OCS Training Updates

OCS Class 04-13 (By Class Officer LT Montoya)

Class 04-13 is just one week from graduation! This past week the students had a chance to talk to junior officers from their respective communities and took classes regarding military law. The candidates also attended many graduation and drill practices to ready themselves for next week's events. On top of all this, class 04-13 continued to do an excellent job leading the regiment. They are very excited for next Wednesday when they will turn over all their regimental duties to 05-13 and just simply focus on graduation. This week ends in the student-staff challenge, a cookout where the candidates can interact with the staff in a relaxed environment and participate in many different athletic activities. We will see you all next week when your sons and daughters take the oath of office and are commissioned as the Navy's newest ensigns!

6 days till they graduate!

One...More...Week!

It's the Final Countdown!

Yoohoo! I'm still here! *blows dust off of blog* Sorry for the lack in updates. I know you all have been just hanging on the edge of your seat.

My first thought when I came back to the blog, was "19 DAYS!? 19 DAYS!". That's right. Less than 3 weeks until the Navy gives me back my sweet John. :) I apologize for the lack in updates. Before Thanksgiving break, the class earned their cellphones back. So, I've been busy emailing, texting, and talking to John. He's doing very well. Today, he had to get a broken tooth removed, so lucky for him, he had a pretty relaxed day.

Here's an update from the Officer Training Command Newport FB page.

OCS Class 04-13 (By Class Officer LT Montoya)

Class 04-13 completed their 9th week of OCS training at Officer Training Command Newport and has entered into their third and final phase of training. The third phase of training focuses on "applied leadership". This entails the candidates taking what they have learned during the first eight weeks and putting it to practical use by leading the junior OCS classes in their daily evolutions. Wednesday morning the class participated in "Victory Run." Unfortunately, the weather did not support an actual 'run' but the students carried out the ceremony. This OCS ceremony signifies the transition from Officer Candidate Phase to Candidate Officer Phase. The candidates from the class were recognized for their individual achievements in academics, military training, and physical fitness. Furthermore, the Regimental billets were announced identifying the candidate's roles and responsibilities over the next three weeks. Now as leaders of the regiment, class 04-13's performance will now be based on the successes and failures of the junior OCS classes. These next few weeks will be invaluable in preparing for their naval careers. Only 3 short weeks until grad week festivities!

They also got to open their Candi-O(Candidate Officer) care packages on Wed. A CANDIO (Candidate Officer) box is a care package box that friends and family send to there LO’s during week 8. It is tradition that on the Wednesday of week 9 when your LO’s become CANDIO’s they are given these care packages filled with goodies that they love to eat and anything they ask for that they may need. Typically all they really want is food though.

These boxes are decorated on the inside, in some Navy/ Personal fashion making it a fun and meaningful arts and crafts project for friends and family and an awesome surprise for the new CANDIO’s as they do not know what’s inside.

Here's photos of the boxes I mailed John. I sent 3.

Contents of box #1: Cliff bars, mike & ikes, his new phone, picture frames, Cheez-its, and The Ensign mag. Box #2: Starburst, Skittles, sour gummy worms, tootsie rolls, orange slices, oreos, and twizzlers. Box #3: Beef jerkey, peanuts, and a variety of chips.

It put a huge grin on his face, but it's sure a shame that he had to have dental work just a couple of days later. :-( He'll have to wait I suppose, but he sure loves his new phone. An HTC Aria if anyone's curious. He's also been able to send me some photos. Here's a couple of him and his roommate in their summer whites, and winter blue uniforms.

That's the updates for now. I will try to post more often, and also about other things besides OCS. haha

Emails, Hurricanes, and Brief Phone Calls

After John passed RLP last Thursday, they usually receive payphone privileges on Friday. I waited patiently, and excitedly the next evening. Call times are 8-10 p.m.(EST) on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sundays they're between 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. The reason I'm giving you these details? DON'T CALL ME DURING THESE TIMES. :) 7 p.m. was quickly approaching, and I was getting anxious. I hadn't heard his voice in about 4 weeks, mind you. About a quarter after 7, the phone rings. That can't be him yet. It's not phone hours. The area code isn't from RI either. I had been getting a lot of phone calls from Full Sail University that day, and it looked like their area code. I went with my instincts, and answered the phone anyway.

Me: *pause*
Me: Hello?
Male voice: Hello?
Me: Hello?
Male voice: Hello?..
Me: Heh. Hello?
Male voice: Can you hear me, or are just saying hello?
Me: Who is this?
Male voice: It's John. Hehe.
Me: Oh my gosh, John! hahahaha!
John: *laughs*

 And that's how our 5 min. conversation started. Hahaha. So we only had 5 min. to talk, because they had not received privilege, and probably wouldn't that weekend. At the time he couldn't tell me why, but I would later find out through an email, that a girl in their company went out of the chain of command to ask for phone privileges. That's a major, major no-no. So she basically screwed it up for everyone. As disappointed as we both were, it was a good phone call.

 So hurricane Sandy was headed directly for New York. It was a huge storm, only a category 1, but she packed a wallop! John told me Sunday in an email, that they were packing sandbags, in preparation for the storm. NYC got the worst. They have flooded subway tunnels, cut power, and I learned today that 10 people have died. It was a 13 foot surge. It's a horrible tragedy. Newport was blessed to not get very much at all. Today their classes resumed, and they're moving forward. They did Wet Trainer today, which is a mock up of a ship, called the "USS Buttercup". The candidates go in and practice sinking ship drills, trying to stop leaks from overhead pipes and bulk head breaches. There should be photos soon for that.

And that's all I've got for now. I'll keep whoever is reading this, well informed.

OCS Week 4 Update

OCS Training update for week 4.

OCS Class 04-13 (By Class Officer LT Montoya)

Class 04-13 excelled during the 4th week of training here at OCS. This week was the Room Locker and Personnel Inspection (RLP) which was conducted by the Marine Corps drill instructors and the Navy Chief's. The candidates were tested on their Naval professional knowledge (ranks, chain of command, etc.) while their rooms and uniforms were smartly inspected. Every member passed the inspection with an overall average of 87% earning their right to wear boot blouses, collar insignia and hoist the "04-13" pennant on the class guide-on. Also, class 04-13 completed their Naval History academic class. Next week, the class will commence their Engineering/Weapons course. One third of class 04-13's training at OCS is complete and graduation is less than two short months away!

John is doing great! He's been sending me emails. His new roommate is from Florida as well. He says next week should be a breeze. He'll also be doing drill competition, which if they do really well, might get cell phone privilege!

OCS Week 3 Update

Officer Training Command Newport's FB page posted a training highlight for week 3.

OCS Class 04-13 (By Class Officer LT Montoya)

Class 04-13 has completed another exceptional week of training here at Officer Training Command Newport. This week the officer candidates participated in the firefighter trainer, where they learned the principles and best practices to fight a shipboard fire. They were dressed out in full firefighting ensembles and used real hoses/extinguishing equipment to practice firefighting techniques. Also, the officer candidates continued their academic studies in Seapower (Naval History) and commenced studies in Naval Orientation and Warfare. And of course, drill and physical training played a major role in this weeks' activities.

Tomorrow, they will doing their In-PFA, which stands for "Physical Fitness Assessment" and they are tested on push-ups, curl-ups (i.e. sit-ups) and a 1.5 mile run. This event is not rollable, but the candidates still want to do well. If a Candidate has the dreaded "orange glowbelt" this is the opportunity for them to get rid of it. There will be another PFA in week 6 and a final one in week 9.

Photos from In-PFA

Class 04-13

John is row 3, second from the bottom.

John is on the far right. Can you spot him?

♪He works hard for the money! So hard for the money!♪

That's John at the bottom, with the hairy leg! :D

New Haircut and New Photos

So today, I finally bit the bullet and got a haircut. I'm always so nervous, because it's so hard for me to find a good stylist. Well, I set up an appointment yesterday at a salon, downtown. I was nervous all day, up until I saw the finished look. I was flabbergasted! I've never seen my hair look so good.

Also, the Navy posted new photos of John! :D

Another Email From John!

So, surprisingly I received another email from John, today! I was so happy, and I really needed it, today. Haven't been feeling all that chipper, and this made me explode with joy.

Hey Hayley,

Today we are in a class with computers. So during our break I'm writing you a quick email. Time is moving quickly here now that the first week is officially done with. Yesterday we did some fire fighting training, and we all got the chance to be fire fighters for the day, it was pretty cool. Also last week I was the Section leader for our class, which means I was the one marching us to a from appointments. Under my command we were able to perform the chow hall procedures without any mistakes for the first time as a class. Church this Sunday was great, the talks during sacrament meeting were a little boring so I did nod off a little (we don't get a lot of sleep here). Sunday school was good, a lot better then it is at home. Afterwards, the members give us a meal, as if we were missionaries, they want to make sure we are being looked after while we are away from our families.

I don't have much time left. I love you

Love,
John M. Grant, your loving Husband

More updates to come, and hopefully some new photos!

First Letter!

I received my first letter from John, yesterday! It was an exciting day. Here's what he had to say:

Dear Hayley,

It took some time but I'm finally writing you a letter. If you haven't figured out by now, I made it through Outpost this time around. Although I was stronger from my time in H-Class, it was still very challenging for me this time around. My new class is great, everyone from H-Class made it through outpost, so I didn't have to make new friends. Things are a little chill right now, because of the holiday. The class Drill Instructor is great, he actually wants us to learn and has shown some patience. We have spent some time in the sandpits, because of things the non-H-class Candidates are doing. So we H-ers are teaching them the ways of of OCS. Today, I got my new role for the platoon. I am "Section Leader Body". My new job is to teach and prepare the Officer Candidates here in class 04-13 how to be a section leader. I've also discovered that I have a natural ability to shine boots, who knew. Well, I can't think of anything else to write now, so I'll write you next week.

Love,
John Grant (Your Husband)

P.S. I LOVE YOU

I've been reading and re-reading so many times. That is the latest for John thus far!

Test Email!

I'm a member, and admin of a group on Facebook, for John's class at OCS. It's a support group for the family and friends of loved ones, currently at OCS in class 04-13.

I logged on this evening, and saw that a lot of ladies were receiving test emails from their LOs(Loved Ones). While at OCS, the Navy sets up training email accounts for the candidates, that they use for academic classes, and to communicate with loved ones. They get full access during week five, after passing RLP(Room, Locker, and Personal) inspection. The day they set up the account, they allow a few of the candidates to send a test email to their personal email account. They ussually Cc it to their spouse/significant other as well.

I immediately went to my email. Nothing. I felt a little bummed, but then thought of John's email. At the time, I didn't realize they were supposed to send it to their own. Then I saw it.

Sender: JOHN
Subject: It is me John Grant, your Husband - If your checking my email, if not then disreguard this email

I was ecstatic!

I have read this email over, and over again. It sends my heart floating into the sky. *sigh*:)

OCS Update - 10/10/12

Well, week 1 didn't go as planned for John. He got dehydrated during the Friday of week 1, and was rolled back. Which means he was put into Holding class. You can be put into holding for many reasons. Injuries, illness, falling behind in physical training, etc. They hold those individuals there until the next class starts. They train them up stronger, get extra time to study, and it's actually really good for them. Not so much for family members, because that means he's there an extra 3 weeks. When the new class begins, they join the class at the portion they failed. Which means John joined on Friday. This means he's technically in week 2 right now.

  I did get to talk to him on Sundays while in holding, which was really nice. :) They had him so busy, he didn't have time to write any letters. Week two is almost over!

Here is a summary of Week 2:
Week Two

Having survived the first week you will have the perseverance to continue on. If you are lucky, a new class will come in this week, taking some of the attention off of you. However, new classes typically come in every two - three weeks so don’t count on them just yet.
The second week begins to show signs of the routine nature of OCS. A typical day will be as follows (again keep in mind due to the constant changing of OCS this is also subject to change):

0500 Reveille
0525 PT
0645 Chow
0730 Cleanup
0800 Academics/Briefs
1100 Chow
1200 Academics/Briefs
1700 Chow
1830 Study Period
2100 Sweepers (Cleaning)
2200 Taps (bedtime)

Saturdays, after PT, will be spent drilling, doing sweepers (cleaning the Battalion) and studying. During study times you can begin preparing for RLP as well as studying your required knowledge for the RLP. Sundays, reveille goes off at 0630 and there are Protestant, Catholic, and other services available on base, the rest of the day is yours.

Also, this is the week you will take the 3rd class swim test.
You need to begin preparing for the 3rd week RLP; otherwise you will find yourself in an unfortunate predicament. You will hear this inspection referred to as RLP by the Drill Instructors. RLP stands for Room, Locker, and Personnel inspection although some Drill Instructors argue it stands for Re-Location Program (that is, relocate to H-Class). By Friday evening of this week, all of your pressing and stamping/stenciling should be done. If so, your life will be easier. If not, the results will be less than desirable. Your preparation should have begun Saturday afternoon immediately after the brief your Drill Instructor gave. From that point forward, every free moment should be spent preparing for RLP. You cannot over prepare for this inspection.
You will also begin to interact with all of the other class at OCS. These classes are Officer Candidates, just like your class is now. They have just gone through everything that you are about to go through, so talk to them and listen to their advice. They will be very helpful with questions you may have on how to do certain things for RLP.

John's OCS Training - Week 1-4

He won't always have to have his hair(head) like this. It's just for OCS. 

John is at Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island for the next however many days the countdown to your right says. For friends and families interested in knowing what John is going through right now, here's some information. This is Week 1-4.

Timeline on what to expect:

Week 1:LOs check in on Sunday.Expect that 1 phone call they get to make on Monday sometime so keep your phone close.The class will not be able to receive mail the first week, however write them anyways, they will get it eventually.
Rollable events this first week are injuries/medical, Initial Strength Test, Wake up Wednesday, and Outpost.

Week 2: The class completes there Swim training (not rollable) on Monday and Tuesday depending on the Company (if there are two companies). The class will send out a test email from their email accounts they will use after week. They will be able to start receiving letters and will maybe have time to start writing letters home. Do not be alarmed if you don't receive an email, sometimes they have issues with them. They will be fixed by the time they get to email after RLP. There academic classes begining this week as well

Week 3: The class will be busy preparing for Drill competition and RLP. They will also have fire training (not rollable) during this week

Week 4: RLP inspection-Rollable event.After RLP they will move into rooms with computers. With computers come email access! They will also receive phone privileges using the payphones on Friday and Saturday evenings between 8pm and 10pm (east coast time) and on Sundays during the day from 7:30 am till 4:00pm east coast time.

rule of thumb is: NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!!

I. Introduction
In November 2009, OCS initiated a new program that it calls “OCS: The  Way Ahead.” The new program involves a three-week-long “Indoc” phase, a more academically robust Officer Candidate Phase, and greater leadership instruction during Candidate Officer phase. The change was initiated out of a desire that OCS graduates come out with the same level of basic competencies as USNA and NROTC graduates. Despite these changes, the core of OCS remains what it has always been: a highly intensive twelve-week program built on three core areas: academics, PT and military discipline. Candidates will need to reach levels of competence in all three areas in order to successfully complete the  program.

II. Indoctrination Candidate Phase
“Indoc” phase is obviously intended to be a difficult and stressful period during which one is introduced to the discipline of a military way of life. Although it is now three weeks long, generally only the first week to week-and-a-half are spent in “poopy suits,” after which Indocs will don the Navy Working Uniform (NWUs) like the rest of the  regiment. The first four days (Sunday-Wednesday) are spent under the guidance and instruction of the Candidate Officers, and involves a lot of “hurry up-and-wait” administrative work, as well as the medical screenings and initial “mock” PFA (which a large percentage of candidates will fail due to incorrect form, earning themselves the hated orange glowbelts). The day on which candidates meet their Drill Instructors, formerly known as “Wake-up Wednesday” has recently been re-dubbed “Throw-down Thursday,” but still remains one of the longest and most unpleasant days of your time at OCS. The key to making it through is to think as little as possible: just focus on doing what you are told and being as loud as you possibly can. Constantly showing Speed, Volume and Intensity will get you through much of Indoctrination phase, and will keep the DIs off your case. Overall, the most difficult aspect of Indoc phase is not the sessions with the DIs, but rather adjusting to the constant sense of surveillance and lack of freedom of individual movement: all trips to the head are done as a group, any free time is spent sitting cross-legged in the passageway working on RLP prep and, of course, chow hall procedures are highly regimented. For most candidates, adjustment to these regulations and this way of life takes about a week, and at a certain point it becomes second nature. The quicker the class as a whole makes this adjustment, the easier life will become.
a. RLP
The fourth-week Room, Locker, Personnel Inspection (RLP) is for many candidates the most stressful part of OCS. This is due to the many long hours spent preparing for the inspection, what is often considered to be the subjective nature of its outcome, and the serious consequences that come from repeated failures. The purpose of RLP is to teach the candidates time management, teamwork and the ability to closely follow instructions, all of which are necessary to pass the inspection, and to make it through OCS in general. RLP’s reputation for subjectivity stems largely from differences in the grading strictness of the various class drill instructors and chief petty officers who conduct them. However, in many cases, the strictness and nit-pickiness of a given inspection will be decided by the inspector’s first impression of the candidate and his  display: Volume and Intensity on the part of the candidate are essential, as well as a neat and tight appearance of the rack and war locker display (especially the PT stack). Regarding teamwork, while candidates inevitably will (and should) reach out an receive help from shipmates who are especially skilled in a given area of RLP prep (be it folding a PT stack, ironing trousers, etc.), they must never forget that they are ultimately responsible for their own final product, and must therefore personally check and adjust every element in their display. The punishments for failing RLP have been slightly in flux, but generally involve an increasing number of demerits for each failure and  eventually, being rolled to H Class.
b. Outpost
Outpost, the symbolic final evolution of Indoctrination phase, is an event with a fearsome reputation that is generally no longer matched by its reality. The event involves packing up a seabag with the contents of your Indoc room, then marching around Nimitz Hall as a group while performing RPT exercises at various phases, and finally ending up at your new rooms for Officer Candidate Phase. The event is adjusted  considerably in the event of cold weather, and is much easier when done inside. The key to making it through Outpost is to remain with the pack, as any candidates who fall too far behind will be pulled from the event by the safety monitors, and rolled from the class as a result.

John Is a Gator Grad!

   On May 6th, 2012, John became a University graduate! He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. We're all very proud of him, and his accomplishments. He worked very hard to reach this day.

   The ceremony, like all others was VERY long. With some boring, pompous speakers. I'll admit, I played games on John's Eepad most of the time. My siblings, John's siblings, his grandparents, his parents, and a close friend of ours, were all in attendance. After the graduation, John ran into a childhood friend, David Graham, and his wife. We chatted, and took photos. We then headed over to the Castillo's home, where we had a celebratory dinner of taco salad, and delicious cakes. It was a wonderful day, and I'm so proud of him. Now he'll be getting ready to join the U.S. Navy, and eventually become a Nuclear Submarine Officer.