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Comment by Anna on July 23, 2014 at 10:42pm

PAW and M's mom,

Yes, you are right!!  They don't need that money up front.  I only mentioned it because if my daughter had known about it before hand, she would have set the money aside.  She had me paying her bills and was concentrating on getting some things paid off and then found out she had to charge $3000 to her credit card.  I hope I didn't give you the impression he had to have that much to take with him!!!!!!  :)

Comment by M's mom on July 23, 2014 at 10:39pm

PAW,   If you haven't already, read in the "Discussion Forum" up above about "OCS letter regulations," and make sure anyone you give your LO's mailing address to knows this.  Send ONLY letters in plain white envelopes until week ten!  Also join the group "Moms of Officers" here on N4M's.  We have some new OCS moms in that group, and you may find some answers there too.

Comment by M's mom on July 23, 2014 at 10:21pm

PAW, Your son will not have to take $3000 with him to OCS.  I think my son took about $200 in cash that they put in an account for him.  He also took his credit card.  They have to set up a direct deposit bank account for their paychecks..  They get paid while at OCS but it seems like only enough to pay for all their uniforms and supplies!  They buy all their stuff at the Navy Exchange (NEX) on base, and they are allowed to "run a tab" while at OCS, but must pay for it or put it on a credit card before they leave.  My son's class was offered a NEX credit card near graduation with a 25% discount on their first card purchase.  So, most of my son's class took the card, paid their uniform account with it, because the $3000 then turned into $2250 with discount, and then when the card bill came, my son paid it off all at once with what he had in his account.  It is a lot of money, but I think they get paid enough while in OCS to take care of it, or they can charge it and make payments, so they don't have to have all that money up front!  

Comment by Anna on July 23, 2014 at 9:40pm

PAW,

Ok correction - - - just texted my daughter.  She said it was about $3000 for all kinds of uniform sets, miscellaneous stuff.  I guess for guys its around $2500 - $2700.  Also, officers don't get uniform allowance.

Comment by Anna on July 23, 2014 at 9:34pm

PAW,

My daughter took some cash with her but I don't remember exactly how much.  It wasn't excessive.  They don't get their uniforms for free anymore like in my day!!!  Her uniform costs were taken out of her first few paychecks.  Later on they get an allowance.  One thing none of us were prepared for was the amount of money they need to have at the end of OCS.  About $2000 as I remember.  Jenn had to pay for quite a  bit of things but I don't remember what all it was.  Just that everything had to be paid for before graduation.  She put it all on her VISA card.

Comment by PAW on July 23, 2014 at 8:53pm

Hi everyone!  Thank you for all the great advice...I am going to start looking for a garment bag for him for graduation!  My LO (YAY I now know what that means) leaves for OCS (all these crazy acronyms) on Aug 9th.  We are trying to figure out how much cash he should take, and what he should have available to him in his account...any ideas?  Also, does the Navy give them a uniform allowance?  I heard his costs can be around $2500...yipes!  Thanks!

Comment by nickstermom on July 19, 2014 at 8:13pm

Thanks!  

Comment by M's mom on July 19, 2014 at 8:23am

nickstermom:  Search for hotels in Middletown RI.  Middletown and Newport kind of blend together, but Middletown is actually closer to the gate(s) of the base.  The hotels in Newport cater to tourists and are very expensive.  Middletown has chain hotels that are much cheaper. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Middletown and it was fine.  I think the closest hotel to the base is the Best Western that Anna mentioned.  That's where my son stayed the night before he reported to OCS.  Some families stayed at the Navy Lodge which is right on base, but it fills up fast.  If you are not military yourself, your candidate will have to be there with you when you check in to the Navy Lodge, because they need a military ID.  It is the most convenient place to stay because it's right on the base, but was already full when we tried to reserve it.  

Comment by Anna on July 18, 2014 at 10:36pm

nickstermom,

We stayed at the Best Western on Adm Kalbfus Rd.  The hotels in Newport are more expensive because of the tourist attraction.  The hotels that are closer to the base are not as much.  We had a nice room, clean plenty of space!!!

Comment by nickstermom on July 18, 2014 at 9:24pm

This may have been answered already, but what are the best places for family to stay for OCS graduation?

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