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Comment by Gatormom on January 31, 2015 at 9:02pm

Search for Candio Box on Pinterest. I found great ideas there and posted a photo of mine as well. I enjoyed doing it so much I made a similar box for our daughter who was away at the same time as a camp counselor. They both loved them. Neither finished all their goodies lol.

Comment by Rita on January 31, 2015 at 7:33pm

M's Mom, thank you so much for clarifying and giving these pointers.  I will be prepared for his requests!!  I can't believe he has two weeks in now. He was fearful of going to a holding company not being able to pass the initial pt test.  Apparently though, he made it! No address change was given.  I couldn't be prouder of him.!

Comment by M's mom on January 31, 2015 at 4:16pm

Rita:  When the officer candidates reach nine weeks at OCS, they become Candidate Officers, "Candi-Os."   They can now receive as many candio boxes of goodies from home as the family wants to send, but they only have three weeks left at OCS, so if you go overboard it will just get thrown out.  My son said his class couldn't eat everything they were sent, even sharing it around with those who didn't receive anything.  Most families use a large-size flat rate mailing box from the Post Office. It costs about $16. to send it no matter how heavy it is.  This is usually cheaper than UPS.  You can get the boxes at any Post Office.  You don't even have to pay for it until you bring it back to be mailed.  The large size flat rate box is about 12"x12"x6."   Tradition is to decorate the inside in a Navy theme.  I got nautical-themed stickers and paper of anchors and ships at Hobby Lobby.  You can send pretty much anything to a Candio except alcohol, tobacco, or anything that looks like a weapon--no squirt guns.   My son wanted me to send him homemade cookies and his personal laptop computer which he wasn't allowed to have until nine weeks.  You can use any box you want, though.  You just have to write "CANDIO" on the outside so they know he is allowed to have it.

Comment by M's mom on January 31, 2015 at 3:55pm

Sylvas:  Congrats on your son becoming a Candi-O!  Things are definitely more relaxed for him now that his class will be running the regiment.  Since they have all been sugar-deprived of candy and desserts up to this point, most of them make themselves sick gorging on the goodies in their  candio boxes!  I hope you are able to go to Newport for the graduation/commissioning.  Take lots of tissues to the ceremony---you will be bursting with pride!

Comment by JediGrey on January 31, 2015 at 1:01pm

When they become Candidate Officers in week 9 they can receive packages. Traditionally the family decorates the inside of a usps flat rate box and stuff it with goodies. The OCS class pages on Facebook have files with all the info on what and what not to send and when. My son requested books, his ds, and chocolate.

Comment by Rita on January 31, 2015 at 12:49pm

So, this Candio box, is it a special box that is mailed inside of another box or is it the name of the cardboard box you put everything in to be mailed.  Just curious if I should be looking for something special.  

Thank you everyone.  My first question when I found this site was do I belong here yet?  Thanks for including me already and thanks for the other site information!

My son was in the Cavalier Drum and Bugle Corp in 2010 and 2011.  It's an all male corp and they take up their phones there too.  My son and I agreed it was probably the best training for both of us (looking back) for his OCS training. The few times I saw him that first summer I felt like I had more time with him then than the entire previous year while he was in college and living at home.  I hold those times and memories close.  He was fearful of going to Holding co. after his initial pt test but he's not there yet!  Have a great weekend!!

Comment by JediGrey on January 31, 2015 at 12:13pm

My son's Candio box is all finished and sitting on my dining room table to be mailed Monday. He is scheduled to become a CandiO on Wednesday!

Comment by pbmcdaniel on January 31, 2015 at 11:32am

RIta: So glad you heard from your LO.  Remember the excitement.  Our LO is now in P'cola for flight training and enjoying life after OCS. 

BunkerQB: Glad to hear of your experiences.  Our son is currently training for NFO. Have heard him say that the P8 is one of his desired air frames.  He is just in ISF, so he has a long road ahead.  Love hearing other's experiences. Nice to be able to share them with our son.

Comment by M's mom on January 31, 2015 at 8:37am

BunkerQB:  Is your son still in the Navy?  It wasn't clear to me from reading your post.  Yes, it is sad for us Moms that once our kids grow up and get married, then they have a "new" family, and don't seem to communicate much with the "old" family.  Our son is presently on an aircraft carrier half a world away, but he emails at least once per week and calls us when they make a port visit, but that is because he is far away from home.  He went to college only 45 minutes from home, and we heard less from him then than we do now, like your son.  I think the mentality is, "Well, I'm right here, close to home, so you know where I'm at and what I'm doing."   They just don't realize they're still our little kids in our minds!!!!!    Yes, maybe ignorance was bliss for you, not knowing how hard OCS was, while your son was there.  I probably had too much info about how hard it was, so was stressed the whole time, thinking he was never going to pass those inspections because his room and clothes were always a messy shambles when he was at home and college.  Somehow he pulled it together though, and was commissioned in Sept 2012.  He loves the Navy so far.  I think he needs the discipline, especially with the fitness requirements.  He's talking about making it a career, if he's allowed to stay in.  With downsizing, some are not being allowed to re-up.

Comment by BunkerQB on January 31, 2015 at 2:56am

We really didn't take him seriously when our son said he was thinking of joining the Navy instead of getting a job in Silicon Valley after graduating with a degree in electrical engineering. He did his research, went to a tour some ships in San Diego. Then he was sent to Washington DC for interviews with multiple groups. The last interview was with an admiral. The admiral casually ask him if they thought it would be too tough to be on a submarine. Our son replied that he felt he could adapt to any environment. Without missing a beat, the admiral gave a thumb up, our son was chaperoned immediately to an adjoining room to sign his contract and was sworn in right then and there!  Since we missed it we asked if it was possible for a repeat of the swearing-in. The answer was NO. After a few more months of security clearances, our son flew to Pensacola for OCS in Dec 2006  (when they still had OCS training in 2 locations, instead of just one). We deposited him at the airport curbside, his dad shook his hand, I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and we drove off for lunch. We didn't hear from him for 2 weeks. We didn't worry one bit. We had no idea that OCS would be tough. We were less than clueless. Navy For Moms didn't exist. Maybe ignorance is bliss.  He is now happily married living just 45 minutes from us. Life is good but he is so busy with work, domestic life and getting a MBA at the same time we seldom get a chance to see him. As a matter of fact, we received more letters, emails and calls from him when he was thousands miles away in Pensacola, Charleston, Ballston Spa and finally Hawaii.

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