This is a recommended, unofficial packing list for Officer Candidates School. I did Officer Candidates Course (ten week version) and this is what I was glad I had…or what I wish I had.
If you’re looking for gifts to get for your candidate who is succesfully completing OCS, look at our Commissioning/OCS Graduation Gift Guide.
Click for our Commissioning/OCS graduation gift guide
If you have a new Second Lieutenant en route to The Basic School, check out our TBS gift guide.
- Click for our TBS gift guide
Clothing:
-1 pair wrinkle free khakis
-1 wrinkle free polo
-1 pair dress shoes and belt
-2 pair dress socks
-2 pair white wash cloths
-1 pair compression shorts
-2 pair Thorlo combat boot socks (coyote or black)
Click for recommended boot socks on Amazon
-1 pair Bates lights PT/Garrison boots
-1 pair of go-fasters (running shoes) (if summer session, consider 2 pairs)
-3/4 pair of extra PT shorts
Click to get the official PT shorts
Hygiene:
-1 toothbrush
-1 toothpaste
-1 razor
-2 packs extra blades
-1 tube deodorant
-1 bottle antibacterial body wash and scrubber
-2 small travel bottles of mouthwash
-1 tube Lotrimin Ultra
Misc:
-2 Sharpie Rub-A-Dub markers
-6 in. ruler
-2 small notebooks (rite in the rain 3×5)
-1 box erasable black pens
-1 red pen
-2 mechanical pencils + lead
-1 red LED headlamp
I highly recommend this headlamp
-1 durable, waterproof watch
-$400 cash ($300 in 100’s, $100 in $1′s and $5′s)
-ATM card
-Driver’s license
-Cell phone and charger
-4 rolls 1” white athletic tape (hockey tape)
-1 roll electrical tape
-1 roll duct tape
-health, dental, or shot records
-ziplock bags (Quart – 1box; Gallon – 1box)
Check out our Amazon Store for some more ideas for gifts, pre-OCS gear, and of course, nifty gifts to get your sweetheart as thanks for all she does
I am applying for PLC 10 week this summer and am having trouble with crunches, when I try and do them my lower back seems to be doing a lot of the work and am wondering if you have any tips. I can do a lot of flutter kicks and crunches with only going part of the way up but I can’t touch my thighs.
Are you having someone hold your legs while you do it? It sounds like you are tensing your lower back and over working it to pull your upper body up instead of stressing your abs. When you come “set” right before doing your first crunch, consciously relax the lower back and take a deep breath. Then, use your abs to make a curling motion up off the ground, starting in your shoulders and curling the shoulders and arms towards your legs. You might need to increase ab strength through a full range of motion if you are not well developed for a USMC crunch vs a sissy gym rat crunch consisting just of little bounces. If so, I’d recommend doing hanging abdominal leg raises to build a long full range of motion into your core.
Sir,
I was planning on buying Bates Lites boots for OCS, however I recently recieved an E-Mail from my OSO that said, Bates Lites are not allowed at OCS. Do you have any suggestions on what other brand, or models of boots would be comprable to the Lites for PT?
Thanks,
Ricky
Ricky,
Sorry those were the only Lights I am aware of. I’d recommend looking into the Belleville Jungles. Just give Quantico Boot a call and they can head you in the right direction. I recommend Jungles, which means the boots are thinner, a little lighter, and have vents under the arch.
Time to just get boots and build stamina with the heavier ones instead of getting the benefit of the Lights.
Why would you need to buy boots? Are you not issued any?
You are issued 2 pairs but have no real chance to break them in, so blisters are very very very common.
All really good info, and I had to laugh because those are India Company 2nd Platoon pics. GySgt Aguilar is that “friendly instructor”, good times…
GySgt Aguilar looks familiar to me. I am wondering if he is the same Aguilar that was the senior for Platoon 1059 when I went through in 2005…
I leave this friday and am getting all of my stuff in order. My question is, in what order should a candidates name be written on the tape to mark the bags. First, last,MI? or does it really matter?
Thanks,
Nate
You don’t do that ahead of time. Each platoon might do it a little bit differently, so wait until you get to OCS to mark all your gear with the candidate tape. I highly recommend discreetly putting your name on the inside of everything you bring with you in permanent pen somehow, like a small “SMITH” inside shirts, shoes, everything. I lost a flashlight during pickup that I never got back, for example. Stuff will get everywhere.
Great info. Thanks a lot.
I check in next Thursday for PLC combined and was wondering about immunization records/other documents. Do I have to have a copy on hand when I check in? If so do I need to get a copy of those between now and then or will my OSO give me those when I meet up with them?(I am riding to Quantico with them Thursday so I will see them)
If you don’t get your records and bring them yourself, they will give you all the immunizations just in case. So, if you can do it, I highly recommend getting your personal record so that you could get out of at least some shots, unless you have some sick love of needles. That’s not on your OSO, it’s on you. Bring them and keep them with you in your documents folder, and when you go through medical in-processing in the first week, you can show it to the staff.
When packing, do you recommend putting all the stuff in ziploc bags or did you keep it in a regular shower kit (dop kit, etc)?
I heard from my OSO that I can not wear Bates Lights. I wonder why? since I cant try on the boots before I get them in the mail is there anything you would recommend me to look for in a Good boot?
The selection for Marine Corps boots is not that big, unfortunately. They have to be USMC-approved, bearing the EGA on the side of the heel. For PT boots, I highly recommend you go with the “jungles” cut, which just means they’re a bit lighter, they breathe better, and can be identified by the two round vents at the arch of the foot. Buy them very early so if they are too big/small, you can exchange them.
Hi I am heading to Quantico October 7th. I am doing the OCC ten week and am incredibly excited. I was just wondering if you had any suggestions on a good boot insole, if they are allowed, to go with all of the other fantastic information you have on this site.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions an mentor us potential leaders of Marines.
Jonathan, good questions. I’d recommend going to a running store or even podiatrist if you’ve had foot problems. Talk to a pro and see what works for your personally. There are many good options out there. You actually are issued some your first week, if nothing’s changed.
I’m headed to OCC in three weeks so I was just browsing your packing list. I noticed that you said you should bring $400 in cash. I was instructed by my OSO to bring no less than $450 on a credit/debit card and and no more than $100 cash. The arrival letter says the $100 cash is for haircuts, PX trips, etc and “can total around $20 per week.” For ten weeks, that is $200. How much money do you really need [or recommend] to have with you in both cash and on a card?
I completed a six week increment this past summer. After the first 3 weeks, you start making PX calls. There, you’ll find an ATM. So, the $100 cash will more than hold you until then. The only thing you REALLY need cash for is haircuts and PX. I used debit card for everything else because cash sales and uniform purchase adds up QUICKLY. Had in the area of $400 in the account I set up my pay to be direct deposited into.
How much money do you need to bring to the 10-week OCS? I hear lots of conflicting answers.
I am currently signing up for the PLC program; Do you have to return your cammies after your training
No.
this is an awesome webpage about OCS. Im currently in the application process and i really hope i get accepted. I was looking at the lists and you can really bring a cell phone with you?
You bring it but they lock it up with your civilian clothes, wallet, etc until you have liberty.
You should take the bates lites off there, sir. They aren’t allowed. You really get plenty of time to break in boots now too. I remember one of the SIs laughing about how long we were going to take to break in boots. I didn’t get any blisters until the hikes started getting longer. and by then it was the end anyway. A lot of people did though. I recommend taking an extra minute to really make sure your boots fit. When you are at gear pick up, you will basically be set free to try on boots. Don’t piss your troop handlers off and you will get as long as necessary. Piss them off, and you’ll be rushed through. If you can get boots now, and you have like a year, seriously, Quantico boot takes forever, and odds are, you’ll get the wrong size the first time, don’t order boots in advance.
I’d say bring like 8 pair of boot socks. Make sure they are brown though. In the beginning they will harp on uniformity. And if you have green or black boot socks, you won’t be able to wear them and you’ll have to wear the issued ones, which are awful. Also, boot socks get stolen or passed out wrong in laundry.
Also, the watch should be black, as close to solid black as possible. Not required, but it saves you from any unwanted SI-candidate contact.
It’s also important to note that they issue you(make you buy) everything you “NEED” to get through the first 4 weeks. After that you get to go on liberty and go to the PX.
Thanks so much for the feedback. Any critque helps–I got this list from a candidate way back in 2008 so I’m sure some of the information needs updating!
Question about boot sizes. How much toe room should one have in the boots? And if there is to much room what happens?
Brian
Brian, have just enough room for a bootsock liner (just use a dress sock) and a thick, cushioned bootsock. If there is more than just a little extra room, your foot will slide forward and back while running and the edges of your foot will get very blistered eventually. On the outside of the little toe and ball of the foot, and on the outside of the big toe you can develop very painful “hot spots” then blisters.
Why, exactly, would you need $400 in cash? I understand that males need haircuts and such, but would females need this much money, especially for PLC?
They don’t give you most of your uniform equipment. You have to buy your “Bag issues” of gear, and you can keep all your socks, boots, uniforms, etc afterwards. There might be a small unit slush fund to get some gifts for your staff or pay for food for the field meet day.
“Bates Lites and all USMC regulation boots are authorized for wear at =
OCS. Upon arrival, candidates are issued both hot-weather and =
cold-weather boots of various brands including but not limited to Bates, =
Belleville, Danner, and Altama. The website is up-to-date and includes =
tips on purchasing boots prior to arrival. It is strongly encouraged =
that candidates begin to break-in regulation boots prior to shipping to =
OCS to prevent blisters and other boot-related injuries during training.”
This is A reply email i recieved from Coordinator of Student Activities OCS
this morning, answering my question about Bates Lights.
Wow thanks so much for the information! That is very helpful.
Im a prior and I already know all of the “high speed” nice thick socks… However I have some in black, green and tan… do they all have to be Tan?
I really don’t think they care, maybe the first week only you’ll have to be the same as everyone else. Definitely bring your own socks–the issue ones suck!
Also I see that you put compression shorts, They won’t mind if I wear those instead of the white briefs?
They do not care what underwear or compression shorts are under your uniform–when PTing in shorts you will need to have green issue PT shorts on top of your compression shorts/jock strap/nothing.
Can the compression shorts extend further than the issued PT shorts or do they need to be appropriately cropped to not show?
In the fleet, definitely. At OCS, if they are not the same green as your PT shorts, you might have to roll them up. Much of your PT is in boots and utes, though, and that is still a comfortable and smart choice to use the compression choice in my opinion.
Will they send you home during in-process if you need some dental work done?
Trey, they do reserve that right. It’s very possible if you need a molar taken out or a crown done, they will either do it right then and make you keep training, or if it’s not too bad, they will do it when you check into TBS after OCS.
I am scheduled to leave for the 10 week course in October and am curious what size bag to bring. I’ve heard it is helpful to have a large pack but I just want to know how big. Do you have any reccomondations?
Yes, size doesn’t matter so much but have one that is strong enough not to be damaged by getting packed with 50 other candidates. Also easily identifiable is a plus. They are just stored in a small room packed full of candidate bags.
USMC OCS only–not Army. Maybe a little confusion there.