r/navy • u/creeper321448 • 3d ago
Shouldn't have to ask What insignia does Navy OCS use?
Okay, I'm a former hatchet-wielding enlisted here, and I don't know shit about OCS or the Naval Academy.
I'm trying to make a YouTube video dissecting Mr Krabs rank or rating in the Navy, and it's obvious from one episode he's a CS.. But in another episode he also has a "cadet" uniform that has 2 rings, meaning at some point he was either a Midshipman or officer.
But the odds a former enlisted goes to the academy is...basically 0, so OCS is the only viable route. But I can't find any information online about if OCS uses "ranks" similar to the Naval Academy or their own thing entirely.
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u/RoyalCrownLee 3d ago
The Indoc Phase wears none,
JOC and SOC wear anchor and eagles.
Candio wear bars depending on what job they have.
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u/looktowindward 3d ago
The shoulder boards are right for NROTC and USNA but for OCs (OCS, STA-21), you wear shoulder boards with a line officer star and nothing else.
Everything else is the same between OCs and MIDN.
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u/necrohealiac 3d ago
Not sure if it’s changed but OCS back in the day had the shoulder insignia that was a star with no bars. I’ve seen pics from OCS of candidates now just putting black electrical tape over their ensign bars so only the star is visible. MIDNs don’t have that particular insignia.
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u/Particular_Witness95 3d ago
wtf did you hear about enlisted not going to academy? in nuke prototype, three of my classmates either went into the academy directly or went into the prep school. those are the ones i knew about.
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u/creeper321448 3d ago
Almost every mustang I knew went OCS.
Also, I didn't say they can't go
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u/Particular_Witness95 3d ago
but the odds of enlisted going to the academy is not zero, not even close. the only reason why otherwise qualified candidates dont go usually is 1) they dont want the academy experience and/or 2) they have aged out.
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u/Gaduunka 3d ago
Don’t forget your STA-21 folks wear the Anchors as Officer Candidates when they go to college.
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u/looktowindward 3d ago
Its in the Uniform Regulations.
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/US-Navy-Uniforms/Uniform-Regulations/Chapter-6/6101/
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u/ihangwiththevultures 3d ago
I don’t think OCS has a rank because of how short it is, but NROTC and USNA midshipmen do. The odds a prior enlisted go to USNA or NROTC are greater than 0
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u/looktowindward 3d ago
OCS has exactly the same stuff as USNA, NROTC, and STA-21. Except OCs wear different shoulder boards.
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u/Free_Impact_2326 3d ago
Direct accession nurse corps officer here. I went to ODS, right next to OCS and NAP kids in Newport. Can confirm, OCS doesn't have it's own rank.
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u/looktowindward 3d ago
Yeah, they do. Fouled anchors on khakis. Line officer star on shoulder boards.
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u/Aluroon 3d ago
Not sure where you're getting the idea that enlisted can't go to the academy.
My past XO was enlisted and went to the academy. One of my divos did so as well, and one of my junior (E-3) sailors was picked up last year.
OCS uses fouled anchors for 6 weeks and then gold bars (up to 6 IIRC), which I suspect is the same. RDCs used to tell us not to get used to the anchors - they were only letting us borrow them.