TBS- The Basic School

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Sampia

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A few of the members here will have DS/DD graduating TBS very soon. Congratulations to you and your children! The long journey is being completed for them and a new one is beginning. How very proud you all must be!

My DS is expecting to head that way in September. I am planning ahead and just asking for any general advice. Such as how much room will he have to store his things, does he take a lot with him or just wait until he's there to buy things such as base layer winter clothing? I believe they have a Marine store at Quantico so if he needs things like new boots he can get them there. Is that so?

I would love for him to be able to get a summer job doing what he went to college for, cyber security. True learning begins with on-the-job training, IMO. But he says that would not be fair to an employer. I know reporting dates can be adjusted. Do you have any idea how much notice they would give someone? Should he keep his things all packed and ready to go?

Thank you for any advice. Me being the mom who tries to anticipate everything I'm sure I will probably find some more questions along the way.
 
With respect, Marines are some of the most self-sufficient, figure-it-out, independent, people I know. Quantico is one of the premier incubators of new Marines, and will have everything he needs as a new officer.

I am not sure where your DS is coming from, assume ROTC, but here are some thoughts...

For each duty station in his future, he will have to figure out what he needs, what to do with his stuff, where to get things, how to solve the logistics of each set of orders. Let him start that now. He can go online, call the school's administrative office, find new Marine officers from his unit who are at TBS now or went through a year ago, chat with the Marine officers at his ROTC unit. If he takes too much stuff, he will have to solve that. If he needs to buy it, he will figure that out. Each time, he will gain the life skills that go along with being an officer and a self-sufficient 20-something adult, gaining confidence he can live independently.

He has the smarts and motivation to be commissioned a Marine officer, a superb accomplishment. You now have the pleasurable luxury of being able to step back, watch him figure things out, make a few mistakes and learn, and succeed at launching himself.

That said, it never hurts to be prepared, ready to pack up and go.

I am sure there will be useful comments to come on "life at TBS," from many of the fine Devil Dawgs on here.

Edit: I headed to my first duty station, Naval Station Rota, Spain, at 20, without the benefit of online information. My parents, who had no experience of military life, added $1000 to my checking account and hugged me as I headed with a few suitcases to the airport. Next time I saw them was two years later, with letters and a monthly phone call our only means of communication. As a shiny new ensign, the military community understood I essentially knew nothing. I asked a lot of questions, got the "gouge," made mistakes, learned as I went, made myself proud, and later helped junior sailors/enlisted and officers with how to solve stuff in the military. I still remember, with gratitude, the names of the petty officer who helped me with my first travel claim, the chief petty officer who helped me understand how the car shipping process worked, my department head and his wife who taught me all the tips for having a successful PCS move, the fellow junior officers who shared things they had just learned. I give great credit to my parents who taught me to solve my own problems and not be too proud to ask for help, and to always, always, take the time to help others.
 
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Sampia, my DS' report date changed back and forth five times from his first notification. The last move gave him 4 weeks notice if I remember correctly. My DS knew of one class member who was enroute to TBS (driving from the west coast) who was notified his report date was moved back while enroute. So you DS needs to be prepared and ready to go anytime after commissioning.

CaptMJ has great comments above. They all figure it out. I think my DS spoke to some NROTC students who went before him and got some good advice. I know he was very concerned about having too much and no place to store it so he took very little besides that which was required. There are the base exchanges, Quantico stores and all kinds of stores off base. My DS advises that they pick up what they need after gaining some great experiences in the field, speaking with others, etc. My DS has a car (I assume most do) but if not, they all help each other out with rides into town, across base, etc.

One bit of advice: your DS will eventually get some instructions on some on-line courses that are recommended to be completed before arriving along with a bunch of administrative stuff (pay, etc). Best if you DS gets this done as soon as possible or his first week will be crazy.

I know many graduates get part time work to earn cash before leaving. Can't imagine taking a full time professional job and then picking up and leaving a short time later.

Hope your DS enjoys his last semester and moves quickly towards commissioning and graduation. They are great events for him and his family!
 
LOL. Great post, Capt MJ. Yes, it is time for Mom to mind her own business and let her son be the great man he has grown to become. Every day can be a learning experience if we take it as such. Even though he is a foot taller than me and 100 pounds heavier, I can't stop wanting to protect him.

Thanks, USMCGrunt. I have a feeling the summer months will go quickly and then off he will go. Does TBS have a graduation ceremony the way OCS did? I enjoyed going to that but decided if I make another trip out there I will definitely fly.
 
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Sampia: TBS does have a family day and graduation ceremony. Other than the date, we have no information from our DS yet. I look forward to getting to TBS and seeing the facilities, static displays and graduation. From what I understand, many parents and families come to the graduation (many but certainly not all). Directly afterwards the Officers move on to the MOS specialty school.
 
Capt MJ is spot on. I am sure he has had buddies graduate before him and his MOI give advice. The TBS website has some reporting info and probably even a packing list. I am sure he already knows this and his MOI will make sure they are ready, as well, it's their job! Also if I remember right they got a tour of TBS while at OCS so your DS knows where he is headed. If he has a car, take it. He can get everything he needs there. For most of us all our stuff fit in our car. He will know what he needs and he can fill in the rest of it between online orders, Q Town and PX. He will be fine, let him figure it out.

There is a graduation. If you can make it great, if not, not the end of the world. Most will head off to their schools. Our graduation was very small at TBS, as half our class graduated early to make school dates right after the new year. They had sped up our curriculum to ensure we got it all done before Xmas and then half the class went to MOS school after leave and the rest of us slept and worked out for 3 more weeks.
 
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Check out USMCOfficer.com
There seems to be a lot of useful information.
 
Hi Sampia,

Good comments above. DS's report date was moved up a month just 2 weeks before he was supposed to report. Everything he took easily fit into his Jeep Wrangler. He still has a bunch of stuff in storage back home which he'll be picking up as he heads to his MOS school.

Rooms are designed for 2 people but many of them will have 3 people assigned to it, so space can be cramped. All the stores are there and he can get anything he needs between on-base and off. The rooms do have microwaves. If his time there is anything like DS's there will be days he doesn't make it to the chow hall and microwave cooking skills come in handy.

DS debated buying a TV but one of his roomies has one so he didn't have the need. Besides... all these kids stream stuff now anyway.

I'd recommend some part time job for the summer. DS worked as a bartender at a craft brewery. Another idea is a camp counselor. I'm sure there are many other high turnover jobs he could pursue.
 
What should we expect on Family Day and Graduation?

Any recommendations for hotels and restaurants in the area?

Thanks in advance
 
@OtB - Its been awhile but I captured details in a PM or post 4-5 years ago. Let me look around.

Family day was a bust as far as I was concerned. They had a few static displays with weapons and some artillery shell casings on the sidewalk outside the barracks. DS wanted to get out of their asap but I made him walk us into some classrooms and the Officer's Club. Graduation details were very poorly communicated by his company but we gleaned details from others. It was held in an auditorium with a few speeches and closed with the Officers singing The Marines' Hymn.
We took pictures outside of the building afterwards.

Selection of hotel location can be important for ease onto and out of base. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Stafford. Very convenient. We ate at Mission BBQ and Vinny's Italian Grill - both very good - in Stafford.
 
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Checked my notes. Above is pretty close. We also ate at El Gran Charro which was very good also.
 
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I can also recommend the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Stafford. We stay there whenever we're in Quantico. Zibibbo 73 is an Italian restaurant that is right across the street from the hotel that I highly recommend. I've been extremely pleased with each visit there. Whenever I pass through Qantico I try to stop at My Deli in Qtown for Korean Bulgogi. Love that stuff. They're busy at lunch but I never waited long. They're a breakfast and lunch place.

Grunt's description of family day is right on, but, unlike a jaded Marine :D, we enjoyed it. We also attended a briefing in the AM before picking up the kiddo. DS took us to a classroom. He wanted to show off the sand tables. We enjoyed it. We also got to help him lug his gear out to his Jeep and our SUV so he could get out of Dodge. The singing of the Marine Hymn was the highlight for us, of course it is at every event I've been to in Quantico. Nothing like hearing 250 or more officers or officer candidates belt out the hymn. Pro tip - DS changed into his dress blues at the Marine Shop after picking it up from the dry cleaners. Seems like a fair number of folks did that. They can help make sure it's impeccable.
 
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