I’d like to hear you and all the guys who went through with you’s experiences on what ya’ll expected for an MOS, and how it all shifted through OCS but mostly TBS! That name tag tip more in depth could be good to make a short video on, explaining it like I’m 5, if that can save a guy 1-3 hours of sleep, could be significant.
This was great. A rundown on individual events would be very helpful. My son is doing Navy ROTC (Marine option), and we are interested in learning and hearing about your experience. You are an impressive young man. Thank you for your service. The Marine Corp is lucky to have you. Good luck in airborne school.
OCS June 1976. Charlie 2 Platoon. Brown Field. Ancient 3 story brick building right on the river - big basement room with the laundry sinks, scrub tables, and clothes lines. Our Plt Sgt was a worthless SSgt, but our Sgt Instructor was a Corporal .... the only cpl Sgt Instructor in the company - so he had something to prove to the other Sgts, and we were it!. He was younger than me, steel wire thin and hard as woodpecker lips. Seemed like we spent 90% of the time with him alone. I can still hear his voice. Our platoon earned the Drill Guidon Award for best drill. Hardly ever saw the Capt Plt Commander. And everyone decided to smoke when the "smoking lamp was lit" outside by the river for 5 luxurious, endless minutes - maybe twice each day. Started with 50 candidates, finished with about 30. It was rewardingly very tough - at the perfect early point on one's journey along life's long road.
You get evening snacks in OCS? We never got a snack at any time during boot camp, unless you count leftover candies from MREs during the times week or two we were in the field in 2nd phase. Otherwise it was only breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us recruits.
Good question. I do not remember anybody failing the taping portion. There were many, especially priors, who had to tape. Remember, if you have a 285+ PFT and CFT score, I am pretty sure you are exempt from HT/WT standards. I am often close to my max weight, but I usually score higher than both those scores so I don't have to worry.
Responding to this comment so I can get notified when there is a response. I have a really long last name, so I would really love to save some time and have name tapes ready in advance.
You make the name tapes using a 1/2 in and 1 in stencil with your last name, first initial of your company and platoon number on white 1in medical tape. For example Smith L3
Games. They make you tear them off before lights out, and tell you they better be on when you wake up in the morning. The whole point is to make you lose sleep.
I’m 6’8, 250. 21 years old. I’ve done PTs in the past with officer candidates in my school. Since the last PFT I’ve taken I could run a 3 mile is around 26 minutes, hold a 2:30 min plank, and do 11 pull ups. The biggest hurdle for me isn’t going to be the physical aspect, instead it’s the need for me to be off of the stimulant medication I’ve been on since I was a child. I’ve tried and failed many times to wean off of it, to not much effect. I have to prove to them that I can be without it for at least one year. This medication greatly affects my performance both physically and mentally. I’m in a tight spot here, especially because my college’s selection office connections and benefits only apply to undergrads and recent graduates. I’m worried that I’ll miss the train on this one if I decide to wean off later. My life goal is to be a marine officer. I currently am working an important internship and have one year left of schooling. I require this medication to function and remain vigilant. Or else I run the risk of flunking out of those things. I understand this doesn’t align with your scenario very much, but you have proven to do whatever it takes to get it done. So I would like to ask, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?
I will give this advice. Again this is my advice and in no way is professional or endorsed by the DOD. If you have personal issues before coming in, the marine corps, in my experience, makes it worse. Unless you are 10000% sure you want to do it, I would find other options.
I think if you are on any medication and this is on your record, MEPS will DQ you. Idk if they can get you a waiver to actively take medication, they would likely only waiver if you could make it without taking medication
I’m planning on applying for OCS soon. Thanks for this. I’d love to hear the TBS rundown as well.
Thank you for commenting
Business Insider recently posted a good video giving a brief overview of TBS.
Thank you for this video. Congrats for making it as far as you have.
thanks man! glad i ran into this
I’d like to hear you and all the guys who went through with you’s experiences on what ya’ll expected for an MOS, and how it all shifted through OCS but mostly TBS!
That name tag tip more in depth could be good to make a short video on, explaining it like I’m 5, if that can save a guy 1-3 hours of sleep, could be significant.
good luck to you.. sounds like great info for any young man or woman looking to take this route to be a marine officer..
Thank you for your kind words
This was great. A rundown on individual events would be very helpful. My son is doing Navy ROTC (Marine option), and we are interested in learning and hearing about your experience. You are an impressive young man. Thank you for your service. The Marine Corp is lucky to have you. Good luck in airborne school.
Thank you and thank you for your sons willingness to volunteer for our military
Helpful video!
OCS June 1976. Charlie 2 Platoon. Brown Field. Ancient 3 story brick building right on the river - big basement room with the laundry sinks, scrub tables, and clothes lines. Our Plt Sgt was a worthless SSgt, but our Sgt Instructor was a Corporal .... the only cpl Sgt Instructor in the company - so he had something to prove to the other Sgts, and we were it!. He was younger than me, steel wire thin and hard as woodpecker lips. Seemed like we spent 90% of the time with him alone. I can still hear his voice. Our platoon earned the Drill Guidon Award for best drill. Hardly ever saw the Capt Plt Commander. And everyone decided to smoke when the "smoking lamp was lit" outside by the river for 5 luxurious, endless minutes - maybe twice each day. Started with 50 candidates, finished with about 30. It was rewardingly very tough - at the perfect early point on one's journey along life's long road.
Thanks for your story and your service.
You get evening snacks in OCS? We never got a snack at any time during boot camp, unless you count leftover candies from MREs during the times week or two we were in the field in 2nd phase. Otherwise it was only breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us recruits.
There is no doubting that boot camp is harder than OCS. Maybe not physically, but in every other aspecr
Thank for the video. During INDOC did anyone fail the initial ht/wt and then fail tape? If so what happened to them? Thanks!
Good question. I do not remember anybody failing the taping portion. There were many, especially priors, who had to tape. Remember, if you have a 285+ PFT and CFT score, I am pretty sure you are exempt from HT/WT standards. I am often close to my max weight, but I usually score higher than both those scores so I don't have to worry.
Thank you
I also go to USC and I am going to OCS in January. On the scale of hardest things you've how is OCS a 7???
How do you do the name tapes? What kind of tape/ writing device? How big should I make the pieces of tape and name?
Responding to this comment so I can get notified when there is a response. I have a really long last name, so I would really love to save some time and have name tapes ready in advance.
You make the name tapes using a 1/2 in and 1 in stencil with your last name, first initial of your company and platoon number on white 1in medical tape. For example Smith L3
Don't stress it. They'll be issued to you during inprocessing.
Granted the tape you'll get is ass. Consider bringing your own kendel tape.
What are the name tapes you talk of and why did you have so many and why did the instructors rip them off?
Games. They make you tear them off before lights out, and tell you they better be on when you wake up in the morning. The whole point is to make you lose sleep.
I’m 6’8, 250. 21 years old. I’ve done PTs in the past with officer candidates in my school. Since the last PFT I’ve taken I could run a 3 mile is around 26 minutes, hold a 2:30 min plank, and do 11 pull ups.
The biggest hurdle for me isn’t going to be the physical aspect, instead it’s the need for me to be off of the stimulant medication I’ve been on since I was a child. I’ve tried and failed many times to wean off of it, to not much effect. I have to prove to them that I can be without it for at least one year.
This medication greatly affects my performance both physically and mentally. I’m in a tight spot here, especially because my college’s selection office connections and benefits only apply to undergrads and recent graduates. I’m worried that I’ll miss the train on this one if I decide to wean off later.
My life goal is to be a marine officer. I currently am working an important internship and have one year left of schooling. I require this medication to function and remain vigilant. Or else I run the risk of flunking out of those things.
I understand this doesn’t align with your scenario very much, but you have proven to do whatever it takes to get it done. So I would like to ask, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?
I will give this advice. Again this is my advice and in no way is professional or endorsed by the DOD. If you have personal issues before coming in, the marine corps, in my experience, makes it worse. Unless you are 10000% sure you want to do it, I would find other options.
I think if you are on any medication and this is on your record, MEPS will DQ you. Idk if they can get you a waiver to actively take medication, they would likely only waiver if you could make it without taking medication
That inprocessing during COVID was awful. Thankfully thats not how it is now
Hope you’re doing well, my friend.
Any mustangs?
Yes many