BOLC July 2012

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · May 9, 2012

Sounds hot.

And humid.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 9, 2012

Make sure your PT is up to par -- that is not something you want to have to worry about while there! Take hydration very, very seriously. And above all, enjoy your experience there. I had a great time!

chudder · May 12, 2012

Meet APFT and height/weight standards. Other than misconduct, these are the only reasons they can fail you from the course. If you are not used to running, or are only running enough to be able to pass your APFT, you need to run more. We had a significant number of overuse injuries due to students not being accustomed to the volume of running. There were many, of course, who thought our PT very easy. Compared to other BOLC courses, AMEDD PT is a piece of cake.

You will be ridiculously hot when you go to the field. More accurately, you will be dangerously hot. Our class just came back from the field and we had a student fall out due to heat injury nearly every other day. Some went to the clinic, others were hospitalized. Aggressively hydrate, eat your damn MREs, and seek out the shade. If you do start to have s/s of heat injury, identify yourself to cadre sooner rather than later. The ice immersion baths for your arms saved my ass on the M16 range.

Your class is, reportedly, gigantic. Really. Ours was 300+ and we heard yours could be nearing 700. Seems impossible, but they will find a way I'm sure.

Prepare yourself to hurry up and wait. Don't let yourself get frustrated with "wasted" time or wrapped up in how this or that could or should be done better. Take a few breaths and just drive on. We had a lot of people in our class get pretty bent out of shape at one point or another over relatively little stuff. The logistics of a course of this size are daunting, and your cadre are only so many.

We built a couple of the tents you all will be sleeping in during the FTX. You will have A/C, showers, port-a-potties, and hot chow for most breakfasts and dinners. If you can, poop in the mornings when the port-a-potties are the coolest and thus the least "ripe." The port-a-potties near the front gate are less disgusting than the ones closer to the tents.

Get all your uniforms and the stuff you need from the packing list before you get here, if possible. It's just one less thing to worry about. Expect an ASU inspection and try to get yourself squared away sooner rather than later.

Make some friends. My platoon got along very well and we had a great time. Some others spent their time back-biting and one-upping each other, or seeing which prior enlisted student leadership could best show the soft direct commissionees what the Real Army is about... LOL... military customs and discipline are good, but it's sad watching the hooah-er-than-thou prior enlisted try to yell at students new to the Army.

If you are a direct commission with no prior service or prior service in another branch, you need to get enrolled in the BOLC Prep course. Your HRC Branch Manager needs to do this, I think. It is a 2 week course prior to BOLC that will get you up to speed before everyone else shows up.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try to answer them for you.

Trojan_SC · May 16, 2012

Is the BOLC prep class something that is new? I haven't read about it before in any blogs. I'll be going to BOLC in August, but no orders yet so I'm not sure if I'm enrolled in that class.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 16, 2012

As Chudder said, pre-BOLC is a two-week course for direct commissions. Ask your recruiter and/or Branch about it immediately, and try to go. You'll just report to Ft. Sam two weeks early. The six people from the 200-ish people at my BOLC course who went to pre-BOLC said it was invaluable. They even went to Camp Bullis (where you go for "going to the field") and did some familiarization there with land nav, etc. They said it was even fun. :)

Schmicka · May 21, 2012

I'm also going to BOLC in August, and just received my orders last Friday. I am reporting to San Antonio August 14 for the BOLC Prep course. I'm nervous, excited, etc. and trying to find people to connect with before getting down there! I'm actually a social worker, not a nurse, but I haven't been able to find anything like this for military social workers! Any info, support, etc would be greatly appreciated!

chudder · May 22, 2012

We had at least one social worker in our BOLC class...

tawrn2002 · May 23, 2012

YES!!!! I am also a RN going to BOLC July 5th. which is fast approaching. i am so glad to finally see someone else for this class. i have read many post and blogs about other people who have went. where is your first duty station? They are sending me to Fort Leavenworth, kansas. sounds interesting but defitetly would not have been my first choice. i am getting nervous also. i have lost a lot of weight and i have doing PT on a regular basis. I am pretty worried about the weather but hopefully coming from Florida i am somewhat accomstummed to the heat. i am also very excited because this has been a 2 year process trying to get in and now it is finally happening. well Icould ramble on but i won't and im at work so i need to go. this is my last night so i can take the last month to get everything squared away with house and packing. its great to hear someone else is nervous too.

educalcu · May 23, 2012

Basically what everyone else said. Just remember, your an officer now, lead from the front!

Stephyfoxx · Jun 16, 2012

Chudder- Can you be more specific on the PT? What the max distance that you ran while there? I've already passed my PT test with my unit and am working out regularly. I'd like more information so I know if I'm on target or not. Thanks!

Stephyfoxx · Jun 16, 2012

Hi Schmicka,

I'll be going to BOLC in August as well! Looking forward to connecting with everyone! Would love to hear about your experience getting a social worker slot.