First let me apologize for those of you who were hoping for some information before now. The whole purpose of me starting this was not to capture BCT, but to capture OCS. There are plenty of accounts of BCT.
Let me pick up where I left off and give a general overview of the National Guard Traditional Officer Candidate School. Do keep in mind that states run their traditional program. One state can vary quite a bit from another.
Phase 1:
Phase 1 was two weeks of torture really. I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear, but it is what it is. Just like any other experience I've had so far in the military though, it is all about your mentality. If you go there and constantly count the minutes, worry about whether or not you're going to get smoked, etc; it will be miserable. If, however, you keep in mind why you are there and focus on the end state rather than the temporary pain or fatigue, you will be good to go.
Big things for Phase 1, LAND NAV! My Phase 1 was in South Carolina. The land nav course wasn't horrible, but it also wasn't easy. You need to study up on your land navigation before you get down there as you will only have two chances to pass day and night land nav. Some important things to remember about land nav is: don't try something new when you get there - stick with what you know, take your time plotting your points, when you step off - be confident - don't doubt your plotting or pace.
You will take tests that you have to pass at Phase 1, but you will learn what you need to know there. There are other ways to get kicked out as well, like integrity violations, but the biggest killer is land nav. Don't let it scare you though. NC came back with everyone we took down there. Just make sure you are ready.
Other than that, there is sleep deprivation, a lot of death by powerpoint, but if you let it, it can also be a lot of fun. Our first week was garrison time. We had some days where all we did was sit in the class room with "breaks" in between classes. "Breaks" were going outside and getting smoked, but believe me, you'll get to the point where you want to be smoked just to get out of the classroom for a little while. We had a leader's reaction course (obstacle course where different people take charge of the group) and at the confidence course (individual obstacles, rappelling, etc).
The second week was almost entirely in the field. The first few days we practiced land nav with some lane guides. The next days we took our land nav practical. In the evenings, we did some WBTDs (warrior tasks and battle drills like weapons maintenance, basic tactics, etc). The field time wasn't that bad, so long as you could keep your mind off the time.
Important things for Phase 1: LAND NAV, be physically fit and in regs, go with the right attitude, LAND NAV
Phase 2:
Ah, Phase 2, where I spent a year of my life. There are pros and cons to the traditional program. One big con is that it drags on forever, but for me, as an 09S, having no previous military experience, this was the right choice for me. It allowed time for information to sink in between drills. I believe it also better prepared us for a career in the National Guard. Why? Because instead of being stuck in a training environment for 4 weeks, being in leadership where all of our troops are present and in the training mindset, we had to function through the month with jobs, families, and the other normal life events competing for our time and attention.
Phase 2 progressed similar to BCT with regards to treatment. The first several months, you could expect a smoke session multiple times a drill. Then it gets a little better, and by the end, it is truly a mentoring environment. For NC, it started with most of the first drills being all classroom training. Around the middle of the course, we started having more focus on WTBDs, and by the back third, we were in the field all drill running squad lanes preparing for Phase 3. This was a big difference from many of the other states. NC did a great job training us for Phase 3 as the focused the back part of Phase 2 on Squad Lanes. Each candidate had run 1 or 2 lanes every drill for 4 drills, tailoring their OPORD template and honing their lane leadership skills. On the contrary, other states came having run only a few drills TOTAL, meaning only a handful of candidates ever got to lead a lane before Phase 3.
Phase 2 is your time to step up. Don't be a ghost in phase 2. If there are volunteer opportunities for class leadership, take them! This gives you the opportunity to build experience, make mistakes in the training environment, and, HELLO, it helps you in your peer reviews and in the class ranking! I was the class treasurer and I was always ranked high in the peer reviews with a large part due to the fact that I was highly visible to the class.
Be quick to build a rapport with your TACs. This is not like BCT where they don't want to talk to you or know your name (or at least it shouldn't be). They are there because they want to build officers. The sooner you can show them that you and your class are ready, willing, and able to learn, the sooner you will turn it into a mentor phase from a TAC phase.
Don't forget your PT!!!
This is the phase where we lost candidates. We lost many actually. Phase 2 started with 27 candidates. By the end of the first drill, three were gone. Why? Because they rang the bell and quit when they got yelled at. I'm not saying they would have made it, but they never really tried. Now, for at least one of them, it was because she realized she wasn't ready or didn't want to be there. If that is you, there is no shame in pursuing another course. The OCS road is not for everybody. I don't mean that everyone is not "good enough", it is not a hierarchy thing. I mean people are made for various different skill types. The army needs NCOs, Warrant Officers, and Officers - and probably in that order.
We are getting ready to graduate next weekend - with 18. So how did we lose the others. Well, some just didn't need to be there. They were not going to make good officers regardless of the training. Some failed at their PT. Others - life got in the way.
As for PT, you will have rucks to complete, a release run, and PT tests. Again, you have two chances to pass. If you fail anything (physical, practical, or academic test) you're out of the program. You may or may not be able to start with the next class, depending on the decision of your commander.
Important things for Phase 2: stand out - in a good way, maintain PT, study, be proactive
Phase 3:
There is one thing to know and pass at Phase 3 - TROOP LEADING PROCEDURES. This includes knowing how to develop and brief an OPORD and build a sand table in the field environment. If you have this down, you will pass Phase 3 (again - short of integrity violations and the like).
Use Phase 2 Squad Lanes to develop and hone a good OPORD template that you can use in Phase 3.
Our Phase 3 was Alabama. The first couple of days we were in garrison. They had their rules and SOPs for garrison, and the accelerated candidates were really hard core about them. WARNING - there were a TON of Blue Falcons at Phase 3. Don't trust anyone outside of your state and CADRE! We almost lost a candidate over Blue Falconry.
Make it through the garrison game and you will be in the field quickly. Week 1 is almost all in the field. You perform Squad Lanes all day, every day. You might get two chances at Squad Lanes, so you better pass the first time. Again, don't worry about tactics - that's what BOLC is for - worry about what you have to do before you cross the LD (TLPs, OPORD). That will get you your GO. The rest of it is just for fun. By the way, you time from brief to LD will vary from 20 minutes to over an hour. Just be prepared for the worst case.
You'll do a combat water survival test, consisting of a 15m swim with a weapon, a test where you jump in with a vest and weapon - remove it - and resurface, and a test where you jump off a diving board blindfolded - remove the blindfold - and swim to the wall. It helps if you can swim, but even if you can't, this is an "attempt" event. That means, if you attempt it - if you jump in and sink like a rock - you pass. There are tons of CADRE and lifeguards to save those who cannot swim. If you want to look like a pro though, start practicing now. Swimming is very different in a full set of ACUs (with boots) and a rifle being held out of the water with one hand.
The second week is really just for fun. It consists of Platoon Lanes. Kind of a waste of time in my humble opinion. I really wish the program were restructured so that time was used to learn practical skills for Platoon Leaders. What's not practical about it you ask? Well the lanes utilized Vietnam era tactics. Even if you are branching Infantry, it wasn't enough to really teach you anything. Being that most are not branching Infantry, some more practical training would have been welcome. I don't mean tactics are useless, but just throwing a mission at you and running you through it to kill time did seem pointless.
I did not receive one rep of corrective training at Phase 3. No smoke sessions. Other platoons and companies, however, did. Likewise, other individuals who screwed up, did. But again, don't get hung up on "will I get smoked or not". Is it a smoke session like Phase 1 is? No. If it was though, so what? You made through Phase 1, you can make it through Phase 3. Heck, it is just two weeks, with a year + behind you, between you and that gold bar.
So in a week and a day, I will be a 2LT. So I expect all comments to start with "Sir". (joking) I also got my top pick branch of Engineering - so I get to head back to Fort Lost in the Woods before too long for BOLC.
I may post again after some time as a PL to offer some advice to new PLs. Or I may forget and this will just be a dead blog. If, however, you have questions, feel free to ask them. I'd be happy to help if I can.
- OC Belvin
