Good evening! My son just had his swearing in ceremony today so I'm officially a Navy mom!! I have no experience being a military mom or wife. My husband was with the Air Force but we met 2 years after he was honorably discharged.
I have a question about his flight up to Rhode Island. He starts February 9th. I was wondering if he get go up with me on the 7th (this is the 10th anniversary of my husband's death) and my daughter who lives in NYC will meet us up there so we can spend time together and honor his memory.
Do any of you moms know if the Navy allows this? I was told that the Navy will fly him up. I have booked a hotel for us to stay for 2 nights and I'm even willing to pay for his flight.
Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Tan’s Mom - we live in upstate New York and drive our son out the night before he was to start OCS. I don’t see why you couldn’t arrange a weekend. Have him talk to his recruiter.
My daughter went to OCS in 2012. She arrived a few days early by car, and got a hotel room where some other new candidates were staying. He needs to talk to his recruiter about arranging his airfare a little early but hanging out there a few days early should not be a problem. At least it wasn't several years ago!!!!!
I agree with Matt's mom. He should discuss this with his recruiter, and maybe arrange a flight that is a few days early. (Unless his ticket has already been purchased for Feb 8--might be hard to get that changed.)
Some of the candidates drive their own vehicles to OCS instead of flying, so it's possible to make one's own travel plans if they let their recruiter know.
Seems so long ago now to say that your daughter (and my son) went to OCS in 2012!!!!!!!
Is your daughter still flying? I think you had written before that she was hoping to get an instructor position? Where is she now? Is she a LCDR yet?
My son & wife returned from Japan a year ago, and he is now stationed at Ft Meade, MD with the U.S. Military Cyber Security Command. They have their work cut out for them with cyber security, with a big concern being the security of the upcoming 2020 election!
Son & D-I-L bought their first house near Baltimore and are having fun(?) remodeling it. He earned his master's degree last fall, so he feels that he has all the boxes checked for promotion to Lt Commander this spring. (Hopefully!) It sure is nice to have them closer to our home (Indiana) than they were in Japan!
Are you still living the vagabond life on the road? (I'm jealous!)
My daughter just graduated Jan 24th and will be attending Navy Supply Corps School this April. Feel free to ask if any of you have any questions and I will be more than happy to help. The best advice I can give now is to join your loved ones OCS group on FB. Navy OCS Class ( your LO class no) Family Friends and Support. Very helpful and it felt good knowing that you are not alone.
Yes that sounds like so long ago!!!! Hard to believe Jenn is coming up on 10 years since her initial enlistment!! She didn't get the instructor position she was initially hoping for but she is back in Pensacola teaching Aviation Safety at the school here where she had her Aviation training right out of OCS. She gets in lots of traveling as they teach this program all over. She just came back from a trip to Japan. Biggest problem she's ever had to deal with was the recent shooting in Pensacola. It was at the Aviation School building. Her and her co workers were not able to even go in that building to get their stuff out of their offices until well into January. They are in a temp building now as the Navy will not open that old building up again. What a sad, terrifying time for the entire aviation community here. Hubby and I are still doing our travels across the country. We decided to come to Pensacola to stay with Jenn for the winter months and next month we're getting back on the road to head west!!! Thinking of settling down later this year and doing single travels but having a home base to come back to. We've been to all 48 states and took a cruise to Alaska!! So glad to hear your son is doing well. Jenn is expecting to get her masters and is working on all those boxes as well. Her first look is 2021. Hope they enjoy their time in Baltimore!! So much there to see and do. Have they visited Annapolis yet???
Oh my gosh, I heard about that tragic shooting in Pensacola, but didn't mentally connect the dots that your daughter might be there. So glad that she was not directly involved. We worry about our kids when they are deployed, as I did when my son was on a ship in the Persian Gulf for 10 months, but we assume they will be safe at the stateside bases. Not true anymore. So sad.
Yes, we had several family vacations to the Annapolis/Baltimore area when our son was younger. We took a tour of the Naval Academy when he was in high school. Saw the crypt of John Paul Jones being guarded by midshipmen. Feasted on many blue crabs! Have been to Ft McHenry and all the fun stuff at the harbor.
Son and daughter-in-law now live near Woodlawn/Catonsville on the west side of Baltimore. They are now experiencing the "joys" of home ownership: lawn and landscaping maintenance, leaky faucets, sealing drafty windows, etc. Things YOU no longer have to deal with on the road! haha
Yes luckily she was not at work yet that morning!!! I miss living in Annapolis and getting to visit all the historic places!!! You're funny - we may not have landscaping issues (except ant hills and ants getting in the trailer). leaking windows when it rains and the fact that the slide outs leave good sized openings where walls don't completely seal up!!!! Talk about drafts!!!! But not every one can hitch up their home and go somewhere new so . . . .
It's funny but we have to been to so many places that it is so hard to pick a favorite. But we do love mountains and big bodies of water. Hard to find those places without also dealing with lots of cold, snow, stuff like that. So we are thinking of Asheville, NC. Also kind of central location for all the kids, although the Navy still moves 2 of them around!!! Doesn't get a lot of snow and we found apartments that will give us a great view of the mountains without being too far away from them!!!!!
Asheville IS nice! Make sure you visit Biltmore while there, if you haven't already. I have relatives near Charlotte.
When we were in Newport for son's graduation from OCS, we toured the Vanderbilt's "summer cottage" on the bay! Not at all like what we call cottages here in Indiana, but I suppose compared to Biltmore, it was a shack to them! Way bigger than our humble house, but they were roughing it in Newport!!! haha
Anna - I am so glad your daughter made it through the Pensacola shooting safely. That must have been very emotional for you!! I feel badly for the families who lost their sons. Would your daughter know of any way to send our condolences to them? Maybe a Navy office that would forward a card? I am sure they are struggling and could use some support.The months after a death can be very hard.
Hello Allison! I can ask my daughter, I haven't heard of anything myself but I will ask her. I agree about supporting the families. I cannot imagine their pain and anguish. I think about them every time I see the gate as I drive by.
Hello all, I have a question about the wait time to hear if you've been accepted to OCS. (I'm new to this so sorry if my jargon is not correct.) The officer recruiter told my son that his application was confirmed as received (ready to be reviewed) on Feb 7th so it's been a bit more than 2 weeks. Is there an average wait time until we hear yes or no for OCS or does it depend on the community you are applying to? He is applying for SWO if that matters. Also, some background if it matters...my son is still home, dual processing, so if not picked up for OCS, then he will go enlisted.
Does anyone have a son/daughter headed to class 16-20. (I am an Army mom for 7+ years, I don't know the Navy language yet). I have questions...don't even know where to start! Thanks!
Thanks, offroute.mom! Do I need to create a conversation? I don't want to be hijacking someones thread. I haven't quite figured out how to get to some of the conversations I've seen here.
I have seen several "packing lists" including one from his recruiter, and they all differ a bit. I don't want him to spend $$ and not be able to have the items he brings. Are you able to please confirm/deny (and maybe even add to the list) what he will be allowed?
Running shoes; 1 or 2 pair?
Underwear; any style/color (as long as 1 pair is white)--so are boxer briefs ok?
Socks; I have seen SO many posts that they need Fox River or Thorlos boot socks...but no mention what color(s) and since they are not on any of the packing lists that I've seen, I don't want to spend $15 a pair if they can't have them. Pretty sure he's set with the plain white crew ones, but do you have any insight on this? Also, what about dress socks?
Personal care items; How big of shampoo (his group will be in a 2 week quarantine before starting)? Should it be shampoo/body wash combo? Most packing lists say no "aerosols" but they all mention bringing shaving cream....can this be shaving cream in a can (I kinda label that as an aerosol)? what other items can they take (athletic tape, moleskin, etc.).
He isn't worried about any of this, which is good...I guess!
Ging-83 - My son was at OCS 5 years ago now and things change so I can't offer much advice on the packing list. I can't imagine why whey wouldn't allow moleskin but I am sure stranger things have happened. I believe my son took some but I don't know if he was able to keep it or if it got packed away with items like their cell phones, civilian clothes. So my advice is, if he wants to take some, he should. It won't take up any space in his suitcase and the worst outcome is that it gets packed away until he is done. On the white briefs, that was on the packing list when my son went. I had to run out late the night before he left to buy some because yes, he left it all for the last minute. When he got to RI, he found that he could have brought boxer briefs and he was bummed. That rule may have changed so getting info from someone more recent would be good. White uniform probably does require a least one pair that is white though.
Ging-83 - My son was in the OCS class in Feb of 2018 so some things might have changed. He to had a list that we tried to fill 2 days before his flight (to his defense he was assigned a class 12 days before the start date). I can respond to a few things:
The socks : we looked for that brand high and low and could not find it. I know he had to have some plain white and some plain black. We ended up with thick athletic socks, just make sure they do you have any branding on them (ie: Nike, Under Armor). We actually found some at Costco. The Navy surplus store downtown Newport has that brand if they are in Newport early.
Next the running shoes: he brought 2 pairs (one to use and one for when they have their inspections) but when he got there they had changed it to issuing them running shoes (new balance) so he did not use his at all. His class was the first to do that so check and see if it is that way now.
As previous mom's have stated you won't hear from them for a few weeks. My son it was the 3rd Sunday after he left that he was able to call on the weekend (it was Sunday). So make sure you answer any numbers from Newport RI. I was that mom that wrote from day one and he sure was glad to get letters from us by the time the could receive them. Send pictures also that really made his day. Also, Facebook will have the class online group. That will be the only time you will have a chance to see them for the first 8 weeks. The last 3 weeks they get their cell phones back and then you can face time.
Ging-83 my daughter graduated from OCS last Jan 24th .. the best place to start is follow the Facebook page of Officer Training Command Newport. This is the official page of OTCN. Lots of information and photos of what a candidate goes through. Then see if there is a group for Class 15-20 and request to join because these are usually a closed group. This will be the class before 16-20 and if you let the Admin know that your son will be in the next incoming class , they would let you join. They do not let candidates join in this group, open only to family and friends. Lots of information and you will get ideas of what your son will be going through when it is his turn. Lastly, find out if there is a group for you son's class 16-20 on Facebook and make sure to join in as well. Believe me, knowing that I was not alone in worrying during my daughter's stay in OCS, the support and most of all, information I got from this group was a big help. It sure helped my husband and I.
Packing list, my daughter followed the list given to her by her recruiter. No more, no less.. OCS is all about following instructions and attention to detail . They will be provided everything they need when they get there even running shoes.. my daughter did bring a new pair of running shoes with her but did not get to use it til the end since they had to use the shoes provided to them. We did splurge on socks which we bought in Amazon (5oxRiver M of Fen's Wick Dry Stryker Mid-Calf, Black) it was $10 a pair I think..
One other thing that we sent her after she got there was a Dritz 3100 14 in 1 Measuring Gauge which we bought at Amazon as well. this served her well during the RLP room locker personnel inspection.
Make sure he brings enough cash for the cab ride from the airport to Training country. My daughter's flight arrived at 10:00 p.m. at Providence and had to get a cab ride from the airport which luckily she shared with 4 other candidates she met at the airport and they divided the 100$ fare amongst them. she had 100$ in twenties with her when she left and that should be enough and her debit card which she was able to use when they were allowed to go to the NEX on Saturdays. Since she had no access to her bank account during the Indoc phase, she gave me access to her account and I paid her debit card for her so she can buy what she needed at the NEX.
Sorry for the deluge of information.. pls feel free to message me if you have other questions and i will be more than happy to help. I have been through all the stress , anxiety and worries but I assure you , it is all worth it in the end especially for your son. Lots of letters and I do mean a lot.. I wrote to my daughter everyday while she was there and she said the only way to describe it, it's like Christmas morning everytime she receives a letter during mail call. good luck and Godspeed to your son.
Hi all, I started a new discussion but I think more people see comments on the wall so does anyone know the current situation with calling cards, i.e. better to get beforehand, what kind, easy enough to get at NEX so don't bother beforehand? You can answer using the discussion I started or right here I guess. The info I found on this site is from a while ago so looking for some updated info. TIA
Candio phase is coming up for my son at OCS. Any recommendations for what to include in the box? I'm not sure where to find accurate information. Thank for your help!
Hi jagsailor, my son is at OCS currently also (07-21). I'm guessing your son is in 06? There is a FB group for 06 & they have been having discussions about this, if you're interested here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4394018650638930
As far as what to include, it definitely can be confusing, esp whether food is allowed, because they have changed that back & forth over the past couple years. Currently, they are allowing treats; I have contact w/a SO in the 05 class who gave me that info. So, treat it the same as the holiday boxes. If you want to include a gift just remember that they have very limited storage space. I have seen things like a nice pen or flashlight as ideas along with more practical stuff like Fox River socks (boot & dress) & long johns. And, of course, decorating the inside of the box to celebrate their accomplishment! Hope this helps.
My son is in 07. I saw on our facebook group talk about Candio Boxes for delivery around FEb. 9th. Thanks for the suggestions. During the holiday stand down, I sent too many goodies and so I was just wondering what others were thinking for their Candio Boxes. Apprectate your help
Two new questions! How many Candio boxes can a officer candidate receive? Only one? or can they receive more than one? And someone posted something about cufflinks? Can you elaborate on that? Was it a OCS graduation gift? Let me know..... my OC is a SOC! :)
Congrats on your OC being in SOC phase! My son will graduate this Friday! OC's can receive more than 1 Candio box. Having said that, remember that they really don't have a lot of storage space & only 4 weeks to eat whatever goodies are in all the boxes. :) I opted to contact family & friends to send to me congratulations cards that I then included in our 1 box. I have heard of some people sending their OC an extra box for the purpose of giving to someone who doesn't get one. I didn't do that but thought I would toss that out there. The box has to be addresses to your OC & then you'd let your OC know its' purpose.
Another idea for graduation gift is a Navy Officer Insignia Box. These boxes have little compartments to hold all the various pins, boards, etc that go on their uniforms. It gives them a place to put all that stuff when getting uniforms laundered or dry cleaned. I don't know how easily they can be found online but my husband does wood working so he made the box for our son. Here's a link to an example of such box: https://tinyurl.com/475ubpfh
My son graduated in class 07-21 this past March. Candidates receive their candio boxes after Battle Stations which is in Week 9, usually on Wednesday. The candidates can get their phones back as early as that Wed night & Candio boxes are usually given Thurs or Fri of week 9 but this is at the discretion of the class officers so it varies. I sent my son's Candio box on Thurs of week 8 via UPS & it arrived on base on Monday. My son was actually given his box Monday night, it had to be a mistake, because they are usually held onto until they know the candidate has passed everything. He, of course, just held onto it because he knew it was full of contraband until he was a Candio. :)
If you google search "Navy Candio box ideas" you will see a lot of photo examples. I also uploaded a photo of the one I made, see below. (The black boxes you see are where our last name was. Since no last names are allowed on this site, I blocked that out.) Have fun decorated the box. You can use wrapping paper if you can find some that are patriotic or go to a craft store & use scrapbooking paper, that's what I used. In that same section of the store you can also usually find the stick on letters & some Navy decorations.
When my son was there goodies & snacks were allowed. It seems that this changes every few years so try to find out for sure, maybe look on OTCN FB page or website and/or your son's OCS class FB group for friends & family. I included snacks, cookies, energy bars, etc that I know my son likes. I also contacted family & friends & told them to send me cards that I would include in the box. I bought a little desktop stand with a small American & Navy flag that stand in it. They have very limited space to store anything so that & the cards were the only non-food items I included Some people send practical items, like nice socks, thermal/compression underwear, etc.
Many people use the large flat rate box from the post office for the Candio box. It's 12x12x5 & costs about $20 no matter how heavy it is. We live in Ohio so it was actually a little cheaper to go UPS & I saved a box that was 12x12x6 from Christmas. The scrapbooking sheets are 12x12 so that's a nice size to make decorating a bit easier. USPS also got way behind in deliveries during the holidays so I didn't want to take any chances that it would be late so that's why I chose UPS. Btw, candidates are allowed to receive more than 1 Candio box but again, remember they don't have a lot of extra space.
My son is currently there. Started February 13 and is in week 9. You should try to find a Facebook page for the class. Usually containing the class number. The Facebook pages are so helpful and you can connect with other family members from the class.
Hi everyone new mom here to son who just started OCS. Would love to connect with other moms. Is there an Officer Mom Group on Facebook?? Not just the class but for all moms of Navy Officers?
My son graduated OCS on September 16, 2022. He'll be heading to Charleston (Goose Creek) for nuclear school. I don't know of a FB group for Officer Families. It would be great if there was one.
Usually not at the OSC phase unless someone would want to start it and administer it...which would be a lit of work! After my DS commissioned, a mom in a class above him started a page for his designation. This site has valuable information for OSC and Officers. My DS is an Aviator and there is a great page for that here as well. I'm sure there are pages for officers in other designations. Good luck to you and your son.
Our limit was 6, but the class before us was 4. Originally they were only going to allow 3 and it changed at the last minute. My son said it depends on class size and covid conditions.
I suggest allowing plenty of time to get processed at the gate. It can take awhile
Although I have already found some amazing information scrolling back through posts, there doesn’t seem to be any recent posts. Any moms out there with son or daughter starting OCS this fall? My son is shipping out in October and I would love to get some up to date info or chat with moms currently preparing or with someone going through OCS at the moment (or recently). Thanks!
My son graduated from OCS in March 2023. If your son is shipping in October, one thing to check is the holiday break. My son's class was the first to have one since COVID. They had two weeks of leave and could choose which to spend at home and which to spend on base. Graduation in March was lovely but simple - no HiMom or pre-ceremony festivities.
barbrag: Congratulations to you & your son on his upcoming OCS journey! My son went through OCS way back in 2012, so I can't tell you specifically how things are done now.
If you do Facebook, there is usually a Facebook group set up for families close to the time each class starts. Search for "Navy OCS Class XX-XX Families and Friends" or similar wording, where XX-XX is his class number. Since the Navy's 2024 fiscal year starts October 1, his class number MIGHT be 01-24 or 02-24. His recruiter should be able to give him his class number.
These Facebook groups are usually closed groups that you have to ask to join. We found our OCS Facebook group a wealth of information, and could share knowledge with other families whose loved ones were there at the same time. It is also very helpful to ask to join the groups of one or two PRECEDING classes to your son's, so you can see what is happening with those classes before your son's class gets to that point, so you can ask them questions about graduation day, etc. "Naval Training Command Newport" also used to have a Facebook page about OCS in general. I think the individual classes' Facebook groups are set up by the families, though.
barbrag: Congrats on your son's selection to OCS! My son started OCS the 1st Sunday in Oct in 2020 & his class number was 05-2021. At the time though, my son had 2 weeks of quarantine before actually starting so his actual OCS start date was prob the 3rd Sun in Oct. The class number refers to when they graduate, not when they start so that might help you figure it out if you don't have success with the recruiter or your son doesn't want to ask the recruiter like my son. :)
I totally agree with M's mom in finding the FB group for family & friends of your son's class. I didn't find an 05-2024 FB group but I did find 01, 02, & 03-2024. The only 1 that is for fam/friends is the 01 group. You could request to join the 01 class & get a good idea of what's ahead for your son. Sometimes, the private group for the candidates turns into the family & friends group once OCS starts so you can watch the 02 & 03 groups to see if the name changes. Other times, it's a separate group. I started the fam/friends group for the 05-2021 class even though I didn't know much about OCS & it was a great source of info. My son did end up rolling & I was able to pass the admin of the 05 class group to someone else. Best wishes.
MariaP
Thank you so much! for all the info and support..
Sep 16, 2019
Tan’s mom
Good evening! My son just had his swearing in ceremony today so I'm officially a Navy mom!! I have no experience being a military mom or wife. My husband was with the Air Force but we met 2 years after he was honorably discharged.
I have a question about his flight up to Rhode Island. He starts February 9th. I was wondering if he get go up with me on the 7th (this is the 10th anniversary of my husband's death) and my daughter who lives in NYC will meet us up there so we can spend time together and honor his memory.
Do any of you moms know if the Navy allows this? I was told that the Navy will fly him up. I have booked a hotel for us to stay for 2 nights and I'm even willing to pay for his flight.
Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Jan 28, 2020
Matt's mom
Jan 29, 2020
Anna
Tan's mom,
My daughter went to OCS in 2012. She arrived a few days early by car, and got a hotel room where some other new candidates were staying. He needs to talk to his recruiter about arranging his airfare a little early but hanging out there a few days early should not be a problem. At least it wasn't several years ago!!!!!
Jan 29, 2020
M's mom
Welcome, Tan's mom!
I agree with Matt's mom. He should discuss this with his recruiter, and maybe arrange a flight that is a few days early. (Unless his ticket has already been purchased for Feb 8--might be hard to get that changed.)
Some of the candidates drive their own vehicles to OCS instead of flying, so it's possible to make one's own travel plans if they let their recruiter know.
Jan 30, 2020
M's mom
Hello Anna,
Seems so long ago now to say that your daughter (and my son) went to OCS in 2012!!!!!!!
Is your daughter still flying? I think you had written before that she was hoping to get an instructor position? Where is she now? Is she a LCDR yet?
My son & wife returned from Japan a year ago, and he is now stationed at Ft Meade, MD with the U.S. Military Cyber Security Command. They have their work cut out for them with cyber security, with a big concern being the security of the upcoming 2020 election!
Son & D-I-L bought their first house near Baltimore and are having fun(?) remodeling it. He earned his master's degree last fall, so he feels that he has all the boxes checked for promotion to Lt Commander this spring. (Hopefully!) It sure is nice to have them closer to our home (Indiana) than they were in Japan!
Are you still living the vagabond life on the road? (I'm jealous!)
Jan 30, 2020
ProudMom
Here is a link to a Pinterest page with Candio Box content ideas if anyone gets stuck on what to send. Congratulations to you and your candidates. BZ
Jan 30, 2020
MariaP
Hello, OCS Moms:
My daughter just graduated Jan 24th and will be attending Navy Supply Corps School this April. Feel free to ask if any of you have any questions and I will be more than happy to help. The best advice I can give now is to join your loved ones OCS group on FB. Navy OCS Class ( your LO class no) Family Friends and Support. Very helpful and it felt good knowing that you are not alone.
Good Luck to all your new Candidates. Go Navy!
Jan 30, 2020
Anna
M's Mom,
Yes that sounds like so long ago!!!! Hard to believe Jenn is coming up on 10 years since her initial enlistment!! She didn't get the instructor position she was initially hoping for but she is back in Pensacola teaching Aviation Safety at the school here where she had her Aviation training right out of OCS. She gets in lots of traveling as they teach this program all over. She just came back from a trip to Japan. Biggest problem she's ever had to deal with was the recent shooting in Pensacola. It was at the Aviation School building. Her and her co workers were not able to even go in that building to get their stuff out of their offices until well into January. They are in a temp building now as the Navy will not open that old building up again. What a sad, terrifying time for the entire aviation community here. Hubby and I are still doing our travels across the country. We decided to come to Pensacola to stay with Jenn for the winter months and next month we're getting back on the road to head west!!! Thinking of settling down later this year and doing single travels but having a home base to come back to. We've been to all 48 states and took a cruise to Alaska!! So glad to hear your son is doing well. Jenn is expecting to get her masters and is working on all those boxes as well. Her first look is 2021. Hope they enjoy their time in Baltimore!! So much there to see and do. Have they visited Annapolis yet???
Feb 3, 2020
M's mom
MariaP: Congratulations to you and your new Ensign! Now the adventure begins for her (and you!)
Anchors Aweigh!
Feb 3, 2020
M's mom
Anna,
Oh my gosh, I heard about that tragic shooting in Pensacola, but didn't mentally connect the dots that your daughter might be there. So glad that she was not directly involved. We worry about our kids when they are deployed, as I did when my son was on a ship in the Persian Gulf for 10 months, but we assume they will be safe at the stateside bases. Not true anymore. So sad.
Yes, we had several family vacations to the Annapolis/Baltimore area when our son was younger. We took a tour of the Naval Academy when he was in high school. Saw the crypt of John Paul Jones being guarded by midshipmen. Feasted on many blue crabs! Have been to Ft McHenry and all the fun stuff at the harbor.
Son and daughter-in-law now live near Woodlawn/Catonsville on the west side of Baltimore. They are now experiencing the "joys" of home ownership: lawn and landscaping maintenance, leaky faucets, sealing drafty windows, etc. Things YOU no longer have to deal with on the road! haha
Feb 3, 2020
Anna
M's Mom,
Yes luckily she was not at work yet that morning!!! I miss living in Annapolis and getting to visit all the historic places!!! You're funny - we may not have landscaping issues (except ant hills and ants getting in the trailer). leaking windows when it rains and the fact that the slide outs leave good sized openings where walls don't completely seal up!!!! Talk about drafts!!!! But not every one can hitch up their home and go somewhere new so . . . .
Feb 3, 2020
M's mom
Anna,
Yes, I suppose there is ALWAYS home maintenance, no matter what kind of home one has!
Where do you think you might settle down and have a "home base?" I imagine since you've been everywhere, you have a good idea of your favorite places!
Feb 4, 2020
Anna
M's Mom,
It's funny but we have to been to so many places that it is so hard to pick a favorite. But we do love mountains and big bodies of water. Hard to find those places without also dealing with lots of cold, snow, stuff like that. So we are thinking of Asheville, NC. Also kind of central location for all the kids, although the Navy still moves 2 of them around!!! Doesn't get a lot of snow and we found apartments that will give us a great view of the mountains without being too far away from them!!!!!
Feb 4, 2020
M's mom
Anna,
Asheville IS nice! Make sure you visit Biltmore while there, if you haven't already. I have relatives near Charlotte.
When we were in Newport for son's graduation from OCS, we toured the Vanderbilt's "summer cottage" on the bay! Not at all like what we call cottages here in Indiana, but I suppose compared to Biltmore, it was a shack to them! Way bigger than our humble house, but they were roughing it in Newport!!! haha
Feb 4, 2020
Allison
Anna - I am so glad your daughter made it through the Pensacola shooting safely. That must have been very emotional for you!! I feel badly for the families who lost their sons. Would your daughter know of any way to send our condolences to them? Maybe a Navy office that would forward a card? I am sure they are struggling and could use some support.The months after a death can be very hard.
Feb 5, 2020
Anna
Hello Allison! I can ask my daughter, I haven't heard of anything myself but I will ask her. I agree about supporting the families. I cannot imagine their pain and anguish. I think about them every time I see the gate as I drive by.
Feb 5, 2020
Allison
Thanks Anna!
Feb 5, 2020
Anna
Allison,
I'm sending you the information in a private message.
Feb 13, 2020
Kim8
Hello all, I have a question about the wait time to hear if you've been accepted to OCS. (I'm new to this so sorry if my jargon is not correct.) The officer recruiter told my son that his application was confirmed as received (ready to be reviewed) on Feb 7th so it's been a bit more than 2 weeks. Is there an average wait time until we hear yes or no for OCS or does it depend on the community you are applying to? He is applying for SWO if that matters. Also, some background if it matters...my son is still home, dual processing, so if not picked up for OCS, then he will go enlisted.
Feb 26, 2020
Ging_83
Does anyone have a son/daughter headed to class 16-20. (I am an Army mom for 7+ years, I don't know the Navy language yet). I have questions...don't even know where to start! Thanks!
Apr 17, 2020
Ging_83
Thanks, offroute.mom! Do I need to create a conversation? I don't want to be hijacking someones thread. I haven't quite figured out how to get to some of the conversations I've seen here.
I have seen several "packing lists" including one from his recruiter, and they all differ a bit. I don't want him to spend $$ and not be able to have the items he brings. Are you able to please confirm/deny (and maybe even add to the list) what he will be allowed?
Running shoes; 1 or 2 pair?
Underwear; any style/color (as long as 1 pair is white)--so are boxer briefs ok?
Socks; I have seen SO many posts that they need Fox River or Thorlos boot socks...but no mention what color(s) and since they are not on any of the packing lists that I've seen, I don't want to spend $15 a pair if they can't have them. Pretty sure he's set with the plain white crew ones, but do you have any insight on this? Also, what about dress socks?
Personal care items; How big of shampoo (his group will be in a 2 week quarantine before starting)? Should it be shampoo/body wash combo? Most packing lists say no "aerosols" but they all mention bringing shaving cream....can this be shaving cream in a can (I kinda label that as an aerosol)? what other items can they take (athletic tape, moleskin, etc.).
He isn't worried about any of this, which is good...I guess!
Thanks!
Apr 17, 2020
CindyN
Ging-83 - My son was at OCS 5 years ago now and things change so I can't offer much advice on the packing list. I can't imagine why whey wouldn't allow moleskin but I am sure stranger things have happened. I believe my son took some but I don't know if he was able to keep it or if it got packed away with items like their cell phones, civilian clothes. So my advice is, if he wants to take some, he should. It won't take up any space in his suitcase and the worst outcome is that it gets packed away until he is done. On the white briefs, that was on the packing list when my son went. I had to run out late the night before he left to buy some because yes, he left it all for the last minute. When he got to RI, he found that he could have brought boxer briefs and he was bummed. That rule may have changed so getting info from someone more recent would be good. White uniform probably does require a least one pair that is white though.
Apr 17, 2020
Andrea S
Ging-83 - My son was in the OCS class in Feb of 2018 so some things might have changed. He to had a list that we tried to fill 2 days before his flight (to his defense he was assigned a class 12 days before the start date). I can respond to a few things:
The socks : we looked for that brand high and low and could not find it. I know he had to have some plain white and some plain black. We ended up with thick athletic socks, just make sure they do you have any branding on them (ie: Nike, Under Armor). We actually found some at Costco. The Navy surplus store downtown Newport has that brand if they are in Newport early.
Next the running shoes: he brought 2 pairs (one to use and one for when they have their inspections) but when he got there they had changed it to issuing them running shoes (new balance) so he did not use his at all. His class was the first to do that so check and see if it is that way now.
As previous mom's have stated you won't hear from them for a few weeks. My son it was the 3rd Sunday after he left that he was able to call on the weekend (it was Sunday). So make sure you answer any numbers from Newport RI. I was that mom that wrote from day one and he sure was glad to get letters from us by the time the could receive them. Send pictures also that really made his day. Also, Facebook will have the class online group. That will be the only time you will have a chance to see them for the first 8 weeks. The last 3 weeks they get their cell phones back and then you can face time.
I hope this helps!
Apr 17, 2020
MariaP
Ging-83 my daughter graduated from OCS last Jan 24th .. the best place to start is follow the Facebook page of Officer Training Command Newport. This is the official page of OTCN. Lots of information and photos of what a candidate goes through. Then see if there is a group for Class 15-20 and request to join because these are usually a closed group. This will be the class before 16-20 and if you let the Admin know that your son will be in the next incoming class , they would let you join. They do not let candidates join in this group, open only to family and friends. Lots of information and you will get ideas of what your son will be going through when it is his turn. Lastly, find out if there is a group for you son's class 16-20 on Facebook and make sure to join in as well. Believe me, knowing that I was not alone in worrying during my daughter's stay in OCS, the support and most of all, information I got from this group was a big help. It sure helped my husband and I.
Packing list, my daughter followed the list given to her by her recruiter. No more, no less.. OCS is all about following instructions and attention to detail . They will be provided everything they need when they get there even running shoes.. my daughter did bring a new pair of running shoes with her but did not get to use it til the end since they had to use the shoes provided to them. We did splurge on socks which we bought in Amazon (5oxRiver M of Fen's Wick Dry Stryker Mid-Calf, Black) it was $10 a pair I think..
One other thing that we sent her after she got there was a Dritz 3100 14 in 1 Measuring Gauge which we bought at Amazon as well. this served her well during the RLP room locker personnel inspection.
Make sure he brings enough cash for the cab ride from the airport to Training country. My daughter's flight arrived at 10:00 p.m. at Providence and had to get a cab ride from the airport which luckily she shared with 4 other candidates she met at the airport and they divided the 100$ fare amongst them. she had 100$ in twenties with her when she left and that should be enough and her debit card which she was able to use when they were allowed to go to the NEX on Saturdays. Since she had no access to her bank account during the Indoc phase, she gave me access to her account and I paid her debit card for her so she can buy what she needed at the NEX.
Sorry for the deluge of information.. pls feel free to message me if you have other questions and i will be more than happy to help. I have been through all the stress , anxiety and worries but I assure you , it is all worth it in the end especially for your son. Lots of letters and I do mean a lot.. I wrote to my daughter everyday while she was there and she said the only way to describe it, it's like Christmas morning everytime she receives a letter during mail call. good luck and Godspeed to your son.
Apr 18, 2020
JF
Anyone here having a son/daughter in OCS 11-20?
May 4, 2020
Kim8
Hi all, I started a new discussion but I think more people see comments on the wall so does anyone know the current situation with calling cards, i.e. better to get beforehand, what kind, easy enough to get at NEX so don't bother beforehand? You can answer using the discussion I started or right here I guess. The info I found on this site is from a while ago so looking for some updated info. TIA
Aug 16, 2020
jagsailor
HI NAVY MOMS,
Candio phase is coming up for my son at OCS. Any recommendations for what to include in the box? I'm not sure where to find accurate information. Thank for your help!
Jan 15, 2021
Kim8
Hi jagsailor, my son is at OCS currently also (07-21). I'm guessing your son is in 06? There is a FB group for 06 & they have been having discussions about this, if you're interested here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4394018650638930
As far as what to include, it definitely can be confusing, esp whether food is allowed, because they have changed that back & forth over the past couple years. Currently, they are allowing treats; I have contact w/a SO in the 05 class who gave me that info. So, treat it the same as the holiday boxes. If you want to include a gift just remember that they have very limited storage space. I have seen things like a nice pen or flashlight as ideas along with more practical stuff like Fox River socks (boot & dress) & long johns. And, of course, decorating the inside of the box to celebrate their accomplishment! Hope this helps.
Jan 16, 2021
jagsailor
Hi Kim8,
My son is in 07. I saw on our facebook group talk about Candio Boxes for delivery around FEb. 9th. Thanks for the suggestions. During the holiday stand down, I sent too many goodies and so I was just wondering what others were thinking for their Candio Boxes. Apprectate your help
Jan 16, 2021
penelopewms
My son was very pleased with Naval Officer cufflinks.
Jan 16, 2021
SandInMyShoes
Hey OCS Graduate Moms...
Two new questions! How many Candio boxes can a officer candidate receive? Only one? or can they receive more than one? And someone posted something about cufflinks? Can you elaborate on that? Was it a OCS graduation gift? Let me know..... my OC is a SOC! :)
Mar 8, 2021
Kim8
Hi SandinMyShoes,
Congrats on your OC being in SOC phase! My son will graduate this Friday! OC's can receive more than 1 Candio box. Having said that, remember that they really don't have a lot of storage space & only 4 weeks to eat whatever goodies are in all the boxes. :) I opted to contact family & friends to send to me congratulations cards that I then included in our 1 box. I have heard of some people sending their OC an extra box for the purpose of giving to someone who doesn't get one. I didn't do that but thought I would toss that out there. The box has to be addresses to your OC & then you'd let your OC know its' purpose.
Another idea for graduation gift is a Navy Officer Insignia Box. These boxes have little compartments to hold all the various pins, boards, etc that go on their uniforms. It gives them a place to put all that stuff when getting uniforms laundered or dry cleaned. I don't know how easily they can be found online but my husband does wood working so he made the box for our son. Here's a link to an example of such box: https://tinyurl.com/475ubpfh
Best wishes to you!
Mar 8, 2021
ProudMom
Naval Officer Cuff Links (Amazon) and Cadio Box Ideas (Pinterest)
Mar 8, 2021
SandInMyShoes
Thanks Moms!!!
Mar 8, 2021
Vetta17
Thanks and my son is in his 6th week in OCS; looking for advice on candio boxes
Nov 19, 2021
Kim8
Hi Vetta17,
My son graduated in class 07-21 this past March. Candidates receive their candio boxes after Battle Stations which is in Week 9, usually on Wednesday. The candidates can get their phones back as early as that Wed night & Candio boxes are usually given Thurs or Fri of week 9 but this is at the discretion of the class officers so it varies. I sent my son's Candio box on Thurs of week 8 via UPS & it arrived on base on Monday. My son was actually given his box Monday night, it had to be a mistake, because they are usually held onto until they know the candidate has passed everything. He, of course, just held onto it because he knew it was full of contraband until he was a Candio. :)
If you google search "Navy Candio box ideas" you will see a lot of photo examples. I also uploaded a photo of the one I made, see below. (The black boxes you see are where our last name was. Since no last names are allowed on this site, I blocked that out.) Have fun decorated the box. You can use wrapping paper if you can find some that are patriotic or go to a craft store & use scrapbooking paper, that's what I used. In that same section of the store you can also usually find the stick on letters & some Navy decorations.
When my son was there goodies & snacks were allowed. It seems that this changes every few years so try to find out for sure, maybe look on OTCN FB page or website and/or your son's OCS class FB group for friends & family. I included snacks, cookies, energy bars, etc that I know my son likes. I also contacted family & friends & told them to send me cards that I would include in the box. I bought a little desktop stand with a small American & Navy flag that stand in it. They have very limited space to store anything so that & the cards were the only non-food items I included Some people send practical items, like nice socks, thermal/compression underwear, etc.
Many people use the large flat rate box from the post office for the Candio box. It's 12x12x5 & costs about $20 no matter how heavy it is. We live in Ohio so it was actually a little cheaper to go UPS & I saved a box that was 12x12x6 from Christmas. The scrapbooking sheets are 12x12 so that's a nice size to make decorating a bit easier. USPS also got way behind in deliveries during the holidays so I didn't want to take any chances that it would be late so that's why I chose UPS. Btw, candidates are allowed to receive more than 1 Candio box but again, remember they don't have a lot of extra space.
Nov 19, 2021
NavyplusArmy
Apr 12, 2022
Cathy
Apr 12, 2022
Cathy
Nov 28, 2022
HazelTeddy
Welcome to the group Cathy!
My son graduated OCS on September 16, 2022. He'll be heading to Charleston (Goose Creek) for nuclear school. I don't know of a FB group for Officer Families. It would be great if there was one.
If your son Subs or SWO?
Nov 28, 2022
Andy'sMom
Cathy,
Usually not at the OSC phase unless someone would want to start it and administer it...which would be a lit of work! After my DS commissioned, a mom in a class above him started a page for his designation. This site has valuable information for OSC and Officers. My DS is an Aviator and there is a great page for that here as well. I'm sure there are pages for officers in other designations. Good luck to you and your son.
Nov 28, 2022
Cathy
Nov 28, 2022
Cathy
Nov 28, 2022
HazelTeddy
Our limit was 6, but the class before us was 4. Originally they were only going to allow 3 and it changed at the last minute. My son said it depends on class size and covid conditions.
I suggest allowing plenty of time to get processed at the gate. It can take awhile
Nov 28, 2022
barbrag
Although I have already found some amazing information scrolling back through posts, there doesn’t seem to be any recent posts. Any moms out there with son or daughter starting OCS this fall? My son is shipping out in October and I would love to get some up to date info or chat with moms currently preparing or with someone going through OCS at the moment (or recently). Thanks!
Sep 13, 2023
Sherryg
My son graduated from OCS in March 2023. If your son is shipping in October, one thing to check is the holiday break. My son's class was the first to have one since COVID. They had two weeks of leave and could choose which to spend at home and which to spend on base. Graduation in March was lovely but simple - no HiMom or pre-ceremony festivities.
Sep 13, 2023
M's mom
barbrag: Congratulations to you & your son on his upcoming OCS journey! My son went through OCS way back in 2012, so I can't tell you specifically how things are done now.
If you do Facebook, there is usually a Facebook group set up for families close to the time each class starts. Search for "Navy OCS Class XX-XX Families and Friends" or similar wording, where XX-XX is his class number. Since the Navy's 2024 fiscal year starts October 1, his class number MIGHT be 01-24 or 02-24. His recruiter should be able to give him his class number.
These Facebook groups are usually closed groups that you have to ask to join. We found our OCS Facebook group a wealth of information, and could share knowledge with other families whose loved ones were there at the same time. It is also very helpful to ask to join the groups of one or two PRECEDING classes to your son's, so you can see what is happening with those classes before your son's class gets to that point, so you can ask them questions about graduation day, etc. "Naval Training Command Newport" also used to have a Facebook page about OCS in general. I think the individual classes' Facebook groups are set up by the families, though.
Sep 13, 2023
Kim8
barbrag: Congrats on your son's selection to OCS! My son started OCS the 1st Sunday in Oct in 2020 & his class number was 05-2021. At the time though, my son had 2 weeks of quarantine before actually starting so his actual OCS start date was prob the 3rd Sun in Oct. The class number refers to when they graduate, not when they start so that might help you figure it out if you don't have success with the recruiter or your son doesn't want to ask the recruiter like my son. :)
I totally agree with M's mom in finding the FB group for family & friends of your son's class. I didn't find an 05-2024 FB group but I did find 01, 02, & 03-2024. The only 1 that is for fam/friends is the 01 group. You could request to join the 01 class & get a good idea of what's ahead for your son. Sometimes, the private group for the candidates turns into the family & friends group once OCS starts so you can watch the 02 & 03 groups to see if the name changes. Other times, it's a separate group. I started the fam/friends group for the 05-2021 class even though I didn't know much about OCS & it was a great source of info. My son did end up rolling & I was able to pass the admin of the 05 class group to someone else. Best wishes.
Sep 15, 2023
J71792
Oct 11, 2023