Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS) Part 1

Navy Officer Candidate School

Indoctrination Phase

This is a special guest post by Kenny!

I completed OCS a couple months ago, and I know before going I was freaking out reading everything I could to prepare for it. Well if you are for some reason in that boat, congratulations for being accepted into OCS! Now you are wondering what do I need to do get ready? Well the first thing is make sure you are mentally prepared to push through no matter what. I don't want to scare you but people do drop out the first week because they cant take it mentally or physically. If you have the drive and motivation you will succeed.

What a lot of the recruiting people don't tell you is that you are not guaranteed to finish in 12 weeks. If you cannot keep up on roll-able events such as wake up Wednesday or outpost, then you roll into H-Class, which is short for holding company. When you "roll" you basically move from your current class to a group of candidates waiting to class up with the next class. Some would have just rolled with you and some could be coming in from med-hold. In 3 weeks you will get another chance to join the class the day before you rolled and attempt the event that rolled you last time. If for some reason you get injured, say a broken leg, then you will get treated and put in "med hold" which is similar to H-class but with a few perks. In med hold you no longer are treated as an indoc but as a human again. You are allowed to go out on liberty on weekends and you do odd jobs around training country during the day. Once you are well enough to class up you will go first to H class then class up with the next class. Another little tid-bit they leave out before coming is something called "student pool." Student pool is basically where you go if you decide to drop out of OCS, or if you finish OCS without a designator or some other reason is requiring you to stay with OCS even though you arn't in training. I personally was put here after graduating and was stuck for a good 9 weeks, waiting for the navy to move its wheels and get me out of there. If you drop out of OCS because you cant take it, you don't go home the next day, you go to student pool for about 2 weeks while they out process you. So if you are thinking of quiting just think by time you get out of Newport most likely your class will be done with RLP.

Ok enough with student pool and H class. Lets get down to my experience with OCS and the basics behind it, since it is no great secret on how they train officers.

I was accepted into the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC) my junior year of college. The rest of time in college I was getting paid to get good grades and keep in shape. I my write another post later about getting in the NUPOC program because that is some good info too. Anyways after I graduated I was told report to OCS at the end of June. Near the end of May I got a call asking me if I wanted to report 3 weeks early for OCS by my recruiter since they had a couple slots open. I said no, since I had already purchased tickets out there, and set up reservations, and plus I wanted three more weeks with my wife during this down time.

When I flew in to Providence I went over to the shuttle kiosk and asked about the shuttle to the base, he said it would take about an hour so I sat down and studied "Gouge" (the navy word for study material or knowledge). It didn't take long for 2 more people going to OCS to come over and sit down. We talked asked about each others designators (What you will do in the navy), and generally tried to maintain calm and collected and not show that we were worried. After taking the shuttle and arriving on base, we dropped our stuff off in our rooms and met up to go into town for our "last meal." We went down to the Red parrot a pretty cheap restaurant with decent food. As you can understand there wasn't much conversation between 3 people thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow.

Day 1:

The next morning we met in the lobby of the hotel, checked out and walked over together, pulling our suitcases behind us.  As we walked over we passed other officer candidates going to church and it was weird thinking I would be one of them in a few weeks looking at new indocs. When we got to the check in we were told to stand with our luggage against a wall and don't talk. So about 10 of us stood as if were were on a firing line looking straight ahead of us, the tension and fear setting in. We were then told to follow someone from room to room as we checked in. This process was basically a lot of paperwork as well as being issued our seabag and canteen.

Filling out paperwork upon arrival

We got to the final station, which was a demonstration of "Ballistics" (term used for shouting). I remember sitting in my chair as the 2 candidate officers yelled commands and responses at each other. The speed and volume was intense and I thought there was no way I could be as loud as them. We were then given "a last chance to ask questions." We all just stared blankly back at him. Well we were then herded like sheep to the "Dungeon" where the yelling and screaming truly began. They yell commands so quickly that you cant understand all of them, you just stumble around trying to catch the majority of what they are saying and not be so lost. I still remember we were in a hall way where someone was teaching us the navy words for ceiling (Overhead), floor (deck),  window (porthole) and white board (visual aid panel). Well when she yelled "This is a visual aid panel, what is this candidate!?" We all just yelled a mumbled sounds that sounded similar back at her, and as she repeated the question about 5 times trying to get us to say it right she finally slowed down so we could actually here what it was called and yell it back. The rest of the day is basically sitting cross legged, or standing at attention, drinking out of a canteen, being yelled at and herded like sheep from place to place. I didn't "practice" standing at attention or sitting at attention nor should you, but you will defiantly be sore by the end of the day. Late in the day you will also be given your haircuts. which will be hidden by a nice "chrome dome" while outside. The chrome dome is basically an old Vietnam style helmet spray painted silver probably the day after the war as it has faded on most of them. While running, or speed walking you your nice little chrome dome with bounce on your head and block your vision, and you are not supposed to fix it so it sits half obscuring your view as you stand there.

An Indoc waiting to be told what to do

Day 2:
Medical Monday! For this day you go to the hospital on base sit at attention in the chairs and get a few tests done. This is a great day to get some studying done. If you have some really chill candios they will you actually put your back against the chair back like a normally person but if your candios are instructed to be really strict or if they want to feel like they have power, they will nit pick you every time you don't sit at perfect attention. My candios were really strict on sitting at attention so I was always really sore by the end of the day. My tip for this day, besides studying, is ask for the vegetarian meal. Often times the normal meal is a nasty ham and cheese sub sandwich, but the vegetarian meal was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. (MUCH BETTER!)

Day 3:

Running the mile and a half!

Pushups!

This morning is your first physical fitness test. You need a satisfactory to pass, so know your numbers and shoot for at least 5 above it so you don't stop 1 short by accident and roll to H-class. (It happens probably once every 2 or 3 classes). Historically this is where most people roll. (I know because during my time in student pool I had access to the "roll logs"). Come to OCS in shape! You don't have to be a lifting god but you do have to be able to run a mile and a half at a decent speed and do some push ups so practice beforehand and save yourself 3 weeks of extra pain. The rest of the day is basically going from place to place being yelled at by your candios.



Day 4:

Good Morning!

Wake up Wednesday!

Most likely you knew this was coming, everyone does. But when it happens it is still pretty intense. The Drill instructor will come screaming in at 4 am and wake everyone up and tell them to get at attention outside their door. Basically you will be screamed at, RPT'd and RPT'd some more. This day is to make sure you can do the strength and conditioning days. My biggest tip is one given to me by someone I met in the hotel before going to OCS, he had just graduated and told me he rolled because his knees touched the deck while doing push ups. The drill instructors are looking for people they don't think can take it and arnt strong enough yet. Your DI wants to weed out the people he doesn't want to hold his company back during drill so he is looking for people who will quit on him. letting your knees touching the floor while doing push ups is a big tell tale sign to them. During the endless push ups you will get tired, you will want to lay down or let your knees cave, DON'T DO IT! Instead drop your butt low and arch like its a back stretch just don't let those knees touch. Give it your all, your arms might shake but that means you have determination even in the pain. You can do, thousands do it every year, so can you. Once you are done with the morning "fun" and go to breakfast you will be thrilled that you got through the hardest part of the day. I remember going back to my room to shower thinking that it wasn't that bad. Many DI's will give random RPT (Remedial Physical Training sessions) through out the day, so the day is defiantly not over with but the morning is defiantly the hardest part, so be proud and push through.

Day 5:
I am pretty sure Thursday is when you go and get fitted for uniforms. This is a cool day since you get to go to the uniform shop and try on those uniforms you have envisioned yourself in. This is a more relaxed day so enjoy in. There is most likely some yelling and running but nothing compared to Wednesday or Friday.

Day 6:
Outpost!

Another big rollable event is called outpost. Over the years it has gotten easier and easier because of safety standards. apparently you used to have to carry the bag in front of you with out locking your hands together, but too many people were getting injured and it was weeding out the shorter people too much since they would trip on the giant seabag. When you wake up at 4am by the soothing voice of the drill instructor you will do exactly what he tells you to do. Most likely he will tell you to put on socks, then shoes then your belt. Then he will tell you what to load into your seabag (normally prepared the night before with the help of your candios) and you will put them on your back and follow him on a short run. After the run you do some physical activities, such as pushups, lunges, situps, 6-90's and other assorted physical fun.  Quick note: Before you go in, remember where you put down your bag. When you come out you will have to find your bag and put it on while everyone is scrambling and grabbing bags and trying to get in formation. So often time people get tripped up trying to find their bag. You will then run back to the "House" and do another RPT session and be done. Congratulations you made it through Outpost! Shower off and endure the chowhall procedures and random RPT sessions of the day but if you get to that evening in tact you will throw your "poopy suit" in a bin and never wear it again (unless your company is REALLY bad).

Day 7: Saturday, you will be wearing NWU's (The blue camo navy working uniform) and most likely will start some drill. At first you will like drill because it is actually kind of fun to learn how to handle a weapon in such a way. Stay positive because it is REALLY easy to hate drill, and most if not all do by the end, but enjoy it while you can because you learn it to show to your loved ones when you graduate.

Day 8: Sunday. GO TO CHURCH. I don't care if you believe in God or not, I don't care if you don't like church. GO TO CHURCH. Sign up for all three services. The first service is "Protestant Liturgical," the second service is the Catholic service, the final service is "Protestant non liturgical." You don't have to go in all three services if you sign up for them, you can go and chill outside or in the common room, talk and eat donuts. It is the best part of the week, a time you can relax, eat junk food, drink coffee, and write letters. It is a time to rejuvenate and ready yourself for the next week. If you don't go to church you will have to sit out in the hall preparing for RLP.

Some random things that are good to know:

• The rooms are quite nice, I was one of the first classes to be in the "New Nimitz" building. Each room has 2 desks, 2 warlockers, 2 beds that lift up for storage space, and a private toilet and sink. Two rooms connect via a shower area, where 2 rooms (4 people) share 2 shower stalls. You will have to get used to showering quick and alternating showering to get ready quickly enough to get out in time.
• The food has gotten a lot better too. They have a 21 day menu, where the food repeats after 3 weeks. During the beginning or as long as you are on "Grab and go" you take what ever entree the staff gives you for a meal (excluding those with food allergies or religious reasons cant eat something). Depending on your class team you will be restricted from everything except getting salad and a fruit in addition to this. If your class team is nice, you can "unlock" cheese, milk, other drinks, cereal, salad dressings, condiments, peanut butter, bread and coffee. Normally though you will not be given access to everything until candio phase. Personally we weren't given anything except peanut butter and bread after 5 weeks. While younger classes had pretty much everything by week 2. It all depends on your DI.
• You are assigned a roommate when you arrive, normally after three weeks when you change rooms you can choose your roommate, and again at the beginning of candio phase on week 9.
• Each class team is different and has a different teaching style, so not all experiences are the same.
• You will start receiving letters normally the beginning of week 2. Have loved ones write letters, because they will make your day, and help carry you through. (Thanks Kim, Mom and Dad!)
• READ THE OCR. The OCR is like the rule book for OCS. It has everything from uniform standards, to protocols for everything from chow hall procedures to seeing the chaplain. If its in the OCR and you reference it when asking for something to your chief, normally you will be ok. Not always, but most of the time. 
• You will never be denied water or using the head (navy word for the bathroom). So dont be afraid to ask a candio to use the head. Also drink a lot! Dehydration is what took the most people from my company, we even had 3 incidents of people fainting during drill practice because they wern't drinking enough. So drink up and save yourself the trouble.

In the next post I will talk about more about RLP and Officer Candidate Phase.

Hopefully this will help someone.

Please note that all pictures are from the Officer Training Command Newport's Facebook page.