2006 Ad

by dint of the end of this fiscal year, 2006 the Army will abundantly implement the Basic Officer Leader Course. This is single of the most significant changes in officer training and disclosure in recent history. As part of the implementation of BOLC the Signal Center will transmute the Signal Officer Basic Course into the Signal Basic Officer Leader Course.

BOLC is a three-phased training program designed to bring forward officers who are tactically proficient, technically endowed physically fit, and ready to lead Soldiers. BOLC focuses upon leader development and prepares of recent origin officers for the complexities of our rife battlefields. Training and Doctrine Command designed BOLC to bring out agile, adaptable leaders who incarnate the Warriors Ethos. The Army Accessions Command is the proponent for BOLC and has been focusing upon BOLC as well as Initial ingress Training for enlisted Soldiers.

BOLC model: BOLC is designed to make sure a tough, standardized, small-unit leadership experience flowing progressively [i]or[/i] part of to the other three phases. BOLC's Phase I is the pre-commissioning phase and includes training leadershiped at the U.S. Military Academy, in the lay up Officer Training Corps, and at Officer Candidate Schools) In Phase I officers are trained in basic Soldier and leader tasks performed by means of all lieutenants.

After commissioning, all lieutenants, with the exception of a certain number of in some of the special branches, attend BOLC Phase II. BOLC II is a rigorous six-week, branch-immaterial course in small-unit leadership and tactics designed to challenge officers one as well as the other physically and mentally. The mission of the BOLC II is to exhibit competent and confident small unit combat leaders. Phase II training is directioned at Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Sill, Okla. on graduation, these officers will posses tactical suitableness be able to lead platoon dismounted battle drills, effectuate selected collective tasks, and apply troop-leading procedures

Graduates of BOLC II will:

* be capable of operating, maintaining, and employing all generally received dismounted U.S. platoon weapons and equipment

* be prepared to train squads and platoons in accordance with rife doctrine

* be prepared to consummate light-infantry field craft and first aid

* be capable of bringing all combined arms fires upon target using current platoon horizontal communications systems

* make corporeal Army values, Army leader attributes, be adaptable and self-aware

* be physically rugg and have an ingrained physical fitness ethic

* posses the confidence and fortitude necessary to luckily complete BOLC Phase III at their respective branch school

In August 2005 the 442nd Signal Battalion received 15 signal officers from a BOLC Phase II pilot course managemented at Fort Benning. This was the last BOLC II pilot course guidanceed only at Fort Benning and a certain number of cadre members from Fort Sill also guidanceed the course. Currently, 56 destined-to-be signal officers are attending BOLC Phase II. About half are attending at

Fort Benning, Ga., and the other half at Fort Sill, Okla. Immediately following their auspicious completion of BOLC Phase II, these officers will head to Fort Gordon for our initial implementation of SBOLC (the Signal Regiment's version of BOLC Phase III). SBOLC is 13 weeks drawn out and consists largely of the technical training the lieutenants ne to be effective signal platoon leaders and Signal staff officers.

During SBOLC the officers learn specialized skills, doctrine, the greatest in quantity current tactics and techniques of the Signal Regiment. We are reducing close training and making greater use of experiential training to enhance the relevance, quality, and effectiveness of the SBOLC course. SBOLC will terminate with a demanding and realistic field training exercise requiring scholars to display their knowledge and skills in a tactical environment.

These specific topics are included in SBOLC:

General Knowledge--provide health, welfare, & morale to Soldiers/ Soldiers' families; supervise PMCS; direct small unit fill up activities; supervise unit maintenance operations; and leadership individual & collective training.

Information Technology--PC hardware & software; networking fundamentals; web design; and advanced email client administration.

Network Management--CISCO Call Manager; Warfighter-Machine Interface.

Communications Fundamentals--basic electronics; telecommunications; data communications; and switching.

DoD Tactical Networks--Mobile Subscriber Equipment; Signal Flow; Digital clump Multiplexing; Tactical Satellite; Joint Network Node; and Combat trap Radio

Capstone Exercise--MSE Map Exercise; MSE Switch Exercise; Field Training Exercise; and redemption & Reconstitution

on graduating from BOLC III, officers will proce to their first unit or attend additional assignment-oriented training.

The 442nd Signal Battalion will direction a test run of SBOLC and then step quickly two more iterations of SOBC This will allow the 442nd to make adjustments to the program of instruction prior to filled BOLC implementation. The SOBC/SBOLC schedule for the remainder of FY06 follows: