Navy OIS questions

[AubreyMaturin]

I am starting OIS this June and wanted more info about it. I have been to the website and have some background, but I was interested in any advice from people who have been. Also, I wanted to know what to bring and what not to bring. For instance, do we have weekends free? Can I play sports i.e. soccer, tennis, etc... Can I bring my equipment (tennis racquets)? This may seem silly, but I play a musical intstrument, can I bring it? I was told that someone brought an xbox, so it seems reasonable that there is some free time outside of training. Thanks for the info.

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[RachMSU]

I am starting OIS this June and wanted more info about it. I have been to the website and have some background, but I was interested in any advice from people who have been. Also, I wanted to know what to bring and what not to bring. For instance, do we have weekends free? Can I play sports i.e. soccer, tennis, etc... Can I bring my equipment (tennis racquets)? This may seem silly, but I play a musical intstrument, can I bring it? I was told that someone brought an xbox, so it seems reasonable that there is some free time outside of training. Thanks for the info.

Hey Aubrey,
I'm just curious, are you doing OIS before med school or did you wait until after right before you go on active duty? I'll be starting dental school in August and have the Navy scholarship and was wondering what option was better (I was told it is better to wait). I'm also curious to find out more about OIS. Thanks!

 

[hammena1]

I went 2 years ago and from what I understand from those before me, things really changed right before I got there. It is much more intense than some who have gone before 2003 might tell you. As HPSP you are there only for 4 of 5 weeks. You only get one weekend night off base and you'll have to wear your uniform. That is the extent of off base leave for HPSP. You will have 1 or 2 weekend days where you have the day where you can do activities like soccer/musical instrument but again uniform or issued PT gear. I would bring a minimum of extra clothing and gear. You will be issued a ton of navy stuff and your storage which must be locked and contain all your worldly possesions is small. For any guys out there it is very similar to pledging a fraternity. You do get to do fun activities like firefighting and damage control with some top rate (expensive) gear. I would also strongly reccomend showing up in shape as you PT for several hours a day.

Bottom line - bring a book. You might finish it in the month.

 

[AubreyMaturin]

Hey Aubrey,
I'm just curious, are you doing OIS before med school or did you wait until after right before you go on active duty? I'll be starting dental school in August and have the Navy scholarship and was wondering what option was better (I was told it is better to wait). I'm also curious to find out more about OIS. Thanks!

I do not have my orders yet, but I assume that I am going on june 27th. I am not HPSP, I am going to USUHS and I am almost positive that it is required to go to OIS before school (unless you are prior service and exempt).
If I where to go HPSP, I would go to OIS right away so that my summer commitments would be broken up. That way I could have 2 months off for the next two summers. But also, I can't wait to start so I really want to go now.
If you want more info on OIS (I assume you are Navy, or the website is different) go to:

https://www.netc.navy.mil/netc/

The website is not perfect, I had to click around a bit before I found the OIS stufff, but it was very informative.

 

[COnavydoc]

I am starting OIS this June and wanted more info about it. I have been to the website and have some background, but I was interested in any advice from people who have been. Also, I wanted to know what to bring and what not to bring. For instance, do we have weekends free? Can I play sports i.e. soccer, tennis, etc... Can I bring my equipment (tennis racquets)? This may seem silly, but I play a musical intstrument, can I bring it? I was told that someone brought an xbox, so it seems reasonable that there is some free time outside of training. Thanks for the info.

i went in the summer of 2003. i should preface this by saying i'm normally a very upbeat, optimistic person. OIS, however, really tested my limits and was one of the most miserable experiences ever. the good things were i got in really good shape, lost some weight and met some great people. i kept reminding myself i was getting paid and tried to remain invisible if possible. it seemed universally that all of the girls hated it, some of the guys hated it, and the rest were really into it as a "pretend bootcamp." i know it is nowhere near as difficult as OCS or basic, but i thought it still sucked. i'm kind of a baby though and hated the yelling, anyway, moving on...

the post above is correct, you certainly will not need many civilian clothes. bring 3 outfits max. at least the first week you will be in navy issue PT gear. the next weeks you'll be in uniform. you can bring a instrument if you'd like but make sure it will easily fit in a drawer or small wardrobe, space is limited and you can't leave anything out. the first couple of weeks you'll be busy at night though doing stuff like shining shoes, cleaning your room, then you also have group projects/assignments later on. that being said, i did buy the new harry potter while i was there and got through about 1/4 it.

the first week for us was primarily indoctrination and PT. they woke us up around 3AM that first monday so just be prepared. it's a lot of marching, pushups, running and yelling. then standing in lines for urine test, shots, paperwork, etc...we didn't have any free time the first weekend. the next week is less PT and more classes and we could go to the NEX on the weekend in uniform. the third week is more classes and less PT with inspections. We had liberty that weekend until 10pm. but you had to leave the base and return in uniform. luckily our class ended early the next week because of July 4th. i think it's longer now.

if you're driving or can fit it in, i'd bring a pillow and a blanket. most people slept on top of their bed so they didn't have to remake the whole thing every morning. bringing some cleaning supplies like chlorox wipes and a lint brush would be helpful too. other than that just the standard stuff like shower shoes, alarm clock, lock...oh and practice situps and pushups and run so you are in decent shape when you get there.

sorry to be so negative. hopefully this helped at least a little bit. if i can survive you certainly can. and like i said i got in great shape, got paid, and met some really cool people.

 

[DocMustang]

I attended OIS last summer prior to matriculation. While I will concur with the last poster on several points, they do keep you busy with a great deal of useless stuff, and I did get to meet a lot of great people there. I would disagree that it was a miserable experience. OIS was my third basic training experience compared to what I experienced in the Army... well I will just not go there.
I brought exactly one set of civilian clothing (in retrospect three outfits would due nicely). They keep you locked down pretty tightly the first week. Several officers elected to attend divine services on the first weekend at the chapel; we had several Mormons who were permitted to go off base for service as their faith was not represented at the chapel. Sunday mornings off was the only freedom we had for the first two weeks. After the first day wake up was usually at 0500-0530, followed by PT and then breakfast. Various training evoloutions were conducted the highlights of which were the Q+A with the folks who run the HPSP in Bethesda and the Damage control trainers. No matter how many times I do it the flooding trainer is still a lot of fun. (the Fire trainer is neat too but feels artificial) Other than that we practiced marching a lot, received our uniforms and had inspections. Room inspections were a bear. Those rooms must generate dust! Bring or obtain a Swiffer, Swiffer duster, Clorox Cleanups (lemon scented) and one of those wet mops with the spray bottles on them.

We also had to make several presentations to segments of the class on topics related to the Navy (Navy history, a class of ship assigned to your group, I had Cruisers and Destroyers, and one on your branch/Corps) After Hours there really was not much going on, we did laundry sat around, talked and eventually were permitted to wander around on base to the exchange, Internet Cafe and had a sanctioned trip to the Officer's Club. I had picked up a few Novels in my off duty time and was able to find the time to read them all. I suppose if your instrument is small (are you Aubry or Maturin?) you could find the time to play for an hour or so before lights out 2200 (10pm)

The last weekend before Graduation we were allowed to go anywhere we wanted (within 50 miles) but had to be in uniform the entire weekend. I had friends in Groton, CT and was permitted to drive down to visit. (back by Midnight)

I suppose OIS is what you make of it. If you concentrate on how much you do not have or cannot do you WILL be miserable. If you sit back and enjoy the ride and realize that it is all just a mildly amusing mind game you can have a great time. My only remaining advice is to try to be lucky enough to get a room on the water side of King Hall the view of Rhode Island Sound is incredible! Oh yeah ALWAYS lock your locker and leave NOTHING out, make sure your Roommate does the same.

 

[cossacks]

I was wondering if it is necessary to obtain your military ID before going to OIS or do you just get it there? Which is most convenient to do? Thank you!

 

[QM1]

I was wondering if it is necessary to obtain your military ID before going to OIS or do you just get it there? Which is most convenient to do? Thank you!

Get it before! Besides confirming that you're in the DEERS system by obtaining your ID, there are other benefits you can take advantage of before you go: military discounts at dry cleaners, restaurants, stores, hotels, etc; shopping priveleges at NEX/PX (department store and uniform shop) and commissaries (grocery store); and useful as ID at bars- sometimes nearby observers will buy your drink. Also, if you're married, have your spouse get theirs as well. Again, this confirms he/she is in the system. Oh yeah, NEX/Commissary shopping is tax-free and often prices are lower than retail to begin with.

 

[Nixie]

I am starting OIS this June and wanted more info about it. I have been to the website and have some background, but I was interested in any advice from people who have been. Also, I wanted to know what to bring and what not to bring. For instance, do we have weekends free? Can I play sports i.e. soccer, tennis, etc... Can I bring my equipment (tennis racquets)? This may seem silly, but I play a musical intstrument, can I bring it? I was told that someone brought an xbox, so it seems reasonable that there is some free time outside of training. Thanks for the info.

Okay so I was in the OIS class of 2002 - the summer of fun. Some things that I learned from it was bring civilian clothes. I really did not bring many and that became a huge problem. Pack 1 nice clubbing outfit and several other outfits. If your class falls on the right weekend you can spend 4rth of July away and we all went to Boston. That was great!

Bring a laptop to play movies - and bring some too. There is adequate room to pack the hundreds of uniforms and a few extra things. There are a few movies available but "Officer and a Gentleman gets old the 10th time its played in a row." The first week is rough because you have to get up so early in the morning but once you get in the grove going out on base is fun. There is a bowling alley and NCO club (that you can go to prior to getting your uniforms).

Get your ID and uniforms prior to showing up if you have the ability to. It will allow you to look at the stuff and get it tailored properly. Otherwise you will get uniforms that don't really fit all that well. Show up with two sets of khaki's, 1 service dress blues, 1 summer white, 1 summer dress white and the shoes that go along with them. Don't forget the covers (hats) there are two - the ones that goes with the khaki's and the hard one.

Don't check in until the last day. Some people came in a day early and they just got to play early. If you come to Newport early stay at a hotel and enjoy the sites. There are a lot of things to do there- Mansions to see and several beaches to hang out at.

Don't bring the musical instrument - your not going to get to play it unless you want to leave it in your car. Free time in the beginning means your confined to the building.

I second that leave everything locked up- If not expect one of the DI's to toss your room and find your stuff out in the hall. Its not a pretty site. If you can drive your car there. That means a huge amount of independence when you are given the opportunity. Oh and watch out for Newport parking tickets. I used to live there for a year and still found myself with a parking ticket during OIS and my friend got his car towed.

As for sleeping on the bed or in the covers its personal choice. Most of my fellow comrads slept ontop of the bed covers but I found that once you get the hang of making the bed it does not take that much time to make in the morning. Either way it works out okay.

Don't sweat the little things - its your summer time and just keep it all in prospective. It can be a great summer time or miserable depending on how you look at it. You will have the change to meet some great people that you will come across once you leave OIS.

I hope that helps - if you have any other questions just shoot me an email.

Nixie

 

[Mgoblue]

I just finished OIS a few weeks ago in the march/april class. To be honest, how OIS will be for you all depends on who the chief of your division is and how well you division works together. Our chief was awesome and our class worked very well together (most of the time) and it made OIS a valuable experience. I made a lot of good friends during my short time there.
I don't recommend bringing an instrument, there is little space to store it and less time to play it. Bring two sets of civilian clothes, that is all you'll need. You'll be in PT gear your first week until you get your khakis and then you'll be in that uniform unless you're doing PT. You'll get on base liberty the third weekend and off base (not overnight) on the fourth weekend, you have to be in uniform though. When you get the opportunity buy extra PT clothes at the uniform shop, that way you won't have to spend as much time doing laundry.
Bringing some DVDs and an Xbox is an excellent idea. If you can get access to the classrooms at night you can watch movies in there on the projection system and could probably hook it up to Xbox too. Nobody in my class brought an Xbox but seeing your post made me realize what a great idea that would have been.
You won't have a lot of time your the first 2-3 weeks because you'll have class presentations, room inspections (they will move your inspect every inch of your room for dust), personnel inspections, etc... but towards the end you'll have more free time during the evenings.
Bring your own cleaning supplies and lint brush as someone previously mentioned, and I would recommend bringing your own iron as well. The ones there are old and nasty. Bring Hangers for your uniforms too.
The most important thing is to just go with the flow and do what your told, your chief is always right.

 

[aatrek]

Hi there..
I will, also be at OIS end of june, .. so will see you there.. 🙂
A couple of points, if I may. Regarding doing OIS before or after schooling.. I am doing it after, and its ok, but doing it prior gives can give you an advantage when coming to selecting where you wanna go. Of course I am talking about FAP program, where you actually have a real choice of where you are going, I don't know much about the HSPS program.. where I hear all kinda of crazy stuff about it....

Second, many tell me that you spend a lot of time waiting in lines at OIS. I am doing all my paperwork, vaccinations, ID, pay, updating record, direct deposit, etc etc etc ahead of time, in fact, I already have it done.. this way you save yourself the headache. Esp that the June27th class the biggest OIS class.. so I am sure its going to be a pain the behind..

Anyway.. As a couple of the guys have mentioned.. it seems like it really depends on who you are with.. I only assume that since there is such a spectrum of impressions.. so I look forward to meeting a few good guys/gals that will make it a good experience..

see you around..
A

 

[navy]

This site is very useful! Thank you!

I do have a question... My finance will be at OIS this summer. I know that he will pay for his meals (~$10 a day), but is he also expected to pay for the uniforms? Does the Navy fully (or only partly) reimburse for the uniforms?

Also, what is the stipend over the summer?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Nixie]

This site is very useful! Thank you!

I do have a question... My finance will be at OIS this summer. I know that he will pay for his meals (~$10 a day), but is he also expected to pay for the uniforms? Does the Navy fully (or only partly) reimburse for the uniforms?

Also, what is the stipend over the summer?

Thanks for your help.

MEALS: Things may have changed but when I went you pre-paid all your meals to one person at the beginning of the week for the first few weeks. After a while you pay on your own.

Uniform allowance: The reimbursement has changed but it in no way covers the cost of the all the uniforms. The uniform store will give you a line of credit so you can pay over a time period (sorry I can't remember how long it is). There is a thrift store on base - check out the hours and go there. They have a lot of uniforms for a very low price if you don't mind used uniforms. Make sure to look them over for stains and rips. You do not get the money up front.

Pay: I think that you get active duty pay while you are there. As a USUHS students I am not the best to answer this one though.

Nixie

 

[QM1]

This site is very useful! Thank you!

I do have a question... My finance will be at OIS this summer. I know that he will pay for his meals (~$10 a day), but is he also expected to pay for the uniforms? Does the Navy fully (or only partly) reimburse for the uniforms?

Also, what is the stipend over the summer?

Thanks for your help.

Nixie's right. The stipend is suspended while your husband is on active duty orders; however, he will receive base pay and allowances as an ensign (O-1), same as 2nd lieutenant in Army or Air Force. Allowances include Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) w/ dependents and Basic Allowance for Sustenence (BAS). Officer BAS is currently $183.99/mo. BAH varies according to zip code. Go to www.dfas.mil and follow links to pay tables. All totaled, you all should receive around $5,000 for the month and a half on orders. hope this helps.

 

[navy]

Thank you, QM1 and Nixie. That is very useful information.

 

[cossacks]

For the June 5th OIS goers, where are people staying the night of June 5th before we report to duty the morning of June 6th?

 

[aidith]

I haven't received my orders yet either, but I applied for the June 27th class. I am nervous and excited all at the same time about the class. I have a few more questions though...
Do we bring our own gym shoes or are those uniform also?

As far as bringing your own cleaning supplies and iron, etc...is there somewhere to store that stuff or will we have to fit it in our locker with all our clothes and stuff?

Is the PRT done at the beginning of OIS or at the end of it? Were there any students that didn't pass it?

Were you ever able to communicate with family while you were there (i.e. phone) or was it just limited to the Internet Cafe when you're eventually allowed to make it there?

Once you receive all your uniforms are you also given another bag for them? Or should we allow space in our own bag that we take over there?

Are we allowed to keep any snacks in our room (e.g. granola, power bars, etc.)??


I think those are all my questions right now. All of you have done a tremendous job of answering all necessary questions! Thank you very much!!