rokymtns: Operation Baking G.A.L.S. sounds like a wonderful group! I'm sure the boxes are very much appreciated by service people who may not have family back home who can send them treats. We all know that homemade cookies are WAY better than anything commercially packaged they could get. Perhaps it's the LOVE that goes into them? :-) Bless you for your efforts.
Congratulations OkSuzy and Kathy M, and to the new Ensigns! My son starts OCS in June, and I'm already so proud of him for getting accepted into the program. I'm sure I'll be a blubbering mess at his graduation!!! Kathy M: You said that your daughter did not have her orders yet with two weeks to go before graduation. I'm assuming that she has them now. How long does she have to report to her next school?
It may have changed, but when my LO graduated last year everything was wrapped up by around 12 noon on Friday. Some stayed to get their military ID but the line was a several hour wait so my LO opted to get his at his first duty station which he was reporting to on Monday.
Graduation is scheduled for July 6th. What can I expect? Should I plan to go out for lunch? If so, does anyone have any recommendations for a restaurant?
Sphillip, my LO was in 08-12. It was unusual because we has graduation one day early due to on base exercises. Graduation ended and we had to be off base by noon. In your case you should be able to enjoy lunch in any number of restaurants. There are many to choose from in the downtown section as well as by the waterfront. Lots of good seafood and many other selections as well. Our morning of Graduation began @ 5ish with watching them PT and Eat breakfast by the numbers...it was fun to watch them "in action"...altho early it was well worth it! We had HI MOMS Wednesday night, again one night early...it was @ the Officers Club and super well done! Your LO will get your meal preferences from you after they decide on a menu. Your LO will have loads of info on all this as time draws nearer. We didn't hear anything about graduation until after CANDIO...good luck!
My son will begin OCS on June 17,2012, and will be flying into Providence on June 16. There was something mentioned about a $90 cab fee from the airport to the Newport base! I told my son to look for someone else at the airport who looks like they may be headed to OCS to share the ride with. His recruiter said they would send him the flight confirmation info. Where did any of your LO's stay the night before reporting, at the Navy Lodge? Are the candidates reimbursed for this?
I may be mistaken but I thought the cab fare was $30. I believe they get reimbursed, save all receipts. My LO's arrival date was confused due to it was Jan1. Some incoming arrived 12-31, 01-01, and some 01-02 so they were not "docked"...the New Year holiday confused the system. mine arrived on 01-02 and went straight to OCS. Imagine that they all had different orders. He was nervous that his orders were correct as were several other LO's but all was good!
My son started May 6. There are several face book pages for classes and you should start one for your sons class. You get a lot of information from theses. On our us navy class 14-12 we have documents telling about classes. Cozy cab is around 24 dollars and is at main entrance of airport. Travel lodge is very close to base and reasonable also. They can hook up with each other on FB ahead of time also. My son did that and several of them met up ahead of time.
Hi there - my husband starts OCS on July 8th. Is there anyone else on this forum who has a son/daughter/significant other in this class? It would be great to touch base with you.
My son is there now class 14-12. If you use FB ask to join our page https://www.facebook.com/groups/163725833756221/. You will be able to read all that we have been doing. Currently in week 6. You should start a FB page for all LO of your class to join. It helps a lot feel free to ask any questions
Thanks Dawn! I have sent a request to join the FB page :) I am sure I will have 101 questions (about graduation/contact with the candidates etc). I appreciate your response!
I just checked and you must have been accepted. There is also a page with same name for class 11-12 that have graduated and class 15-12 that is starting third week
My son will be starting OCS this Sunday, June 17th. I think his class should be 16-12? I hope someone starts a Facebook page for his class because I don't know how to do that. My son is my computer tech support, and he's leaving! LOL! I will have to ask to join 14-12 and 15-12's group pages to see what they can tell me, since we're all in this "boat" together, so to speak. I think I am more nervous than my son is!
Thanks beezy, for the info. My husband has already joined the 16-12 class FB group. Hopefully, we can all support each other through this, as our LO's will be helping each other get through it as well. Anchors Aweigh!
If you join the 14-12 and 15-12 also it helps to read and see how things progress. My son is in 14-12 and it was great to have the 11-12 class on our site updating us and helping us through. A few of us are on the 16-12 and 17-12 and we will jump in and answer questions people may have.
My son started OCS with class 16-12 this morning, (June 17.) For any Moms of class 16-12, as others have posted below, there is a Facebook group set up called "US Navy OCS Class 16-12 Family and Friends." Join us! As Dawn has pointed out, there are also FB pages for classes 14-12 and 15-12, which will help us know what is coming up.
To Moms of all OCS classes, the Navy has an official Facebook page called "Officer Training Command Newport," on which each Class Officer posts a weekly report about what their class is doing, what their scores as a group are, etc. They also post PHOTOS of the current classes in training! I'm going to eagerly look for my son in any photos of class 16-12! They just posted photos of class 12-12 which graduated on June 15. They look so sharp in their dress whites! Can't wait until my son get gets there!
Just got our 30-second call from our son at OCS. He says things are going about as he expected, no better or worse. He acknowledged that may change, because tomorrow is "Wake Up Wednesday" and they meet their drill instructor! Now the real "fun" begins! LOL!
My son starts week 9 at OCS. We sent our candio boxes and think they will get them Tuesday. His class won all five streamers! Looking so forward to graduation and being able to see him again.
Hello!! It is officially time for me to join this group. My daughter, Jenn will be reporting to OCS on Sunday, class 17-12. I've known she would be going to Newport for 2 years after she finished her college degree and now that time is here.
I do have a question - - my daughter will be driving to Newport and of course using her car to hold some stuff while she's there. She is concerned that summer heat will ruin the stuff in her car - especially electronics like her laptop. Any of the more senior moms still on here that can tell us whether this has been a concern in the past? I appreciate any and all info you can share with me.
My son is in 14-12 and are the canidate officers for your daughters class reporting Sunday. She can check her electronics in and they keep them for them. There is a face book page for your daughters class that we started and many of the class and families and LO are on it. We also have informative documents on it. Join that as well as 14-12, 15-12, 16-12 so you can read how things progrss at OCS
Thanks for the info!! If they turn their electronics in for holding, all they allowed to have access to them later on?
I am a member of the 17-12 friends and family page on facebook and the Officer Training Command Newport page. My daughter has been reading anything and everything she can get her hands on. She was supposed to report July 29 but the Navy decided she should report 3 weeks early!!!!
They are not generally allowed electronics until after week 9 and that is their cell phone. I do not know about lap tops. They do have a computer in their room after week 4 and have an email address. They do not have much time to email. They say every DI is different. Not much contact at all the first 4 weeks. Join our 14-12 FB page. Same name as 17-12 just different class number. You. An read back on our posts. My son took his car also but only electronic he took was his cell phone. Have her take a rechargeable phone card that you can monitor and add minutes to. The pay phones take 15 minutes off just making a call. After week four they get pay phone privileges on Friday and Saturday evening and Sunday day.
She was going to take her little laptop for later on when they get liberty so she can use it to go online. I know they can't use their Navy computers for anything like that.
Hi Anna, My son is in OCS class 16-12 which started on June 17. As Dawn wrote, send a phone card(s) with her with LOTS of minutes, and stamps for letters. Other than their first phone call on Sunday-Tuesday, they won't get phone privileges again and email until after week 4. (Our class got a 10 min phone call on July 4 for the holiday, but that was an exception.) Your only contact with them after that first call will be by letter for 4 weeks. There are strict rules about what they can receive in the mail, (until week nine when they become "Candidate Officers--Candios.") Mainly, do not send any loose enclosures like photos in the letters, (except MAYBE phone cards and stamps) and definitely no musical cards, or decorated/colored envelopes. DO NOT SEND FOOD, CANDY, or GUM, or any gifts. Someone in my son's class got sent some cookies and had to do 800 PUSHUPS! I will try to post the "Rules of OCS Mail" in the Files tab of your 17-12 FB page this weekend to help the rest of your class. Tell anyone that you give your daughter's mailing address to about the rules, so they don't innocently send something forbidden, and your daughter gets in trouble.
Thanks for the info. I've been reading up on all kinds of info on OCS. This is new to me but I do have two other children who have gone in as enlisted. In fact Jenn's twin sister enlisted right out of high school so she is out now. My son has been in for 8 and reenlisted for another 6. But Jenn is the first one to go the officer route - following in her father's footsteps. Even he admits OCS is nothing like it was for him!!!
What program is your son going into after graduation? Please keep the info coming - I'm soaking up all I can!!!!!
Anna, Make sure your daughter has your phone # memorized for that first call. They store their cellphones away until week nine, and some of them don't know any of their loved ones' phone #'s--they're just used to scrolling down to MOM on their smart phone! Make sure she knows your email address too. About week two, you will get a "TEST" email from her with an incoming address of "Candidate Name @training.navy.mil" You can answer this, but don't expect her to answer back until they have email privileges after week four. You need to send her a list of all the email addresses she will need if she didn't take those with her. They cannot get to the internet from the Navy's server, and to their usual contacts list on hotmail, gmail, etc. She will have to know the email addresses, and again, some people have all their contact info on their phone!
Anna, you asked about what my son is going into after OCS. He will go to Flight School in Pensacola, FL to be a pilot. The Navy calls them SNA's (student naval aviators) until they earn their "wings". Almost all of his current class, however, will be nuclear power officers on subs or ships. There are only a few pilots among them. What program is your daughter going into after OCS?
Dawn, my son is in 16-12. My hubby and I post on FB 16-12 F & F as "Doug." Thanks for all the help you've given us. Just trying to pay it forward to 17-12!
Hi Everyone, I'm glad to have found this group. My daughter reported Sunday to OCS Class 17-12. I just found out she has been put into H-Class (not surprised since she shipped less than two weeks after joining). She said she is fine when she called but, of course, I am worried. We have no experience with military training since she is the first to join since her grandfather served many, many years ago. It is great to read all your posts, it really helps educate us with the process.
Hi Terry! My son is in OCS class 16-12 that started June 17. If you haven't already, also join the OCS Class 17-12 Family and Friends group on Facebook. Along with Navy for Moms, there is lots of help available there, too. We're all in the same "boat" --(so to speak!)
terry, Your daughter will spend the coming weeks doing a lot of PT, marching, swimming, lifting and getting a head start on learning so that when she rolls back into the next class, she, and the others who roll with her, will be in a stronger position to help the rest of the class. Good luck to her!
Thanks Sconway9. I got a call from my daughter over the weekend. She said they're doing lots of PT and studying (just as you said). It was great to hear from her but I know once she rolls into the next class it will be awhile until we hear from her again. As everyone has said, no news is good news.
Go to face book and in search put in US Navy OCS Class 16-12 Family and Friends and it should come up. Ask to join and some one will accept. You will see 15-12 also and you can join that to see more
M's mom
rokymtns: Operation Baking G.A.L.S. sounds like a wonderful group! I'm sure the boxes are very much appreciated by service people who may not have family back home who can send them treats. We all know that homemade cookies are WAY better than anything commercially packaged they could get. Perhaps it's the LOVE that goes into them? :-) Bless you for your efforts.
Apr 15, 2012
OkSuzy
Nice Kathy! My son was on 08-12. It WAS a great feeling!....and congratulations!
Apr 17, 2012
M's mom
Congratulations OkSuzy and Kathy M, and to the new Ensigns! My son starts OCS in June, and I'm already so proud of him for getting accepted into the program. I'm sure I'll be a blubbering mess at his graduation!!! Kathy M: You said that your daughter did not have her orders yet with two weeks to go before graduation. I'm assuming that she has them now. How long does she have to report to her next school?
Apr 17, 2012
Dawn
Apr 17, 2012
Dawn
Apr 28, 2012
navymom9875
It may have changed, but when my LO graduated last year everything was wrapped up by around 12 noon on Friday. Some stayed to get their military ID but the line was a several hour wait so my LO opted to get his at his first duty station which he was reporting to on Monday.
Apr 28, 2012
Dawn
May 10, 2012
sphillip
Are there any moms from class 13-12 graduating on July 6th in the group?
May 16, 2012
sphillip
Graduation is scheduled for July 6th. What can I expect? Should I plan to go out for lunch? If so, does anyone have any recommendations for a restaurant?
May 16, 2012
OkSuzy
Sphillip, my LO was in 08-12. It was unusual because we has graduation one day early due to on base exercises. Graduation ended and we had to be off base by noon. In your case you should be able to enjoy lunch in any number of restaurants. There are many to choose from in the downtown section as well as by the waterfront. Lots of good seafood and many other selections as well. Our morning of Graduation began @ 5ish with watching them PT and Eat breakfast by the numbers...it was fun to watch them "in action"...altho early it was well worth it! We had HI MOMS Wednesday night, again one night early...it was @ the Officers Club and super well done! Your LO will get your meal preferences from you after they decide on a menu. Your LO will have loads of info on all this as time draws nearer. We didn't hear anything about graduation until after CANDIO...good luck!
May 16, 2012
M's mom
My son will begin OCS on June 17,2012, and will be flying into Providence on June 16. There was something mentioned about a $90 cab fee from the airport to the Newport base! I told my son to look for someone else at the airport who looks like they may be headed to OCS to share the ride with. His recruiter said they would send him the flight confirmation info. Where did any of your LO's stay the night before reporting, at the Navy Lodge? Are the candidates reimbursed for this?
May 18, 2012
OkSuzy
I may be mistaken but I thought the cab fare was $30. I believe they get reimbursed, save all receipts. My LO's arrival date was confused due to it was Jan1. Some incoming arrived 12-31, 01-01, and some 01-02 so they were not "docked"...the New Year holiday confused the system. mine arrived on 01-02 and went straight to OCS. Imagine that they all had different orders. He was nervous that his orders were correct as were several other LO's but all was good!
May 18, 2012
OkSuzy
I just checked the web site. It says a 12 passenger van ride is about $20. and taxi is $65. Hope this helps.
May 18, 2012
Dawn
May 18, 2012
beezy
Hi there - my husband starts OCS on July 8th. Is there anyone else on this forum who has a son/daughter/significant other in this class? It would be great to touch base with you.
Thanks!
Jun 13, 2012
Dawn
https://www.facebook.com/groups/163725833756221/. You will be able to read all that we have been doing. Currently in week 6. You should start a FB page for all LO of your class to join. It helps a lot feel free to ask any questions
Jun 13, 2012
Dawn
Jun 13, 2012
beezy
Thanks Dawn! I have sent a request to join the FB page :) I am sure I will have 101 questions (about graduation/contact with the candidates etc). I appreciate your response!
Jun 13, 2012
Dawn
Jun 13, 2012
M's mom
My son will be starting OCS this Sunday, June 17th. I think his class should be 16-12? I hope someone starts a Facebook page for his class because I don't know how to do that. My son is my computer tech support, and he's leaving! LOL! I will have to ask to join 14-12 and 15-12's group pages to see what they can tell me, since we're all in this "boat" together, so to speak. I think I am more nervous than my son is!
Jun 13, 2012
Dawn
Jun 14, 2012
beezy
Hi there,
Hollea H set up a FB page for 17-12 class (start date July 8th)https://www.facebook.com/groups/242342525888987/ - please join if your LO is in this class! Thank you so much Hollea.
Jun 14, 2012
beezy
Hollea also set up a group for 16-12 class
https://www.facebook.com/groups/242342525888987/#!/groups/160982250... (check in on Sunday June 17th, 2012) please join if your LO is in this class!
Thanks Hollea!
Jun 14, 2012
M's mom
Thanks beezy, for the info. My husband has already joined the 16-12 class FB group. Hopefully, we can all support each other through this, as our LO's will be helping each other get through it as well. Anchors Aweigh!
Jun 14, 2012
Dawn
Jun 14, 2012
M's mom
My son started OCS with class 16-12 this morning, (June 17.) For any Moms of class 16-12, as others have posted below, there is a Facebook group set up called "US Navy OCS Class 16-12 Family and Friends." Join us! As Dawn has pointed out, there are also FB pages for classes 14-12 and 15-12, which will help us know what is coming up.
To Moms of all OCS classes, the Navy has an official Facebook page called "Officer Training Command Newport," on which each Class Officer posts a weekly report about what their class is doing, what their scores as a group are, etc. They also post PHOTOS of the current classes in training! I'm going to eagerly look for my son in any photos of class 16-12! They just posted photos of class 12-12 which graduated on June 15. They look so sharp in their dress whites! Can't wait until my son get gets there!
Jun 17, 2012
M's mom
Just got our 30-second call from our son at OCS. He says things are going about as he expected, no better or worse. He acknowledged that may change, because tomorrow is "Wake Up Wednesday" and they meet their drill instructor! Now the real "fun" begins! LOL!
Jun 19, 2012
Dawn
Jun 19, 2012
Dawn
Jul 1, 2012
Anna
Hello!! It is officially time for me to join this group. My daughter, Jenn will be reporting to OCS on Sunday, class 17-12. I've known she would be going to Newport for 2 years after she finished her college degree and now that time is here.
I do have a question - - my daughter will be driving to Newport and of course using her car to hold some stuff while she's there. She is concerned that summer heat will ruin the stuff in her car - especially electronics like her laptop. Any of the more senior moms still on here that can tell us whether this has been a concern in the past? I appreciate any and all info you can share with me.
Jul 3, 2012
Dawn
Jul 3, 2012
Anna
Dawn,
Thanks for the info!! If they turn their electronics in for holding, all they allowed to have access to them later on?
I am a member of the 17-12 friends and family page on facebook and the Officer Training Command Newport page. My daughter has been reading anything and everything she can get her hands on. She was supposed to report July 29 but the Navy decided she should report 3 weeks early!!!!
Jul 3, 2012
Dawn
Jul 3, 2012
Anna
Dawn,
She was going to take her little laptop for later on when they get liberty so she can use it to go online. I know they can't use their Navy computers for anything like that.
I will look into the 14-12 page. Thanks
Jul 3, 2012
M's mom
Hi Anna, My son is in OCS class 16-12 which started on June 17. As Dawn wrote, send a phone card(s) with her with LOTS of minutes, and stamps for letters. Other than their first phone call on Sunday-Tuesday, they won't get phone privileges again and email until after week 4. (Our class got a 10 min phone call on July 4 for the holiday, but that was an exception.) Your only contact with them after that first call will be by letter for 4 weeks. There are strict rules about what they can receive in the mail, (until week nine when they become "Candidate Officers--Candios.") Mainly, do not send any loose enclosures like photos in the letters, (except MAYBE phone cards and stamps) and definitely no musical cards, or decorated/colored envelopes. DO NOT SEND FOOD, CANDY, or GUM, or any gifts. Someone in my son's class got sent some cookies and had to do 800 PUSHUPS! I will try to post the "Rules of OCS Mail" in the Files tab of your 17-12 FB page this weekend to help the rest of your class. Tell anyone that you give your daughter's mailing address to about the rules, so they don't innocently send something forbidden, and your daughter gets in trouble.
Jul 6, 2012
Anna
M's mom,
Thanks for the info. I've been reading up on all kinds of info on OCS. This is new to me but I do have two other children who have gone in as enlisted. In fact Jenn's twin sister enlisted right out of high school so she is out now. My son has been in for 8 and reenlisted for another 6. But Jenn is the first one to go the officer route - following in her father's footsteps. Even he admits OCS is nothing like it was for him!!!
What program is your son going into after graduation? Please keep the info coming - I'm soaking up all I can!!!!!
Jul 7, 2012
M's mom
Anna, Make sure your daughter has your phone # memorized for that first call. They store their cellphones away until week nine, and some of them don't know any of their loved ones' phone #'s--they're just used to scrolling down to MOM on their smart phone! Make sure she knows your email address too. About week two, you will get a "TEST" email from her with an incoming address of "Candidate Name @training.navy.mil" You can answer this, but don't expect her to answer back until they have email privileges after week four. You need to send her a list of all the email addresses she will need if she didn't take those with her. They cannot get to the internet from the Navy's server, and to their usual contacts list on hotmail, gmail, etc. She will have to know the email addresses, and again, some people have all their contact info on their phone!
Jul 7, 2012
M's mom
Anna, you asked about what my son is going into after OCS. He will go to Flight School in Pensacola, FL to be a pilot. The Navy calls them SNA's (student naval aviators) until they earn their "wings". Almost all of his current class, however, will be nuclear power officers on subs or ships. There are only a few pilots among them. What program is your daughter going into after OCS?
Jul 7, 2012
Dawn
Jul 7, 2012
Dawn
Jul 7, 2012
Anna
M's mom,
She's supposed to go NFO if they don't end up offering her a pilot spot. She's already a private pilot.
Dawn,
My daughter just got to Newport, she's in 17-12
Jul 7, 2012
M's mom
Dawn, my son is in 16-12. My hubby and I post on FB 16-12 F & F as "Doug." Thanks for all the help you've given us. Just trying to pay it forward to 17-12!
Jul 7, 2012
Dawn
Jul 7, 2012
M's mom
Anna, I think it's great that so many women are going into aviation now. The girls can fly just as well as the guys!
Jul 8, 2012
terry
Hi Everyone, I'm glad to have found this group. My daughter reported Sunday to OCS Class 17-12. I just found out she has been put into H-Class (not surprised since she shipped less than two weeks after joining). She said she is fine when she called but, of course, I am worried. We have no experience with military training since she is the first to join since her grandfather served many, many years ago. It is great to read all your posts, it really helps educate us with the process.
Jul 13, 2012
M's mom
Hi Terry! My son is in OCS class 16-12 that started June 17. If you haven't already, also join the OCS Class 17-12 Family and Friends group on Facebook. Along with Navy for Moms, there is lots of help available there, too. We're all in the same "boat" --(so to speak!)
Jul 14, 2012
terry
M's Mom, Thanks for the info. I had joined the OCS Class 17-12 on Facebook. All the information helps and is appreciated.
Jul 15, 2012
Sconway9
Jul 17, 2012
terry
Thanks Sconway9. I got a call from my daughter over the weekend. She said they're doing lots of PT and studying (just as you said). It was great to hear from her but I know once she rolls into the next class it will be awhile until we hear from her again. As everyone has said, no news is good news.
Jul 19, 2012
Dawn
Aug 1, 2012