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Discussion

OBLC experience week 1

Hello Everyone, I am currently attending OBLC and let me tell you it is sooo hot. Last week we had 19 ppl go out with heat and just as we got back to base friday evening we lost someone right off the bus.. The temp reached 103 and the heat index was a level 5. They do not stop training as you have a very busy schedule and alot of skills to accomplish.I am not prior service so all this is new to me. The tasks are not hard but exhausting plus with the heat index makes is hard on everyone. Attitudes are positive. A couple time I was indoubt if I could make it due to the heat and all the gear you have to carry around. PPL are having a hard time remembering their M16 as stated in other posts your M16 becomes your battle buddy and you end up giving it a name. If someone does something like use their cell phone prior to 1800 you all pay and there is no cell phone use. If you smoke and someone smokes prior to 1800 you all pay and there is no smoking until the next day at 1800.If someone forgets their M16 you all pay and all privliedges are taken away. The field is hard work and I suggest you get into shape prior to attending it will help you alot. They are giving us these hydration pks to add to our canteens to help with the heat some ppl choose not to take their advice and some do. I listen and take the hydration pak everyday. It is hot and will only get hotter. I am hoping to be more acclimated next week. Next week we do convoy opperations which I have been told is a bear. If anyone has completed the whole course let me know and also let me know what to expect over the next two weeks. I am a reservists and we stay at a hotel when we come into town. A piece of advice when you leave the field the first week pack all your stuff in your duffle and only put your dirty clothes in your ruck sak it will make life easier if you dont have to get your duffle off the truck. I did and now today all I have to worry about is packing my ruck with clean clothes. You will get back from the field late friday and will have class all day saturday with sunday free. If you take your duffle off the truck you have to be back to the hotel to turn it in at 1700 on sunday which breaks up your day if you want to do something. If you live close enough bring your car. The hotel has a shuttle but let me tell you we waited at walmart for an hour just to catch a ride back. Use the packing lists posted and also take the advice about breaking in your boots and the moleskin it works. I used blister baindaids and moleskin with covering it all up with sports tape. My blisters never broke open and the sports tape stayed in place all week. I have seen some pretty nasty blisters so if you take the advice you will save yourself alot of pain.Remember when you pack your ruk sak you are stuck carring it so think light.Dont schedule in the summer it is way to hot !!!!!! and if you do go in the summer listen to what they tell you to do !!!! Good Luck and I will update next week when we come back from field.

Featured Replies

Thanks for this great piece of fresh info. I haven't found the packing lists yet but I'm sure I will. Keep us updated and hang in there!

:up:Thanks so much for posting this! Can't wait to hear from you next week! :yeah:

"hello everyone, i am currently attending oblc and let me tell you it is sooo hot. last week we had 19 ppl go out with heat and just as we got back to base friday evening we lost someone right off the bus.. the temp reached 103 and the heat index was a level 5."

try *******' living here!!!!! when i run at 1830, it is 100 degrees, everyday.....:)

c.

Thanks for sharing... Looking forward to hearing from you soon!!!!!!!!!!!! TAKE CARE!!!!

Thanks for the update! I am glad I got bumped to the Oct. OBLC!

Anyone reading this going to OBLC in OCT? Anyone from MN? I want to drive to Tx, to have a car, but its 1300+ miles each way? Any suggestions from others?

Another question... how do you get an AKO account? I can't get in to it... UGH

Thanks for any help!

gettingitdun1

Depending on how long OBLC is, you're probably better off with a car.

I know in the Air Force, my COT (about five weeks) is nine hours from here and I'm going to be stationed in San Antonio. COT for us is considered a TDY en route to a PCS. So when I head to San Antonio/Lackland AFB following graduation, I'm only going to be paid and be given travel time from Montgomery to San Antonio, not from Durham to San Antonio. Since it's 23 hours from NC to TX, and I think 14-18 hours from AL to TX, I don't think they'll give me time to get BACK to NC, get my car, and then drive from NC to TX. Plus, they're not going to pay for that - so I'd have to pay for the plane ticket out of my own pocket.

The Air Force is going to pay my mileage from NC to AL, plus one night's stay somewhere en route. They'll do the same to TX (though I'm thinking I'll get two days to get to TX). I'm guessing the Army will pay you the same way - check into that, because that may be your deciding factor. The Army may not pay for you to go back and get your car (and probably won't, really), and you may find yourself really pressed for time to get back to your duty station. They SHOULD pay for you to go from OBLC to your base, even if you're headed back to near where you came from.

Of course, if your Guard/Reserves, all this is probably moot. :p

I am attending the Oct OBLC class. If I were you I would drive unless you want to rely on others or the bus system. I am driving down because I will be stationed at Brooke after OBLC. I would drive either way though. In order to get a AKO account you need someone to sponsor you. Just ask your recruiter, they should be able to do this for you. Have you got your official orders yet?

I did OBLC without a car and was fine........ I would not drive my vehicle for 1300 miles unless I was REGULAR ARMY and they were paying me to do it!!!

Yeah, I walked alot, so what? It is OBLC!!! You are given a taxi allowance (which you can share with others.......)

Enjoy :) it is good fun!

c.

I did OBLC without a car and was fine........ I would not drive my vehicle for 1300 miles unless I was REGULAR ARMY and they were paying me to do it!!!

Yeah, I walked alot, so what? It is OBLC!!! You are given a taxi allowance (which you can share with others.......)

Enjoy :) it is good fun!

c.

TAXI ALLOWANCE??? LOL - and they say the Air Force is spoiled... :p:p:p

TAXI ALLOWANCE??? LOL - and they say the Air Force is spoiled... :p:p:p

Yep,I think it's about $25 per week.....

I'm guessing that won't get you very far...but still, even half fare is better than nothing, and as you say, if you pool it - you've got it made.

We get paid for driving to COT - for us it's a TDY assignment - but we have to pay for our meals, which REALLY burns me up.

  • Author

Hello and Sorry I didnt post week 2 or 3 things got busy. The weeks went pretty much the same and you do complete 2 4 mile ruk marches so be in shape. The first 4 mile march we had about 35lbs in our ruk sak so if you have a back pack I suggest you walk with weight or books inside to get you use to the weight on your back. They dont line ppl up to size and if your short you could end up all the way in the back like I did and I am only 5feet tall. On the day of the march they have you get up at 4am and it will be completed on a friday of week 2 and week 3 out in the field. I noticed the prior service ppl and the guys practically ran the 4miles to get it over with so be in shape. I know alot of you have noticed I wrote be in shape quite alot and the reason is that to me is the key to success when attending OBLC. On the third week attitudes began to surface but if you keep to yourself and your battle buddy things will be fine. Our tent was awesome and everyone got along great now other tents tempers flew like bats. A few things I forgot to write. The PFT is diagnostic but if you dont pass then on the 2nd and 3rd week you will go to PT while the others do combatives. Dont stress but try your best prior to going and do your best. I had to do the PT due to my run time and am glad I did it helped me decrease my run time. The down side is you do 30 mins of cardio plus you will run 2miles and no way to shower but you can be creative at the end of the day we used our old canteen water to wash up instead of just dumping it on the ground. Baby wipes are great but if you have sensitive skin I would suggest to rinse off at the end of the day with your canteen water the baby wipes do leave a film and it will dry your skin really bad. If you are allergic to bees make sure you take a few epi pens the bees are bad and when I say bad I mean really bad. I got stung right by my right eye. Also remember no food in the tent. We ended up with a scorpian in our tent one night it was inside someones kevlar. You do go to the range for the M16 and 9M but on the M16 you dont get qualified but can on the 9M. Just remember to be respectful of others and listen. They will tell you when you can change at the end of the day which will be at 1800 or earlier and the dress is the PT uniform. They will also tell you when you can use your cell phones and smoke which is at 1800. Smoking and Cell phone use is over at first formation in the AM which can be anywhere from 0450 to 0830. Bring a flash light that has a red lens and if you dont the clothing store sells one for under 9dollars. Make sure you bring the reflective belt for the PT you have to wear it every night with your PT uniform and also put it on your ruk sak when you do the 4mile marches. Meal times are okay but the lines are long so remember you are attending with close to 500 other ppl. You will have a meal for breakfast and dinner and for lunch you will be issued an MRE. Remember you will carry your ruk sak on the bus and off the bus so think light. Your ruk sak stays in your lap on the bus and they fit 52ppl on each bus. Some ppl had a hard time filing from the back to the front which made life hard for others but be respectful and do it the right way.Try to keep your weapon clean they will inspect it on your last turn in so when they tell you to clean it make sure you do as your told everyone will get out on friday alot faster. The reservist go first as we had class on saturday but the long course has saturday and sunday off. Get with someone who is prior service they will help you so much. I learned alot from the prior service. Remember to ask questions dont be shy now is not the time and the last thing you need is to do something wrong or be late. I always went 15mins early so if they say be at the bus at 0600 I was at the bus at 0545. If they said formation at 0830 I was there at 0815. I dont know how hot oct is but I will tell you we were told that next year the whole course will take place at camp bolllis and they will not go into town on the weekends. I am thankful we got to go into Ft Sam houston on the weekends and got to sleep in a real bed for 3nights and shower it was wonderful plus to be able to wash our clothes I can only imagine what it would have been like to have the same clothes for weeks without cleaning them or taking a shower. They are installing showers but to be honest I just dont see how they would get the go ahead they have tight water restrictions. Good Luck everyone and remember it is what you make of it and I suggest you take it all and make the most of it !!!!!!!

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