that he's back home. I am trying to focus on the fact that they don't throw them into anything without lots of training. And maybe all those years on Boy Scout hiking trips will help a little!.
Nov 17, 2020
jsefamily
Nov 17, 2020
Chris
My son went to SERE when there was a foot of snow on the ground in early March. He was the highest rank in the group, so he received some special attention. It was valuable training for him.
Nov 18, 2020
Allison
Thank you everyone for your support and information. My DS called last night. He said he was tired and lost a lot of weight. He said SERE was a great experience - and he is glad he doesn't have to do again!
Nov 20, 2020
NavyplusArmy
Hello all! I'm new to the group/this site. My son is currently awaiting the results of a 4/12 board. Does anyone else have a youngster waiting in the wings? Any idea of how long before a candidate learns if she/he selected for OCS?
Apr 13, 2021
Sarah
Hi NavyplusArmy, The board results vary wildly. Last summer my son’s board took almost two months. If you look on air warriors.com there will be a group discussion about your child’s board and people will start posting when they get results. I hope this is helpful, and good luck to your child!
Apr 13, 2021
topdog1p
Hi NavyplusArmy. I has been a bit since my son was at OCS 2015. I think it was 2-3 weeks but of course all pre-covid. He then had a phone interview and more testing to enter the nuclear program. He was finally sworn in at Washington DC after testing there and an interview with the Admiral of the Navy. Hopefully you will not have to wait long for the answer.
Apr 13, 2021
Kim8
Hi NavyplusArmy, welcome!
My son just graduated on March 12, 2021. I marked things in my calendar to be able to look back & so Feb 10th the board met to review my son's app & he heard of his acceptance on Feb 27th. The wait seemed so much longer than 2 weeks! Hang in there! Good suggestion by Sarah for airwarriors.com. Anyone can look through posts but your son would have to register if he wants to post anything.
Apr 13, 2021
Anna
I have to brag just a bit about my daughter who is an NFO since 2012. She was featured in an article in Women In Aviation.
Women in Aviation Gulf Coast Chapter
Member highlight of the week, Jennifer! #waigulfocast #womeninaviation
Jennifer grew up in Augusta, GA flying with her Dad in a Cessna 172 since she was 8 years old. She moved to Cleveland, OH and got her private pilot’s license through Kent State University and graduated with a Chemistry degree from the University of Akron. In 2010, she joined the Navy and was commissioned as an officer in 2012. Her first duty station was NAS Pensacola, where she trained on the T-6B as a Naval Flight Officer. She selected the E-6 Mercury in 2014 and transferred to Tinker AFB, OK. Jennifer received her Wings of Gold in 2016. While at VQ-3 in Oklahoma, she became an Aviation Safety Officer and found her passion for aviation safety. In 2019 she transferred back to NAS Pensacola to teach Crew Resource Management at the Naval School of Aviation Safety. In 2021, she was selected for lateral transfer to the Navy’s Aerospace Experimental Psychology program and will receive her second Wings of Gold in 2022. She has her eyes set on a PhD in Aviation with a human factors specialization and is hoping to stay in Pensacola, FL for her next tour. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys playing with her dogs, exploring the outdoors, and RV-ing!
Apr 16, 2021
Glenni
Anna, what an amazing career so far! I know you are just so very proud of her! Her accomplishments are truly amazing. I’m curious about one thing. Did she go in wanting to be a NFO, or was she hoping for aviation? How did she like being on E-6? The lateral transfer sounds amazing. My son’s NROTC commanding officer mentioned a lat real transfer into aeronautical engineering as a long-term career possibility for my son (he’s an aerospace engineering major and loves it).
Congratulations again!!
Apr 16, 2021
Anna
Glenni,
She is in the aviation community and did hope to get a pilot spot when she went to OCS. Unfortunately she didn't get that but has been happy with her career path. Her time in Tinker was interesting but once again, being a woman in a male dominated field proved to be very challenging for her during that assignment. But she is really looking forward to this next chapter of her career and much of it is because of her experiences. Good luck to your son, I hope he gets his lat transfer. Sounds like it will lead to a good career choice for him!!!
Apr 16, 2021
Kim8
Anna, thanks for sharing your daughter's story! What an incredible & exciting career she has had already. Congratulations to her & your family.
Apr 16, 2021
Allison
Congratulations Anna to you and your daughter!
Apr 16, 2021
Sarah
Anna, what a fantastic article! Congratulations to you both!
Apr 16, 2021
M's mom
Anna,
Thanks for posting the story about your daughter. Your pride in her is justified! What an amazing career so far. I'm sure she will continue to excel in her new assignment. It seems so long ago now, (almost 9 years!) that your daughter graduated from OCS in the next class after my son.
My son is still at Ft Meade, MD with the US Military Cyber Security Command, but is starting to get feelers from his detailer about his next duty assignment. He hopes to stay in for a 20-year career. He and your daughter are almost half-way there now!
Apr 17, 2021
Helomom
Anna, great article about your daughter! You are justifiably proud of her career. Isn’t it interesting how our children's careers seem to have found them. My son has said that sometimes he thinks the Navy knows him better than he knows himself.
Apr 17, 2021
BaylorMamaBear
Ana, I know you are super proud of your accomplished daughter!
My son, OCS 04-21, is in Pensacola now, waiting to class up for NFO training.
Apr 17, 2021