Yes! I'm in but I will say I couldn't access it on one computer, but was able to at work. I can see that you took it from 'hidden' to publicly viewable, but I had a hard time finding the group initially. Thanks for approving me!

I checked with my son.  Here's the deal (at least as it was a year ago).  There is no training for the two weeks around Christmas.  The candidates have liberty of the base and if they are in the candio phase, may also be able to go into town.  They may, if they choose, leave Newport for a week, but that would count as leave time.  Since they accumulate leave while in training, he felt it didn't make much difference,  Sorry to have had it wrong. 

Here's a LINK to the info I posted about Candio boxes. 

I remember using the FB class groups before my son's as a gauge to what is allowed in the candio boxes. I'm vaguely remembering finding some details on either the OCS website or OCS FB group but can't remember exactly.

Hi,  

The navy is bad at communicating and things do seem to change all the time, but my experience was that the holiday leave meant that the length of the program extended by 2 weeks.   OCS training did not happen during that period.  The candidates had two weeks leave -- one week on base and the other at home -- and they had a choice of which week to take at home.  It didn't affect their post-training leave.  And yes yes yes re Appendix B -- there is nnly so much of the OCS stress that can be managed before they go and they are in a much better place if they are prepared on that.

I think both recruits & parents/friends might be hesitant to post & ask questions if both are in one group so you might want to encourage one of the recruits (maybe your son?) to have a separate group for themselves. I've seen recruit groups become F&F after OCS starts but I've also seen separate groups. 

That's fantastic that your son is preparing so well. It's such a mental game there that I honestly think the memorization part is so critical to have beforehand. Plus they are exhausted by all the physical that memorizing while there is so tough.

How interesting that they have to report a week early. Yeah, it's anyone's guess why they change things. The Navy is notorious for that even once the sailors are at their duty station so you all will want to mentally adjust/prepare for that. :)

Good thought in US VPN. Wow, what an added element to navigate being overseas.

I will send another message with my notes on Candio boxes; I think there are limits on how long these msgs can be. 

It's odd, the group was undiscoverable last night on my home computer and ipad, but I was able to easily access it at work today. My membership is pending. Thanks so much!

barbrag:  When my son was DQ'd from flight, he was given the option to leave OCS and the Navy with no obligation, which he DIDN'T want to do.   I think he was given limited options to transfer to, because there had to be space available for him in the training program he chose.  There were others in his class who were also DQ'd.  One of them I remember went to aircraft maintenance, because he still wanted to be around planes. 

My son is starting OCS in October, as well! I'm still poking around this site for info. Best of luck to your son/daughter!

Sure, you're welcome. I remember searching for information on the OCS process; it was so hard to find details. I think they do that on purpose so it adds to the intimidation factor for the candidates. :) You have some great advice from M's mom in your comments. I would 2nd the being physically ready & doubly stress the importance of knowing "Appendix B" before getting there. It is such a stressful environment that it's so helpful to have a lot of that memorized beforehand. 

I'm glad you went ahead & made the FB group. People will find it, especially once their child has left for OCS. You might want to add to the title or put in the description that it's for friends & family. I think the chatter is very different when it's a group for the candidates vs for family & friends. 

The FB page for OCS is "Officer Training Command Newport". Search for that & you'll find it. You might get lucky & see a photo posted of your son once he's there but you can also see progress through the different evolutions of previous classes. They don't give a ton of details but there is some info.

Make sure you know about CandiO boxes. They are a real fun way to celebrate when your son reaches that stage. I did a post about them that I can look for if you need details.

Your son will have to sign up for phone calls once he gets to that point. He won't get phone privileges until after INDOC(trination) phase which is 3 weeks. The phone calls are only 10 minutes & go by really fast but still wonderful.

I posted what I could remember of the the whole 13 week program after my son when through in 2020-2021. I'm happy to send that to you if you haven't found it yet. Some things might have changed but I think they generally keep the same format.

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barbrag,  My son also went to OCS as an SNA candidate, but even though he passed all the required medical physicals beforehand, when he got to OCS, the pilot candidates were given a flight physical which included a full body scan.  It showed he had a minor heart valve anomaly, which was not life threatening, nor disqualifying from the Navy, but it did DQ him from flight!  He was very disappointed, but was allowed to remain at OCS and switch "designators."  He chose intelligence, and he has enjoyed it very much.  I think it was a blessing in disguise, because I think he is MUCH better suited to intel than pilot anyway, but just my "Momsense."   He has taken private pilot lessons on his own since then. (Private license medical is not quite as strict as military.)   So, that has scratched his itch to fly.   If something similar happens to your son, tell him all is not lost.

The best advice I could give your son is to use the time before he reports to get in the best physical shape he can.  Some candidates even hire personal trainers to get them in shape to meet the standards on pushups, running and curl ups.  It will be much easier on him if he reports to OCS already in excellent physical shape.  Also, he must memorize all the military knowledge (called "the gouge") that his recruiter should supply him with.  It will be much easier on him if he knows all of this perfectly by memory.  There are always some candidates who show up to OCS unprepared physically and mentally and don't last.

Also, if you plan to attend your son's OCS graduation (which I highly recommend---so PROUD!) do not buy plane tickets too early, or at least not unchangeable tickets based on his presumed graduation date.  If a candidate gets sick or injured, or fails a physical fitness test, or an inspection, or a written test, they can be "rolled" back to the class behind them.  This gives them time to recover, or get up to speed on whatever skills they are lacking.  This means they will not graduate with their original class, but with the class they rolled back to.  So, beware of making travel plans too soon, unless they are flexible.  

Make sure you and other family do not send him anything he is not allowed to have, other than letters.  Until the last few weeks when they are "CandiOs" (Candidate Officers,) they cannot receive any food or treats or anything considered "contraband."  It will be confiscated, and sometimes they can even be punished with hundreds of pushups, even if they did not ask for it to be sent!  This exact thing happened to one in my son's class when his well-meaning auntie sent him baked treats!   He had to do 300 pushups!!!    This is why the Facebook groups ahead of your son's class can be helpful.  They can tell you when they are allowed to receive more than just letters.   Yes, paper letters!   Unless things have changed, they were not allowed to do email until the last weeks of OCS.  It tortured my son to have to write paper letters by hand, so we didn't get very many!!  ha-ha

barbrag:  The only FB page I found was "Naval Education and Training Command." That says it is based in Pensacola, FL, so it's apparently not specific to Newport OCS.  OCS used to have its own FB page and they would post pictures of the current candidates in training.  It was always fun to search the pictures for our son, and found him a few times!  In case you haven't found it, the home website for OCS is: https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/OTCN/OCS/   

That site may answer some of your questions.  Also, try to find and join some of the FB pages of the classes immediately preceding your son's.  Those are very helpful to see what is in store for your son's class.

My son graduated OCS on Sept 7, 2012, so he now has 11 years in!! He wants to make it to 20 years, then retire and start a second career.  He is in naval intelligence, and was recently promoted to LT Commander. He has been all over the world, and we have visited him wherever he is.  The saying is, "Join the Navy and see the world!"  I say, "Join the Navy so your parents can see the world while visiting you!"  

He has been in Virginia Beach, VA, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station near Seattle, on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson for 11 months, Japan for 3 years, (we loved visiting Japan!)  Ft. Meade near Baltimore for 3 years, and he is presently finishing the first year of a 3-year deployment to the UK!  Since you are UK familiar, he is at RAF Alconbury/Molesworth near Cambridge!!

My hubby and I just flew across the pond in June to visit him and his wife, because they just had our first grandbaby in April!!!  His wife is a civilian, (college sweetheart.)   We loved the UK, saw Stonehenge and many lovely sights.  We are doing FaceTime with them to see the baby, but it's nothing like in person so we're eager to go back!

Good luck to your son in OCS.  It is an ordeal.  The drill instructors will try to weed out those who are not fully committed, so tell him to just endure whatever he is ordered to do, and keep his eyes on the prize at the end.  What job is your son going to train for?

Yes - exactly -- they had a two week leave from about December 23 to January 6.  They had the choice of spending either the first or the second week in Newport and the other week at home.  We didn't find out until early December, so it was a little challenging to do the travel planning but we were delighted to have him home (and he was delighted by the break).  They keep their telephones for the first two days or so of training and perhaps your son can give you information then.  I never did find out who else one could contact to learn anything at all.    

On another note, I'd strongly urge your son to be well-prepared for the fitness test and to memorize as much of the material as possible before getting to OCS.  That makes a very high stress experience a lot more manageable.

You might also like to join these groups:

OCS Graduate Moms

Moms of Officers