Officer Basic Leadership Course - Reserve Component (OBLC-RC), is a course that healthcare professionals attend to help incorporate them into the Army. It takes place at fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX and lasts 25 days (not including travel).
Before I begin, I want you to know that I had a great time at this camp. If you just keep an open mind, and do your best to meet people, make new friends and learn you will come back with the same positive experience.
What you will learn:
The camp is broken into classroom and field sessions, you will spend 13-14 days in the field and 11-12 days in the classroom.
Classroom: I'm going to tell you right now, it's hard to keep up on the classroom course material. You're cramped in an auditorium for 10 to 12 hours and the presenters don't waste any time. My best suggestion is to listen attentively, and to copy down the course title and code given at the start of each lecture. If you have further questions, all of the military coursework can be found on the web, via typing the information mentioned above, in a simple Google search. Some people actually copy and save the different course power-points to a flash drive for future reference (I should mention, most of the power-point presentations will be given to you on a CD near the end of your course). Some classroom topics include:
Human Resource (pay, promotion, insurance, leave, accessing AKO/DKO)
Military customs and procedures
Army Medicine (field medicine, base medicine, many, many other topics)
Field: If you go in the summer, prepare for the heat. Last year ('09) the temperature didn't drop below 105*F. That said, the course directors do a good job at ensuring your safety (water and food are always nearby). Some of the field topics include:
Weapons Training
Convoy training
Field hospital training
Other things you should know:
You are not eligible for promotion until you complete this course.
You may feel as if your education is lacking in certain aspects. For instance the course instructors did not teach my class proper military etiquette (marching, rank structure and salute, etc.) that said, many of the prior enlisted helped the rookies out. When in doubt, rely on your prior enlisted course-mates, most of them really know what they are doing.
How to schedule your camp:
Below you will find a document provided by CPT Roggow, the ASR program manager. This document details how to deterimine availible dates for OBLC-RC. After you find a date that works with your schedule, talk with your unit readiness officer. He or she should be able to schedule the course for you.
Note: It is very important to get an OBC (Officer Basic Course) date as soon as possible. From the date you commission you have up to 36 months to complete your OBC. If you have not completed OBC within 36 months you will be removed from the National Guard.
OBC dates are posted on the Army Training Requirements and Resources webpage at www.atrrs.army.mil.
According to CPT Roggow, beginning in 2011, Phase 1 completion is a requirement for all 6-8-C20B RC students prior to enrollment in Phase 2. Students have a maximum of one year to complete Phase 1. Failure to complete Phase 1 within a year will require re-enrollment in Phase 1. In FY 2010 students are "Grandfathered" and not required to complete Phase 1 if attending Phase 2 in FY 2010.
Once you have scheduled OBLC-RC, please e-mail CPT Roggow (aaron.roggow@us.army.mil) or your regional ASR Manager.
OBLC Update
ASRs,
Please, be advised of the new changes to Phase 1 as a prerequisite for
enrollement into Phase 2 of AMEDD Basic Officer Leader Course (RC). All
classes with a report day on or after 11 August 2011 will be required to
complete Phase 1. See complete email below.
V/R,
CPT Fritz Roggow
ASR Career Program Manager
(703) 868-1853
________________________________
ALCON:
Reference: Distributed Learning (dL) requirement for AMEDD Basic Officer
Leader Course (BOLC) 6-8-C20B (RC).
All BOLC (RC) classes with a report day on or after 11 August 2011 require
students to complete Phase 1 as a prerequisite for enrollment into Phase 2.
Students must complete Phase 1 dL within one year from the date of
enrollment.
Please push this information to all the states AMEDD Leaders and unit
training NCO's.
1. Purpose. To provide information regarding Phase 1 dL of the 6-8-C20B (RC)
AMEDD Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC).
2. Background.
a. Phase 1 of AMEDD BOLC (RC) dL prepares students for the Phase 2
resident course which is conducted at Ft. Sam Houston, TX.
3. Discussion
a. The dL AMEDD Basic Officer Leader Course (RC) provides instruction in
the following seven subjects/ modules: General Military Subjects; Leader
Communication; Legal Process; Force Protection; Soldier Programs; Unit
Management; and Personnel Management.
b. To register for this course, students must be entry level Army
National Guard or US Army Reserve AMEDD commissioned officers.
c. Effective immediately, students can complete Phase 1 prior to
attending Phase 2 if desired. Beginning with class 2011-115 with a report
date of 11 August 2011, students must complete Phase 1 as a prerequisite for
enrollment into Phase 2. Students must complete Phase 1 dL within one year
from the date of enrollment.
d. For enrollment information contact your unit administrator, Human
Resources Command (USAR), or your state Army National Guard Headquarters.
Respectfully,
CPT Brian R. Wire
Section Chief, AMEDD Officer Accessions
National Guard Bureau
ARNG Strength Maintenance Division
Officer Accessions Branch
1411 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202
Office No: (703) 604-4208
BlackBerry No: (703) 835-2753
Facsimile: (703) 607-0357
Please visit the AMEDD Recruiting Resource site at
https://gkoportal.ngb.army.mil/sites/G1_ASM/AMEDD/default.aspx