OCS Graduate Moms

At what point after OCS can the service member move his family? I know my hubby will be going to SWO school but not sure when the NAVY will move me and our kids to be with him.Thanks for any info.

Hi Angel B, I have been asking the same question.... From what I have been told: after OCS, your LO can be starting SWOS the following Monday after OCS graduation to 3 weeks after graduation (depending on when SWOS classes start...?) After graduating from SWOS ( 6 week course..?) I believe your LO will get assigned a duty station or ship soon after that which should be when you will be able to move (from my understanding) I hope this gave you answers to your questions rather than add more questions to the pile you already have!:)

Thanks for the info.Its just hard to figure out what to work out with our land lord. Cause we have 4 kids and cant just up and stay in temp housing.Thank you again.

AngelBe- I understand what you mean....we rent too with my three children. Whenever you get the orders (from my understanding) you are able to break your lease without having to pay any fees (pertaining to just breaking the lease not damages). You may want to double check though to make sure. - You are welcome, I am just glad that I was of some help to you!

Yea thats a law every where. As long as you show orders they can not charge you to break your lease.I do know all aboout that one from being ARMY for so long.Its just the fact of trying to figure out how long me and the kids have to stay here. With the ARMY its different,we can go with our LO when they go to school.I look forward to learning the NAVY way.So far its been so different than the ARMY.Thank you again for your help.

I knew about breaking the lease without repercussions! What about furniture? We're debating as to having our LO (son) rent a furnished apartment or furnishing it ourselves. What happens to the furniture when he gets deployed? Does the Navy store it for their people? I'm sure this is an issue for the single people in the bunch (I'm guessing the married ones with families don't have this issue). Does anyone know?

Question regarding OCS graduation of my LO. Is it inappropriate to present his DI with a personal token of my families appreciation for his efforts. Not a gift, but more of humorous rememberance. My family has a tradition of writing a brief poem or song in honor of any big achievement, and I was thinking of presenting his DI with a copy.

My daughter loved her DI (to the extent that one can LOVE a DI), and was anxious for me to meet him. I did, briefly, at Hi Moms, then we chatted a bit more later. While I didn't give him any gifts, I did express my appreciation for the sailor he turned my daughter into.

egbot--I have asked the same ques of my LO. He is also single. He is class 21-10 and doesn't have orders yet, so I don't know when he is headed to his port. I know he said a lot of them do rent with roommates--either apts or a house and then maybe 1 of them is always there. (maybe just have a lock to your room and your personal stuff-like college) I would think that when they are deployed that all of their 'stuff' just sits and waits for them to return-they couldn't keep moving in and out with each deployment. Who else could we check with? I'll let you know if I hear anymore form him regarding this issue.

Can anyone please tell me what uniform the lo wears for the Hi Moms the night b4 graduation?

my son wore his "summer whites". I'm guessing that's what they wear, but in the colder months.... I have no idea. Perhaps someone else will have that answer!

I would think it would depend on time of year and where it is being held.

Thanks kab. I just wonder, when they get deployed... do they still keep the apartment and pay rent? That sounds a bit much. My LO will be in a sub when all of his Navy education is complete. Sometimes they don't come back to the same base so it doesn't make sense keeping the apartment. Since you can break a lease for military reasons, there has got to be some means of storage. Even if you get a furnished apartment, you will still have personal things or kitchen and bath items that will need to be stored. Hope someone reading this may have an answer. If I find out anything, I'll keep you posted as well!

I think their dress blues would be for cooler weather-I know they follow some guidelines when choosing the clothes depending on weather or maybe time of year.

It will be in Dec or Jan in Newport Ri.So it will be great if its the blues cause I found a great white dress.Thanks so much for the info.

I don't remember how it's decided, but they do switch from whites to blues sometime in the fall, then back to whites for summer. My son in law can tell me, I just need to ask him.

my son told me before he left and he graduates in Oct said it will have change to dress blues!!

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Hi Beth in Michigan-- I too live in Michigan, Farmington Hills. My son will graduate in 3wks and will be a SWO. He hasn't gotten final orders for SWO school and/or when to report to his ship. Hopefully he will get his orders in the next few weeks. Thanks for the info on the apt--had talked to my son about that before he left. Does you son have anyone check on the appt while he is deployed, since it maybe for months at a time?

Congratulations to class 20-10 and the new Ensign's !!!

So proud of your accomplishment 20-10!!!! Enjoy some family time until we
meet again!! God Bless!

Hi Beth in Michigan -- Thanks for all the great info--sounds like your son is doing well and glad to hear that he likes it. Congratulations on passing OOD Boards and good luck to him for the test for the SWO pin. So far my son enjoys all the classes--just not the 1st 3wks of OCS training!! Your sons living situation with a roommate sounds like the way to go--especially if they are on different ships--with different deployment times. I know when we talked about his future 'living arrangements' - he was interested in finding a roommate to share expenses and then they could be there to 'watch' the apt when the other one is deployed. I will pass all the information on the my LO--we are learning a lot from all the veteran N4M's. I am looking forward to graduation and all the festivities. My LO wants to eat someplace off base !!--about his only request--hopefully we can fit it in with everyone's schedules. The few days will go quickly. Thanks

yes o3-11

My husband will report Oct 3 for OCS.I think that will be class 04-11.If anyone has any info for this class plaese keep me updated.Thank you and have a blessed day.

Hi ladies... I just saw that several of you have LO's in the 02-11 Class. I havent heard much from my husband and I was just wondering if there was any news and how they were doing. :)

I'm going to have to do some more research on the apartment thing. As a submarine officer, my LO has to go to two or three different locations for various training. It wouldn't make sense for him to keep his apartment in South Carolina when his next station may be in NY State for 8 or more months... he'll need an apartment there! Maybe the last place he is trained is where he keeps the apartment? So confusing. I know about the housing allowance so I'm not concerned about the money, but logistically he should have an apartment located where he actually returns to? No?

Ok got a question.Im packing up my husband for OCS and wanted to know about sending envelopes and stationary with him.Are they allowed to bring these items with them or have they got to buy it when they get there?

I sent self addressed envelopes, paper and stamps with my son. Also lots of phone cards. It seems the minutes are used up quickly when they are permitted to call and cell phones are gone until week 6 (I think). Good Luck

I also had sent paper, envelopes, stamps addresses of family etc. They were all locked up and he had no access to them for at least 3-4 weeks. The phone cards I sent in the mail since they didn't get cell phones till week 9. He only has 2 weeks left and they are still very busy and have very little free time.

egbot--have you asked on the site for Officer Moms about housing for sub officers? Someone may know on that site.

They give them stationary. I sent addressed mailing labels - also included their return address. You can send stamps and a phone card that works on pay phones. Make a copy of the phone card and you can recharge it from home. Good luck!

In letters I sent I enclosed a self addressed stamped envelope with plain paper. Be sure it is attached to the letter you wrote as anything that falls out of the envelope is fodder for the DI. If you send pics send computer ones on plain white paper. Do not decorate the outside of the envelopes and just use white.

You can send cards in colored envelopes. The DIs don't care about that. Just make sure nothing can fall on the floor. Also, phone cards can be refilled from OCS via the telephones.

@pgrilisa I believe the cards must be in white envelope no color as that bring attention to them. MY son is in OCS now with 35 days to go.

Madre37 - my daughter graduated in June and I sent her all kinds of stuff in colored envelopes. She said they weren't a problem. That may have changed, as things change in OCS all the time.

Thanks everyone this gives me some idea of what to do.The colored envelope thing is a bit hazy so to be safe Ill send cards in white.

@Angel don't mean to be confusing, maybe like Pgrlisa said its different for each class, I really don't know, just letting you know what they told my LO. It may depend on the DI. I do not want to give wrong advice. Sorry

I think every class is different. My husband is in class 21-10 and I have stationary that is lime green, orange,pink , blue and purple. He never said it was an issue. But you can always start off with plain envelopes and then choose something different once you get a feel of their class. But it is true for all classes, tape items to the pages so that it does not fall out and don't send newspaper clippings. They can't have current events from the outside world. The whole purpose of the first few weeks of OCS is to disorient and isolate them.

Thanks Sunshine.Im glad you told me about the newspaper clippings cause someone told me to send him some news.I dont want to cause him more stress then he will already have.I am glad I have all of you to help guide me on this cause its so much different then my basic.However we had to do push ups for each letter we got.Do you think its ok to print out comic strips from my comp to send in a letter to him?Thanks for the help and info.

Cool cause there is a cartoon in the paper he loves and I want to print it and send it.Thank you

The one thing my daughter appreciated was weather reports for the Newport area. That way, she could be somewhat prepared in case of inclement weather. Those are probably especially useful for the kids in the winter classes. Unless things have changed drastically, the DIs don't go through their mail. They do have to open packages in the DIs office, though. You'd best ask your LO what's permissible and what isn't before you send too much stuff. And some of the restrictions could be specific to a particular instructor.

About when can they get mail sent to them? Also when do you get their address?

Your LOs should be able to get mail on the Sunday or Monday after Outpost, it's at the discretion of their DI and Class Chief Petty Officer. Your LOs address is:
OC First,Mddle Initial, last name
Officer Candidate School
Class xx-xx
Officer Training Command Newport
291 Kollmeyer Street
Newport,RI 02841-1641

Whatever you send additionally, just tape it to the letter. But you can find out from your LO what to send and what not to. I would air on the side of caution with what you decide to do. Every class is different, so what one class was allowed to do, another class may not.

I have sent newspaper articles to my LO and he didn't say it was a problem. He is currently in class 21-10, and I have included newspaper articles in his care packages too, mostly about MSU football. They do enjoy getting the letters, and weather reports, but as others have said - it depends upon the DI.

Thanks for the info.My Husband was wanting to talk to someone who has recently graduated from OCS to get an idea of what he should know and do.So if anyone has a LO who could talk to him please e-mail me so I can give you his ph#.He will be heading to Ri starting next week.making stops along the way to see family.Thanks again.GOD bless and have a great night.

Getting down to the wire for class 04-11... Less than 2 weks away. Was anyone able to communicate with LO via Skype?

My son is in week 5 and so far letters are all they can receive. We have received one short e-mail and four short phone calls. So probably no skype that I am aware of.

Also if your son is heading in - there was a facebook page for the guys of the class that my son was in - they exchanged information and stuff. There are two interesting websites he might look at - Survivors OCS Guide and Pushed to the Limit. They give a good idea as to what they will be going through.

Good luck to both of your LO's.

What about cell phones? My son has an IPhone and is worried about where it will be kept until he is able to have it. Can anybody tell me how they handled the cell phone situtation ? He really wants to bring it with him but he doesn't want to lose it.

My LO is in class 21-10 (9 more days!) and he said everything was locked up including his cell phone, car keys, duffle that he had, his sationary/addresses. They get their cell phones during week 9 when they are Candio's (Canidate Officers) He got his stationary/addresses around week 3-4. Send phone cards either with your LO's or once they are there. They use the payphones on base - and they don't talk long since everyone is trying to call out. From what my LO said, they have to 'earn' their privladges - I'm sure some of it also depends on the DI. Only 1 email early on. They also have no access to TV's. radio etc- they are kept isolated. Just keep writing letters-they truely do look forward to them. Best of luck to all of you and your LO's.
This site had been a great source during the past months and I hope all of you find it helpful also. Ask questions and get all the info you can -it makes it a little easier.

Question - my son is leaving for OCS tomorrow - on the OCS website under items to bring it says $300 to pay for the initial haircut and the rest will be put into the company petty cash fund. I assume this means that he should have the $300 in cash in his wallet and not just have a debit card with access to the $300. Does anyone know?