Candidate Question
I PT with a GPS watch and I want to know if GPS watches are allowed at OCC. I understand the watches will have to be all black. Thank you for your post and support.
Answer
No, you cannot use a GPS watch (or usually any watch at all) during OCS. For much of TBS, you cannot use a GPS watch either, just a normal time-telling one. For many of the field exercises at TBS, they will allow you to use GPS devices for navigation.
However
You will save time and headaches by having a GPS watch at TBS. And you could save time and headaches and potentially a whole lot more by having a simple GPS watch while deployed!
The Garmin Foretrex 401 is by far the most popular, affordable option for officers:
Passing Land Navigation, especially at night is one of the challenges at OCS. Considering that you could potentially use your GPS watch to help, it would be considered ‘cheating’ and you could be expelled for it.
Fact is, I’ve heard of people being expelled for much less in reference to the honor code. With regard to navigation, I’ve heard of people being expelled for talking or making noises during the nav exercises.
It’s taken very seriously. If you have to ask about anything to give you a leg up like a GPS watch, then it’s probably a bad idea. Think about the honor code.
Concur–you won’t even be allowed to wear any watch for most of OCS, most likely.
its all about integrity and the 5 horizontal themes which will be instilled in you. i am from the Belize Defence Force and its become second nature now.. its it feels wrong, sounds wrong then its wrong
At TBS, GPS is allowed after the land nav package is complete (around FEX II and afterwards). The Garmin Foretrex 401 is very popular. Running style GPS watches won’t be very useful in the tree line unless you can get a MGRS grid coordinate off them.