Navy OCS holiday leave works through a roughly two-week winter stand-down. Candidates usually pick one week, Christmas or New Year's, and leave can be drawn in advance.
OCS graduation day ends fast, and the days after depend entirely on your orders. Here is the real split between commissioning on the spot, waiting on paperwork, and heading out on OHARP.
A retired cryptologic warfare officer explains what IW officer degree requirements actually look like for an enlisted sailor chasing a commission, and how much your major really matters.
A retired Navy officer explains whether you need a HOTAS to prep for the ASTB stick-and-throttle tasks, why the Logitech x52 works fine, and how mouse-only practice still builds the coordination the...
A retired Navy cryptologic officer's take on choosing between Walden and Texas State for an MHA when the goal is a Medical Service Corps commission.
Preparing for the OAR? Here's what actually helped me and what didn't, including the resources most similar to the real test.
Thinking about trading the classroom for the quarterdeck? Here's how a teacher with an education degree can become a Navy intelligence officer, starting with the OAR and a talk with a recruiter.
Packing for Officer Candidate School is the first problem you solve alone, and almost everyone solves it by bringing too much. Your footlocker is small, your civilian bag gets locked away, and most...
Where should a military couple live near Naval Station Norfolk? Compare on-base vs off-base, explore VA Beach and Ghent, and learn why avoiding tunnel commutes matters.
Should you enlist as an AIRR to pay for college and then become a pilot, or finish your degree and apply for OCS? Here's the straight scoop from a retired officer.