ODS Survival Guide

High Yield Suggestions

1. Be Flexible – be humble and hungry for improvement, but don’t take things personally. Learn to take
constructive criticism fast. Everyone in your class is in this together and it is your responsibility to help
one another. You will hear “One team, one family” and “If one person fails, everyone fails.” Learn what
these phrases mean. Things constantly change in the military. The Navy likes to say “Semper Gumby,”
which essentially means “Always Flexible.” Also, there is a lot of hurry up and wait. It is annoying but get
used to it.

2. Maintain and show a good attitude- Chiefs can smell your attitude. A good attitude will impress your
chief, even if they do not show it. A bad attitude is infectious and will be stomped out quickly. Stretch
beyond your comfort zone and take on collateral duties. Take initiative and work with your company to
improve life for everyone. Be responsible and own up to your actions. Character counts; always
watched, always judged.

3. Don’t burn bridges – everyone there is your future colleague. You are a part of the Navy family now
and you will feel what that means. Get to know your chiefs. They have spent their lives in the Navy and
want nothing but to help you succeed. It may not seem like it when they are yelling at you or making
you do pushups but believe me they care A LOT. Ask priors for help! They will be your best resource.

4. Don’t pass out – passing out is no fun. Be sure to subtly bend your knees occasionally while standing
in formation. If your vision starts narrowing, take a knee before you face plant.

5. Saluting/Greetings – get comfortable recognizing officer and enlisted rank and rate insignias for all
branches. There are phone apps to help (Military Ranks and Rates, PocketRank, etc.). Also, get used to
being called sir/ma’am. All enlisted, candidates, and other officers will call you it. Similarly, you need to
get use to addressing other officers as sir/ma’am. Enlisted personnel, including your chief are called by
their rank. (Ex. Yes/No Senior Chief; not yes/no sir or ma’am).

*DISCLAIMER: Your chief’s attitude will determine EVERYTHING. Our chief would not let us have coffee
the first week and desserts were restricted until week 4. I HIGHLY suggest cutting back on caffeine
before you arrive at ODS.

• Gouge: Be able to correctly recite any item verbatim, confidently and without hesitation. Learn
the phonetic alphabet and military time (subtract 12 at/after 1300). You are tested on these
(not military time) during uniform inspections which are already stressful enough. There is time
during ODS to memorize everything but it is much easier to learn when you are not continually
exhausted.
• Barter: Know basic life skills – ironing, proper use of starch, laundry, sewing, etc. Once there
pool your skills with those of your classmates and help each other out. It makes life a lot easier.
A word of caution, be careful ironing. Some of the irons will leave a black residue on your
clothes that you cannot remove. Also, dry clean your summer and dress whites. They are very
sensitive to heat and holes happen.
 • PT: Arrive at ODS in shape or at least able to pass the Physical Readiness Test. Group PT sessions
do not occur frequently and will not be enough to get you into/keep you in shape. There is a
gym on base that you can use. Most nights people went there after the day was over to properly
work out. In addition, there is a recommended (not necessary) training program on the ODS
website. Also on a similar note, get use to running on a track. Six laps on the track gets boring
fast so make sure you have the right mindset. You will also need to pass a 3rd class swim test. It
consists of jumping off a platform feet first, a 5 minute prone float, a short swim, and inflating
overalls. You do not have to be a great swimmer to pass this test. You just need to be able to
swim and not scared of the jump/water.
• CAC (ID Cards): If possible, obtain a CAC before arriving at ODS. It makes life a lot easier and you
avoid hours of waiting in lines.

Travel to ODS:

• Travel will be arranged for you by the HPSP office. They will email you your plane tickets
probably one week or even a few days in advance. Most likely, you will fly into Providence and
there will be other ODS people at the airport. Wear civilian clothes during travel. Apparently,
there is supposed to be a shuttle that can be found in baggage claim (I could not find it).
Outside the airport at the taxi stop be sure to tell them you are going on base. Only one
company has base access. The taxi will cost around $100 so make sure to keep your receipt for
reimbursement. If you end up in a taxi that cannot get on base, just know it is about a 15 minute
walk from the gate to King Hall with your suitcases. *Ubers cannot get on base. When you arrive
at ODS you need to get to the King Hall Quarterdeck (1st floor of King Hall) to check in.

What to Bring/Buy at NEX Prior to Sunday Afternoon:

*Disclaimer: ODS stays on the 4th deck (floor) of King Hall and there are not any elevators. Pack wisely.

Combination Lock (not the kind with a key)

White mesh laundry BAG (not pop up hamper)
White COTTON t-shirts (a size or 2 smaller than you would normally wear; ladies- buy boy sizes)
Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, razors)*
Shower caddy
Undergarments – white or nude for whites (nudes are better)
Glasses/Contacts – glasses must be plain black or brown and cannot be designer
Females : 1 piece navy blue or black swimsuit
Ruler*
Laundry detergent/Dryer sheets/ Shout(Stain Remover)*
Lint Roller
Pens/Notebook
Socks for PT (black or white but must not have any logos on them)
Lysol Wipes*
Cuticle scissors/nail clippers
Black sharpie
Small sewing kit
Black/White Shoe Polish
Water bottle
Band-aids/mole skin (the shoes hurt!)
NEW(er) sneakers (so many people got shin splints from running with old sneakers)
Shower flip flops
Towels
Extra blanket
Extra pillow if you need to sleep with more than one
Females: hair ties, bobby pins, squirt bottle (it helps a lot), gel, hairspray
Several copies of your orders, medical/dental records not in your MEPS file.
Cash – we needed $326 to cover all our meals at ODS, we also needed cash for the reception, optional T-
shirts, coins, and supplies for the mural

*The supply closet may have these items from prior classes

Good To Have

Several reading books

Black watch
Headphones if you like to work out with them (plenty of gym time)
Superfeet (expensive but really good shoe inserts- I switched one pair between 2 sets of shoes)
Computer/Ipad
Black cell phone pant clip – nothing goes in pockets
WiFi at King Hall is available for purchase at ~$34/month

Uniforms

Everything uniform related is available at the uniform shop. There is a whole day dedicated to buying
and being fitted for uniforms. You will most likely be in PT gear the whole first week. You are required to
buy 2 pairs of PT uniforms but you may want to consider at least 1 more. Double check everything you
buy at the uniform shop – make sure you have the correct insignias and none of your stuff is faulty
(scratched insignias or belt buckles, torn shoes, etc.) Other uniform suggestions: buy several packs of
black dress socks (2 come in a pack and they initially only handed us 1 pack), guys – buy 2 belt buckles
(one for khakis and one for whites; women do not wear a khaki belt with the overblouses), if you have
hairy legs, consider buying stirrups on Amazon before you arrive – shirt stays are uncomfortable and will
tug on leg hair.

Be prepared to spend $1,200-$2,000 on uniforms depending on which ones and how many you buy.
There is a military credit card called the STAR card you can apply for that will give you 10% off your
purchase.

Typical Week/Liberty Weekends

• The days are long (15-18 hours) but the weeks are short. Week 1 is the worst. You’re constantly
tired, the chiefs are strict(er), and it’s a whole new environment. If you have a good attitude
about everything, the weeks will go by a lot smoother. They have 5 weeks to teach you
everything you need to know about being a naval officer. Teamwork is key! Watch out for each
other. ABC: Always Be Checking
• Most days you will wake up around 0300-0400 (3-4 am). If there is PT that day, you will PT, go to
breakfast, hygiene, and proceed with the day. If you do not have PT, there is still generally
 something (medical, early breakfast, etc.) to do that early. Before you leave your room (called a
hatch), make sure the windows are closed, bed is made, everything is stowed in your lockers,
locks locked (they will change the lock if you leave it unlocked), and your room is inspection
ready (it should stay like this during the week at all times).
• Most of the time you spend in the chow hall (aka galley or cafeteria) will be quiet time. You only
have 15-20 minutes to eat so you may find quiet is nice. *Note: OCS will also be in the chow hall
while you are there. They are VERY loud all the time. It is a part of their training. Our chief made
sure we didn’t even look in their direction during meals. Get use to their intensity and don’t
stare.
• Most days are death by power point. You will learn what it means to be in the military, how to
act as an officer and leader, and how to help/treat your subordinates. There is a lunch break
followed by more classes. Before dinner or right after, there is usually drill practice. Marching in
formation will be a huge part of your time at ODS.
• Weekend 1: Most of the weekend is business as usual. You may be allowed to the NEX for
necessary items, but this is not really a liberty weekend.
• Weekend 2: On base liberty. Most likely you will be dressed in khakis, but can go anywhere on
base. There is a bowling alley, internet café, Officer Club (aka O Club), and the Liberty Center has
other fun things to do. There is no alcohol allowed this weekend.
• Weekend 3: “On-island” liberty. This is the first time in several weeks you will be off base. Enjoy
Newport! There are a lot of great restaurants and sites. You will be in uniform so keep that in
mind in terms of your behavior. Also, there is no alcohol this weekend.
• Weekend 4: Our class was the first class in a long time to have overnight liberty. This can be
changed back to having to be in by a certain time each night. We were given a 100-mile radius,
so many of us headed to Boston. This was the first weekend we could drink, but again we are in
uniform. There are rules and limits for drinking. The bottom line is DO NOT get drunk while at
ODS. The consequences are not worth it.

*Note: All liberties are a privilege and can be taken away at any point. Make sure to keep yourself and
each other in check so you have all the liberties possible.

Final Comments/Things to Know

• You're in the military and for many this might be rude awakening and an abrupt change in
lifestyle. Everything is about teamwork, respect and being physically fit. Give 110% every day.
You are at ODS to learn what it means to be a naval officer so learn as much as you can and take
good notes. Most of us are receiving this training and then will go back to school. ODS is only 5
weeks. You can do anything for 5 weeks. While you may not agree with the way things operate,
and you can let the staff know at the end, do what they say and get through it. Whether they
tell you the reason or not, there is a reason for everything they do.
• Portraits will be taken in week 3. You are not required to buy any but you are required to at
least sit for them. Depending on how many shots you want to buy, the pictures can get very
expensive. Please keep this in mind when paid.