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Comment by Gatormom on July 22, 2014 at 9:46pm

Welcome! This site is a big help as are the friends and family sites on Facebook. Search for one with your sons class number. Also request membership to the class prior so you'll have a perspective for a few weeks prior to events your son will go through.

My son is in week 7. Sometimes it seems time is going by slowly; other times it feels like it's going by quickly. Very exciting & we can't wait for graduation!

Any ideas for graduation gifts from moms of officers? I've seen suggestions for swords, mini tablets and garment bags. Want to make sure it's something special. Thx!

Comment by M's mom on July 22, 2014 at 8:57pm

Twostateshome:  Welcome!  It is important that nobody send anything but letters in plain white envelopes to the candidates before they become Candios at week ten, or it will be confiscated as contraband and the candidate will be punished, even if they did not ask for it to be sent.  Someone's auntie in my son's class sent cookies at week 3 and the poor guy had to do 800 pushups!!!!!  Make sure everyone you give your son's mailing address to knows this!  At the end of week nine the officer candidates officially become Candidate Officers (Candios) and they will be running the regiment for the final three weeks, so they get their phones back and can receive goodies from home.  Most folks use large-size "flat rate" mailing boxes form the Post Office. They make into a box about 12"x12"x6" and you can stuff as much into it as will fit, and it still costs only about $16 to mail it.  This is way cheaper than a comparable-sized box by UPS.  Tradition is to decorate the inside of the box in a Navy theme with paper, fabric, stickers, etc.  My son's class two years ago could NOT receive alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or anything like a weapon, (squirt guns) but all else was OK.   I sent my son homemade cookies, and he requested his personal laptop computer which he was not allowed to have until then.   They can receive multiple boxes, but my son said since they only had three weeks to go, they couldn't eat and even share all they were sent, so lots of it gets tossed out if your family goes overboard.

Comment by M's mom on July 22, 2014 at 8:36pm

Kyle'sMom: Welcome!  Read back through the posts here on Moms Of Officers for anything pertinent to OCS.  We have had several OCS moms join recently. Also, join the group "OCS Graduate Moms" here on N4M's if you haven't already, and read back through the posts there as far back as you can, and we have probably already answered many of your questions.  Tell your son to work out hard and get himself in excellent shape before reporting so he will pass that first physical fitness assessment!  He MUST memorize all that Navy knowledge his recruiter should have given him BEFORE he reports!  He should also have memorized your phone # and email address before he leaves.  His personal phone will be taken and stored as soon as he arrives, and his first short phone call home on day 1 or 2 will be from a public pay phone, so he must have pre-paid phone card with him and know the #.  They will not be able to email until about week 4, and then only from a closed server, so they must type in any email addresses from memory. 

Comment by Kyle'sMom on July 22, 2014 at 6:26pm

Hello,  I am new to Navy for Moms. My son is starting OCS on 9/21/14.  Any advice on how to prepare myself and/or help him would be greatly appreciated.  Very excited for him!

Comment by Twostateshome on July 22, 2014 at 4:48pm

Thank you

it has helped a lot already!

Comment by KathyA on July 22, 2014 at 4:32pm

Plenty of comfort here from those who've walked in your shoes. N4M has helped me keep my sanity more times than I can count.  Glad you found us.

Comment by Twostateshome on July 22, 2014 at 4:25pm

Ah ok.  Good to know.  Thank you!  I'm still at the point of hoping we make it that far!  But it's nice to know how many good things we have to look forward to.

Comment by KathyA on July 22, 2014 at 4:21pm

Hi twostateshome,

You will get a letter about ten days or so before your LO's Candio phase (approx 3 weeks before graduation) begins detailing the guidelines. Most importantly, as anna said, if you send it early make very sure it does not arrive before it should, so note CANDIO BOX-HOLD!

They can get as many boxes as they have people who love them : )  Mom, girlfriend, grandmas: go for it! If you want to get started, you can begin decorating your box and making shopping lists. It's a wonderful tradition and there's friendly competition for who gets the most boxes.

Have fun!

 

Comment by Twostateshome on July 22, 2014 at 3:55pm

My son is only in Day 3 of OCS but I'm just curious, what is a candio box and how do you know about it?  Are they limited to just one box?  Meaning does the mom or the girlfriend do the box?

Comment by Anna on July 22, 2014 at 2:55pm

Gatormom,

M's mom is right - start working on those candio boxes now and it will make these next few weeks go quickly.  You can decorate the inside of the box and really customize it to your son.  Just make sure you don't send them early.  I remember we wrote HOLD on our boxes so they would be there the day they turn candios but won't get mistakenly delivered before they are allowed to have them. 

M's mom,

Sometimes our kids can amaze themselves at what they are able to survive when they have to!!!!

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