What can I do to prepare myself for the Basic Leaders Course?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:31:17 -0500

What can I do to prepare myself for the school? I’m a slow learner and I fear I might get sent home for not figuring it out. I’m still waiting on a slot to open up so I have time to research any tips you have to offer?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 6:40 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:40:42 -0500

Do the best you can. There will be no task not taught to you. You you can do it!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 6:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:44:27 -0500

The program is not geared to fail you. The only thing that can fail you is you. There will be plenty of opportunities for study hall. Q&A in the class. Downtime in the barracks for you to study. Find someone in your unit that has just recently been to the course and pick their brains and see if they still have any of their study material.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 6:49 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:49:17 -0500

The biggest help is CTRL+F. Use this to search your PDF files. It will save you a lot of time.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 6:51 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:51:24 -0500

As I understand it BLC is very writing intensive now. Study AR 25-50 and work on essay writing. Work on your oral presentation skills. NCOPD is not rocket surgery. Make as much use of your instructors as you can, they are there for you and want you to pass. This is not basic training, air assault, or airborne, getting smoked is not a thing, in fact negative reinforcement is almost not a thing at BLC, the instructors want you to participate, if you are wrong about something they will not embarrass you, they will steer you to the correct answer. Stay engaged and use your free time to make sure your assignments are squared away, you’ll do just fine.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 7:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 19:10:03 -0500

It's a lot more classroom based now. Learn all the exercises in PRT in order, get familiar with writing essays, and pay attention to the evaluation sheets. The little details add up.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 7:21 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 19:21:18 -0500

You will be expected to know squad D&C and conduct PRT when you show up. So dive into the FM and TC. Talk with your SL about leading morning pt and with some d&c at the end to help you prepare.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Feb 27 at 2020 8:28 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 20:28:54 -0500

No one is a 'Born leader". That's why we put a PFC in charge of couple of PV2s cleaning the hallway, the latrine, and the stairwell, while SPC supervise the whole detail. Every level of rank can and does have the authority to supervise lower ranks in the same group.
Leadership takes practice, better in garrison and schools than in battle.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2020 8:27 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:27:30 -0500

Take these questions to your immediate supervisor and squad leader. Make them do their job.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2020 9:33 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:33:23 -0500

Show up knowing PRT. You will be expected to memorize the prep drill, CD 1 & 2, hip stability drill, military movement drill 1 & 2, and the recovery drill. Know the starting positions as well as the cadence for each exercise. When I went through about 6 months ago, this failed the most Soldiers. It goes without saying but show up able to do well on the APFT and possibly the ACFT. APFT failures sent a handful of people home as well. More than anything, just relax and do your best. As mentioned before, it is not designed to fail you. Show up prepared and you’ll do great.

Response by SGT Trip Heaverly made Feb 28 at 2020 9:45 AM

SGT Trip Heaverly — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:45:45 -0500

It’s the hardest thing you are ever going to do, nothing can prepare you. You’re going to have to sit at a desk, listen to an NCO talk about paperwork, and then take some tests. All this, along with some marching around, and then you will have to say the NCO creed. I don’t know how anyone can do it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2020 10:14 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:14:26 -0500

I wouldn’t worry about it dude, they changed the whole format 2 years ago. I went last year and it’s basically sit around and talk about being a good NCO, and then the other 1/2 is a college level English 101 class. The only thing you have to prepare for is d&c and leading PRT, as NG I struggled with those cus we never do them. But if you know how to lead PRT and D&C the time will fly by.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Feb 28 at 2020 12:55 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:55:06 -0500

Arrive already knowing the NCO creed, you will have to say it in front of your class. Definitely use ‘control F’ and do leave ANYTHING laying unsecured in your room...even a penny will get you a gig. Have fun, take it seriously and pay attention.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Feb 28 at 2020 2:40 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 14:40:04 -0500

You should ask your leaders and see if the NCO Academy you're going to pushed out a year in review. The one that's where I am at put one out for 2019 and highlighted issues they had whether it was APFT failures, ABCP failures, and what to focus on.

They highlighted the following:
- Read and understand NCO 2020 Strategy (students will be required to write about it in the course)
- Be familiar with FM 7-22 and TC 3-21.5 and be comfortable with leading a PRT session. If you don't practice it, it will show when you're at BLC.
-Remove all distractions for the duration of the course and show up with a professional attitude and eagerness to learn.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2020 8:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 20:10:03 -0500

How to prepare:

Get ready for mind-numbingly slow classes and politically correct bullshittery. Keep your head down, study your classwork at every given opportunity, and pay attention to the people in your class. Listen to the SGLs and unless directly spoken to, or posed a question, it's best to not speak an opinion. It's not worth the endless complaints and problems that you'll get for it.

As far as the workload, it's really not that hard.

Just my $0.02.

Response by SFC Steven Hetletvedt made Mar 4 at 2020 9:05 PM

SFC Steven Hetletvedt — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 21:05:03 -0500

It is just a refresher as to how to walk, talk, shoot, & s$&t. It’s a good thing as well as good learning experience to teach fellow soldiers and the older guys who need dome reassurance.