What was Navy ODS like?

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jim85213

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For the Navy people out there, what was ODS (formerly OIS) like? I won't be able to go until after graduation so I'm just curious.
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As one who was there when it switched from OIS to ODS (this past summer), what do you want to know? It's 5 weeks, so there is plenty to tell.
 
dheav005 said:
As one who was there when it switched from OIS to ODS (this past summer), what do you want to know? It's 5 weeks, so there is plenty to tell.
Click to expand...

What's a typical day like?
 
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Do a search in this forum, there was a thread discussing OIS a couple of months ago that answered many questions about what to expect.
 
There you go. If that thread doesnt answer your questions, I will follow up now that the weekend is here. Doing a ton of endo before Marines deploy is busy, busy work...
 
jim85213 said:
Sorry...hadn't been on for a couple of days. I did a search and found some info on OIS. Thanks.
Click to expand...

You can PM me if you want, I just completed ODS this past July/Aug.


Granted it was during the transition period from OIS to ODS, but things for the most part were going to stay the same.

5 weeks of fun. Can you fail? I don't think so... If you can make it through dental school/med school/nursing school you can do this with ease. PT can be challenging at times but if you are not 40 (like me) and in good shape, you will breeze through it.

Weekend 1, no supervision till Monday morning, no real RDC's (Navy Drill Instructors) and just a few officers give you a little hassle and get you around to your various in-briefs. 0400 Tuesday Morning... Drill Instructors arrive, and they are pumped up because they love this stuff. It's the one day that they really get to scream and shout. It dies off only a few days later unless your division is really screwed up (which we saw in the class ahead of us!)

Only went to the sand pit twice because for the most part we had our stuff together. In contract Golf (the division ahead of us) went to the sand pit 3 times in their first week there. Pays to have prior service people and organized people in your division!!!

Best job to take? remedial swim instructor!!! Snag that extra duty if you can. It gets you out of PT and it makes mornings so much nicer when you start with a nice relaxing swim!

Mark
 
Markp said:
You can PM me if you want, I just completed ODS this past July/Aug.


Granted it was during the transition period from OIS to ODS, but things for the most part were going to stay the same.

5 weeks of fun. Can you fail? I don't think so... If you can make it through dental school/med school/nursing school you can do this with ease. PT can be challenging at times but if you are not 40 (like me) and in good shape, you will breeze through it.

Weekend 1, no supervision till Monday morning, no real RDC's (Navy Drill Instructors) and just a few officers give you a little hassle and get you around to your various in-briefs. 0400 Tuesday Morning... Drill Instructors arrive, and they are pumped up because they love this stuff. It's the one day that they really get to scream and shout. It dies off only a few days later unless your division is really screwed up (which we saw in the class ahead of us!)

Only went to the sand pit twice because for the most part we had our stuff together. In contract Golf (the division ahead of us) went to the sand pit 3 times in their first week there. Pays to have prior service people and organized people in your division!!!

Best job to take? remedial swim instructor!!! Snag that extra duty if you can. It gets you out of PT and it makes mornings so much nicer when you start with a nice relaxing swim!

Mark
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I don't enough about ODS to ask specific questions, I only know that I will be going after graduation from dental school.

What is the sand pit and what is a remedial swim instructor?

What do you do for PT?
 
jim85213 said:
Thanks for the reply. I don't enough about ODS to ask specific questions, I only know that I will be going after graduation from dental school.

What is the sand pit and what is a remedial swim instructor?

What do you do for PT?
Click to expand...

The sand pit is outside the barracks, it's basically a giant litter box for the local canadian geese! The drill instructors will bring you there for remedial PT when they want to emphasize a training point. The curriculum nearly demands a trip to the sand pit.

PT is 2 to 3 times per week. The first week you take a PT test, fail and you have remedial PT EVERYDAY at 0400 for 3 weeks until the next test! You DO NOT want to fail a PT test. PT is fairly demanding, all calisthenics and running or a combination of both. It gets more "fun" as the weeks progress and they get a little looser with the students.

Everyone has to take a swim test, this happens the first week there too. It's one of the more entertaining days... If you fail the swim test, you have to take remedial swimming every morning until you pass (or every other morning.) This is done in a NO STRESS environment to help people with a fear of water. No stress means, no drill instructors... If you are a student remedial swim instructor, it means that you float in the water, swim around, and teach people how to splash around in the water. No stress... nice way to wake up.

If you have never been in the military, it's a bit of culture shock, but honestly bootcamp in the USAF was more difficult!

Mark
 
Markp said:
The sand pit is outside the barracks, it's basically a giant litter box for the local canadian geese! The drill instructors will bring you there for remedial PT when they want to emphasize a training point. The curriculum nearly demands a trip to the sand pit.

PT is 2 to 3 times per week. The first week you take a PT test, fail and you have remedial PT EVERYDAY at 0400 for 3 weeks until the next test! You DO NOT want to fail a PT test. PT is fairly demanding, all calisthenics and running or a combination of both. It gets more "fun" as the weeks progress and they get a little looser with the students.

Everyone has to take a swim test, this happens the first week there too. It's one of the more entertaining days... If you fail the swim test, you have to take remedial swimming every morning until you pass (or every other morning.) This is done in a NO STRESS environment to help people with a fear of water. No stress means, no drill instructors... If you are a student remedial swim instructor, it means that you float in the water, swim around, and teach people how to splash around in the water. No stress... nice way to wake up.

If you have never been in the military, it's a bit of culture shock, but honestly bootcamp in the USAF was more difficult!

Mark
Click to expand...


So what is considered "passing" the PT test?
 
i dont think so...even if you are green side, you are still not a Marine. as a USN active duty service member, you are required to meet the Navy PRT standards. if you are trying for your FMF (Fleet Marine Force) pin, then you will have to pass the Marine standards.
 
Thanks for all the great info guys. I'm currently a first year dental student going off to ODS this summer. My question is do you do all the PT tests (run/situp/pushup) in one day? Do you get a break in between segments? Do you do the swim test the same day too? I heard the majority of ODS is lectures and classes so I'm really hoping they don't make us do it all in one go. Thanks!


Markp said:
The sand pit is outside the barracks, it's basically a giant litter box for the local canadian geese! The drill instructors will bring you there for remedial PT when they want to emphasize a training point. The curriculum nearly demands a trip to the sand pit.

PT is 2 to 3 times per week. The first week you take a PT test, fail and you have remedial PT EVERYDAY at 0400 for 3 weeks until the next test! You DO NOT want to fail a PT test. PT is fairly demanding, all calisthenics and running or a combination of both. It gets more "fun" as the weeks progress and they get a little looser with the students.

Everyone has to take a swim test, this happens the first week there too. It's one of the more entertaining days... If you fail the swim test, you have to take remedial swimming every morning until you pass (or every other morning.) This is done in a NO STRESS environment to help people with a fear of water. No stress means, no drill instructors... If you are a student remedial swim instructor, it means that you float in the water, swim around, and teach people how to splash around in the water. No stress... nice way to wake up.

If you have never been in the military, it's a bit of culture shock, but honestly bootcamp in the USAF was more difficult!

Mark
Click to expand...
 
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