What was your experience with ILE? How much value did you get from it?

2014-04-17T10:45:27-04:00

For the Army field grades out there, what was your experience with ILE?<div><br></div><div>Did you go to the schoolhouse, did you do the DL, a satellite, or the RC course?  How did that work out for you? </div><div><br></div><div>What was good about it, what was pointless/painful? </div><div><br></div><div>What would you change about it?</div><div><br></div><div>For those who have experience with the "legacy" CGSC, how do they compare? How about the most recent iteration of the "new" ILE/CGSC? </div>

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2014 11:03 AM

2014-04-17T11:03:49-04:00

I considered applying for the 15-week (or even the full resident course) but I decided not to because I needed to put more focus on my civilian career. So I opted to do the full course DL and am just about finished with the final phase (and will be attending an AOC credentialing course in May-June.

I generally liked the DL. I'm not a big fan of Army online courses, but the readings were actually very good, and I wish I had more time to spend on them. I downloaded several and distributed them to my officers.

There's absolutely no question in my mind that the satellite course (or even the RC TASS course) would have been a better professional education experience, but that's the balancing act that TPUs have to make, right? Had I taken the months out for that, I would've taken a serious hit on my civilian job… and ultimately, that's my priority and real career.

For what it's worth though, I thought they did a good job with the DL, but it requires quite a lot of self-discipline.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2014 10:04 AM

2014-04-18T10:04:50-04:00

I am doing DL and hate every second of it. Now, the subjects are relevant and the readings aren't bad, but I find that I am working in a vacuum more often then not. The most valuable aspects of a residential course are the classroom discussions, q&a with the instructors and networking with your classmates, and in DL you get none of that. I am not an "expert" paper writer, but I find that the differences betw/ individuals grading papers result in vastly different grades. <div><br></div><div>I do not know how to fix this educational requirement of ILE w/ such vastly different population (full-timers vs reservists). Given the obvious advantages of residential course, everyone should go to residential, or at least be given the opportunity to go w/ the idea that you must apply for DL or RC TASS. (BTW, I'm AGR). </div>

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 9:38 PM

2014-08-11T21:38:08-04:00

I'm looking for feedback on my plan. I'm in the middle of a branch transfer, and still in my first year as an O-4, so I have a little time but want to start sooner rather than later.

My plan is to do Phase I through DL, Phase II through TASS, and Phase III for AT at McCoy. I got the ok from Leavenworth today that you can mix like this.

In addition to the previous posts, I have heard horror stories about the pure DL route, but also that Phase I DL is fine and not a waste of time; it's a good use of AT and keeps it short.

Anyone with insight into AOC for RC, I would appreciate some advice.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2014 9:55 PM

2014-08-11T21:55:28-04:00

My YG was back-logged and I just VTIP'ed before I started ILE. I did the DL thing and hated it! Not only are you working on your own, you don't get the benefit of small group interaction to discuss readings / assignments! On top of that - unlike the resident or satellite course where that is your job...with DL, you're still working your day job and have to make time to finish!

Ph 1 wasn't bad. Phase 2 took forever. Ph 3 I finished in two weeks!

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Jan 16 at 2015 6:36 PM

2015-01-16T18:36:21-05:00

I did the DL version of ILE. For most of my ILE time I was PCSing to Egypt with 30 days TDY in route. In Egypt I served as the Exec to a General Officer during the revolution of 2013. My personal time was mainly for by ILE or PT.

Where is the Pain? No predictable study time. Conflict with work. Some Unclear assignments.

If there was time blocked at the office to do ILE would be great. I am sure most MAJs out there who are XOs, S3s or SPOs dont have the luxury of dedicated ILE-Office time. Mission comes first. I almost had to take leave to finish some of the work.

Conflict with work is unavoidable. Fires will always come out. Unfortunately we have to figure it out. Meanwhile at Leavenworth... our peers are at the library or home with their family after class.

Some assignments are not black and white. Sometimes I submit a paper unsure if I did it correctly and get a good grade. Sometimes I am sure of my product and I get some low B. I just say to myself "Next Slide". At times I had to contact the instructor (when I could from Egypt) to figure out what they are asking. I will give the faculty some kudos because they will work with you.

It would have been great to network and collaborate with fellow officers at ILE similar as we did in CAS3.

On a good note, I was able to be at an awesome job, working for a great General, at a critical time in History. Had I been at Leavenworth (at the library:) I would have missed on the opportunity. But ILE was still so painful to do.

Central Michigan University grants 5 classes (15 credits) towards a Masters of Science in Education. This was my reason to finish ILE. Preparing for life after the Army.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2015 4:02 PM

2015-03-25T16:02:35-04:00

I am actually having to face a similar decision right now since I just got offered a spot at the 15 week as a TPU. Is going to that version worth the time? Will it make any difference come my next board - or is it like college degrees - they don't care where you got it from as long as you have the education?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 22 at 2015 6:40 PM

2015-10-22T18:40:03-04:00

I went to the school house and hated it. However the big take away for me was the Trinity, how insurgents fight, and how insurgents are fought. It gave me paradigms to better understand wars.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2015 12:36 PM

2015-11-26T12:36:44-05:00

I just finished ILE-DL and wish that I would have completed the resident course or the reserve component 10 month course. I believe that I would have learned more, instead of just meeting deadlines of turning in papers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2015 4:23 PM

2015-12-02T16:23:37-05:00

I feel ALL your pain! But as painful as ILE-DL was, AOC is worse! I've taken to referring to it as the Field Grade Hunger Games....

Response by LTC Curtis Madsen made Feb 28 at 2016 8:43 PM

2016-02-28T20:43:27-05:00

I did the 15 week resident at Redstone Arsenal and loved it. I was the only AGR in my group, but there were few other spread amongst the other groups. The networking was great, still in touch with instructors and some classmates. I did AOC DL, which sucked to a degree. I think it would've been worse if I'd not attended Common Core resident. I think I learned a lot more from AOC because I took it immediately after completing CC, which I mean I arrived home from Redstone and three weeks later I was starting my coursework. I would highly recommend this approach if you can't attend the 10 monthw resident. To comment about board members discriminating against resident vs DL, I would say some most likely will. Why else would your ORB say resident or non-resident., which frustrated me since I did half in resident. Gives the board member the impression that I did the entire course DL. I have talked with other officers in my state about their DL experience and they hated it! Didn't learn much and wished they would've followed my path or the 10 month resident.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 12:12 PM

2016-02-29T12:12:56-05:00

I did it through Distance Learning, and I felt that it was pretty much a check-the-block experience. If you've been paying attention throughout your career, you know 90% of what was taught, and if not, it won't make any difference. At this point, MDMP ought to be second nature to us, and another review of the GATT scenario was equally pointless. There should have been more emphasis on the reading and papers, which actually could advance individual knowledge.

The biggest problem that I have with it is that we board the residence course as if it's a critical career boost, even though there is not supposed to be any difference between DL and residence in terms of career qualifications. Instead of simply repeating the same boards that we use for promotions and command, we should provide the Phase I reading list and course assignments to everyone, and then start with doing online prerequisites. Those whose papers get the highest grades get the highest priority to go to the next phase, which would be a shortened residence phase (2-3 weeks), followed by additional DL work, and another residence phase. That would cull a lot of those who don't have the interest to do the work, or who do it badly, narrow the difference between the residence course and DL, since everyone would have a DL requirement and could get the residence phase if they were motivated enough, and reduce the disparity between components in terms of completion.

Response by MAJ James Woods made Feb 29 at 2016 1:48 PM

2016-02-29T13:48:14-05:00

Not much. I went to the schoolhouse. It was a nice break from OPTEMPO and did enjoy meeting new peers but the ole saying "you can't be a good S3 or XO without ILE" was a load of crap. It felt more like a check the block.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 1:56 AM

2016-05-28T01:56:02-04:00

Does anyone know about getting paid for phase II ILE? One recent graduate and assistant instructor said he made a bunch of money turning in documentation to get paid for the online portion you did between weekend drills. Does anyone know if this is true? I don't know the assistant instructors name since he went off to another class early in phase II. At our last meeting, another assistant instructor said he only received points. I will take both. I am in the USAR. I am going to ILE phase III soon for my last 2 weeks. I am in the ILE that has two weeks in phase I, 8 months meeting one weekend a month (and doing homework and papers in between classes) and now the final 2 weeks.

I have not called the schoolhouse yet but I wanted to know from the rank and file here on RP if you got paid.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Apr 29 at 2017 3:30 PM

2017-04-29T15:30:45-04:00

I went resident to sister service ILE, Naval War College. Great if you can get it. MEL IV without compressed misery. The other branches minus the Marines depend on Army students to lead the Joint Planning Process (MDMP at joint operational level). Completely worthwhile. Came with a Masters that was accredited without doing anything extra.