Class 08-17 A/B Newport Rhode Island started Jan 8, 2017

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nell Glass on January 15, 2017 at 5:44pm

Hi Lenox, I have to admit I am having difficulty negotiating the Navy Dad's site.  Thank you for the above.  My husband will be very interested in this.  Like you Gerald has done his reading ahead of time.  Now we know what expect ahead of time.  I am more a FB person, you can find me under Nell Glass, friend request me.

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 15, 2017 at 6:53pm

I'm actually LTB.... I'm a mom. Lenox is another parent who is a dad and that was his blog we were posting comments in. Still don't quite understand what a blog is but it seems to belong to him. We're moved over here to this new thread which will hopefully attract other parents of kids in the same class as ours. 

Nice to know I'm not alone. I struggle with this site also but it's worth it.

Unfortunately, no social networking for me. I don't twitter or facebook or anything else like that. Someone did friend me here but I don't know how to friend you or I would.

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 25, 2017 at 9:56am

Am thoroughly enjoying the photos of this class that the Navy has posted to date. Too bad we haven't been able to spot our son in any of the photos as of yet. 

I've received two very much appreciated letters from our son. Apparently, more than the anticipated 10-15% of this class either rolled or quit and they've been told there's another rollable event on the horizon that has been referred to as 'Fast Cruise'. According to my son, they haven't been told what 'Fast Cruise' is let alone what will be expected of them which most likely is creating some anxiety for him and his classmates. According to him, he and his classmates are determined not to roll. It's the Navy, it's an adventure was my reply to him in the letter I sent back to him. 

Does anyone know what 'Fast Cruise' is? 

My son said it's been a very rewarding experience so far which was good news. Has anyone else with a son or daughter in this class heard anything they would be in a position to share with another parent? Am most curious about a sand pit they are doing exercises in.   

Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on January 25, 2017 at 10:22am

I found this while searching online: 

The end of week two involves an event called Fast Cruise. As you can imagine, it'll be a quick paced evolution that will be physically demanding. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. The classes beginning with 01-15 were the first to participate in Fast Cruise, so the only information I have on this event is second-hand. Still, Fast Cruise involves a heavy Seabag and fast walking/jogging. Your first classes should be in Engineering, History, and Naval Orientation. All of these are memorization classes, plain and simple. Engineering sounds like it'll be calculations and complicated systems, but as long as you can understand a system (think engines and their cycles) you'll do fine.

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 25, 2017 at 11:06am

Awesome. Thank you very much NavyDads_Admin!!! Most appreciative.

Our family camped a lot. We've hiked for miles in sweltering desert heat in excess of 110° (it was a dry heat which made conditions more bearable) and at higher elevations where oxygen availability was reduced with heavy back packs getting to camp sites. No sweat. He'll be able to make it through the physical component of the equation and am sure he'll be heaving a sigh of relief once his class is told what's expected of them. Our son's undergraduate is in engineering and he was a TA for a year. If he's permitted to do so, he should be able to help any classmates who are struggling. I'm sure there are others in the same position who would be more than willing to do the same for fellow classmates if afforded the opportunity. They're going to get through this new 'Fast Cruise' segment of their training together. They can do it. 

What I found beyond interesting was a website that showed a photograph of Navy OCS indocs in bathing suits in a small to medium sized backyard type swimming pool filled with what appeared to be about 50% water and another 50% bagged ice. That will lend new meaning to the term polar bear swim for our sons and daughters. Brrrr cold. Better them than us. They're young. 

The fire training exercises said to be incorporated into their programming will be demanding. I found photos of those at the same website. I really should try to locate that website in my history and post a link to it. I learned an incredible amount of what they're going through from reading and viewing the short video clips and photos provided. 

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 25, 2017 at 11:18am

Should add the link to the Navy's website where photos of our kids are added weekly in albums listed by class, https://www.facebook.com/pg/OTCNewport/photos/?tab=album&album_...

You must have a facebook account to view the photos or you will need to find a friend who does who can copy and paste the photos and e-mail them to you. The photos are wonderful. A nice peek into our sons and daughters days... and nights by the looks of some photos taken where it appeared they might be burning midnight oil training. 

Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on January 25, 2017 at 11:24am

LTB said:

Should add the link to the Navy's website where photos of our kids are added weekly in albums listed by class, https://www.facebook.com/pg/OTCNewport/photos/?tab=album&album_...

You must have a facebook account to view the photos or you will need to find a friend who does who can copy and paste the photos and e-mail them to you. The photos are wonderful. A nice peek into our sons and daughters days... and nights by the looks of some photos taken where it appeared they might be burning midnight oil training. 

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 25, 2017 at 2:32pm

NavyDads_Admin> I clicked on the OCS Class photos and it only went to a larger screen shot of what you posted. Was that what you meant to post?

To any other parent with a son or daughter in 08/17> Just realized all of our kids are halfway through their 3rd week which means the 'Fast Cruise' may be behind them according to a recent post I found at a Mom's Navy website when looking for information on 'Fast Cruise'. Here's a cut and paste of the post from last week-

"Fast Cruise (the first major rollable event)occurs Friday of the 2nd week--thus Fri for yours. If he rolls, he will be in good company. Lots do.

RLP occurs Thursday morning of the 3rd week. They have a chance to repeat it Friday AM. The last class had 8 that did not pass Thu and they all helped to get 6 more through on Friday. Good teamwork. If you are a praying mom, pray for this Fri and next Thu." 

Regarding rolling, I found these three recent posts which are most encouraging addressing a question about what happens to them if they roll-

"They go into the "H" Company or Holding Company. They move back 3 wks for potential graduation, but I don't believe they need to redo previous accomplishments--so they go into holding until they are ready to repeat."

"They go into the "H" Company or Holding Company. They move back 3 wks for potential graduation, but I don't believe they need to redo previous accomplishments--so they go into holding until they are ready to repeat."

"When my son was at OCS he said the ones that rolled do get to call home. My first phone call was after he passed RLP ( room, locker and personnel  inspection. One of the best days as it came through on the 4th of July and i was home. He did send an email prior to give me a heads up that he would be calling between a certain time but i did not read my email beforehand. ( this is when they also get email too)"

The above post also may answer the question of when we might be receiving our 1st phone call from our children. It also lets us know it might be a good idea to begin checking our e-mail more regularly if we aren't already in the habit of doing so since our kids left for OTC Newport. 

Lastly, I found this informative post authored by a parent whose child rolled during the RLP mentioned above-

"My son is currently in the 06-17 class.  He rolled during RLP and contacted me between 6-7 pm the same day to let me know.  He rolled to the Holding Class.  This was a very good thing for him.  It gave him time to concentrate and work on what he needed to.  He will be graduating on  Feb 17.  It is a very stressful time for parents and of course our children going thru it."

Apparently rolling is quite common. If any of our kids are rolled, sounds to me as if they will receive the guidance and support they need to be successful when they roll back into a new class. 

Are there any other parents with a kid in this class here? If so, would enjoy hearing what your kids have written home about if you're comfortable sharing same. 

Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on January 25, 2017 at 3:09pm

Go to the OCS Group and click the image...............

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 26, 2017 at 9:10am

Gotcha, here's a direct link to that group and then all one needs to do is scroll down a little, http://www.navydads.com/page/ocs-class-photos

Am attaching/uploading an OCS Survival Guide from 2016. Enjoy. It discussed the basics of 'Fast Cruise'. Shame I didn't find that sooner or I would have shared it with my son. Simply adding it for anyone who may land at this webpage in the future. It helps demystify some of the evolutions. 

Learned that this morning may have been class 08-17's RLP. Here's hoping my son doesn't roll because he never was one for being neat and orderly. 

Found a YouTube titled 'US Navy OCS' that was worth watching. The three phases of OCS are discussed. RLP is taped starting at about 8:30. I enjoyed it. An area of sand where they're doing push up appears toward the beginning and again toward the middle of the video. This must be the sand pit. Hadn't heard of the High Ropes course but that shows up at about 12:30 and looks like something I'd like to try, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6LBuyxy6Ns

Next YouTube is titled 'The Real OCS', https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v_netqzAmk

More YouTubes I enjoyed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WCIF8zrFfQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7S0DO97wX8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyQQkQSl668

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSJFGjPduLg

Everyone certainly develops a healthy set of lungs throughout the training. ;)

This is the website where I believe I found the photo of indocs lounging around in the swimming pool filled with ice cubes, http://todaysmilitary.com/videos/navy-ocs-arrival

May have been this website, http://www.ocs.navy.mil/index.html

Neat personal website type titled 'A Dash of Love' with a three-part series on OCS. Here's the first, https://thedashoflove.blogspot.com/2014/01/navy-officer-candidate-s...

Part two and Part three linked on the right hand side of the page. 

Stumbled on this which apparently is what they were required to memorize, http://www.ocs.navy.mil/pdfs/Updated.Gouge.Pack.OCS2.pdf

For those choosing subs, this was my favorite site with many photos and videos, http://www.navy.mil/index.asp

Still hoping there are other parents here for this class. 

Attachments:

• OCS Survivors Guide_Aug2016.docx, 961 KB

Permalink Reply by Nell Glass on January 29, 2017 at 5:46pm

Hi LTB,  I read you posts above and wanted to thank you they have been very helpful.  We got a surprise phone call from our daughter today.  She said her group passed RLP and that she like your son said that it is a very rewarding experience.  Just hearing her voice and knowing she is doing well, has made me incredibly happy.  We have only received one letter from her though she said that our letters to her have helped and asked if we could just keep sending them.  A veteran friend of mine told me that when I write keep everything on the positive side, letting them know that all is well at home is very important.  Thanks again for all of your posts... I am looking forward to the next set of FB pictures!

Permalink Reply by LTB on January 30, 2017 at 10:20am

Nell> that actually took me a while. I pulled from all over the internet and shared what I found is all. 

Yes, we were called also. Couldn't have been happier. 08-17A class passed that RLP and were afforded phone privileges. Don't know if your daughter mentioned it or not however, apparently our kids are going for honors. Don't understand what that means and did not have time to ask for details. Perhaps you know? 

Our son was in exceptionally good spirits and was cracking jokes about his trials and tribulations. He was commenting on how many of his classmates reminded him of friends back home.

We'll continue to send letters to him. We've been sending photos of him, family, friends, and even pets from home and I know some of his friends have been sending funny photos of him and them together which I'm sure he appreciates. Most of what we've been sending him is what we would have talked or joked about if he was here in person. We received two letters in response to the initial letters we sent and both appear to have been from the end of his first week... possibly the beginning of his second week. Nothing since then however he did send a few letters to his "brothers" last week. 

You know to start working on a CANDIO box to send to your daughter, right? There's a really fantastic thread on CANDIO boxes here at Navy Dads. I just began gathering materials to send two boxes.... one for our kid and one for someone else's kid. Reality is there may be parents out there who do not know that these boxes from home are a tradition and that our kids look forward to receiving them. Went to Hobby Lobby and picked up several nice sheets of themed paper and packs of Navy decals. Also special ordered US Navy shot glasses to add to the boxes. Am trying my darndest to find small toy ships and submarines because the silly bug in me said to include them but so far.... no go. Other than that, I think I'll add some Red Bull or Gatorade, home made cookies, chapstick, some candy, home made turkey jerky and what ever else I stumble across that is either simple and fun or edible. 

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