OCS Part 5 Drill Competition and Victory Run

At this point, the physical and academic tests are over, the candidates in your class have all proven themselves to be officer material. The class drill instructor has mostly stopped the daily beatings, there are still occasional screw ups that merit special attention. The class is looking forward to wearing their khaki uniforms as opposed to the blue camouflage Navy Working Uniforms (NWUs). This is the uniform that sets senior enlisted and officers apart from sailors.

From about week 2 the class has been practicing drill movements with M16 rifles and has generally been getting some severe beatings for their novice efforts. Drill instructors can be very creative when a class screws up drill practice. Candidates quickly learn to loathe their rifles simply because of their added weight. There is one important rule to remember when drilling, the butt is the only part of the rifle that ever touches the ground. So when you are doing push ups the rifle is placed over your knuckles, during squats or while running it is held above your head (and not resting on your shoulders), and for the shear fun of it you may just be required to stand straight up and hold the rifle out parallel to the floor for long periods of time.

During the drill competition a class is expected to perform certain movements in sequence and together. Points will be deducted for incorrect movements or being out of sync. The slightest adjustment during a movement can cost your class. Your class will be competing against another equally prepared class who has sometimes been training along side yours. The winning class will obtain a special ribbon for their standard and may present it during the graduation ceremonies. The losing class risks embarrassing their drill instructor and this is not a good thing.

There is a special ceremony that marks the beginning of candidate officer phase called the Victory Run. During this ceremony all the members of a particular class are assigned to different junior classes in various training phases at OCS. They are assigned according to their status within the class and perceived strengths. Those who showed the most effort and success are rewarded with a higher rank and more responsibilities within those junior classes. For example, I struggled with inspections and physically was not one of the stronger candidates so I did not merit a high rank. I was assigned to H-class, mostly because I had been in that position before and could empathize with that group. A higher rank can be both a blessing and a curse. It means you have been recognized as a superior candidate but also entails more scrutiny and less free time. These ranks mean absolutely nothing once OCS has been completed, everyone will be an Ensign upon graduation.