FA Bolc

sheriff3

5-Year Member
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Jan 14, 2013
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Ds currently in FA BOLC in scenic Ft. Sill. For those of you considering this branch be prepared for lots of classroom time. DS had class on Friday until 2100. Likes the stuff they are doing but be prepared to study!
 
Sounds about right. It gets better!

How far into the course is he?
 
I taught FA BOLC (Fire Support) and later CCC at Sill. It is a great course and the instructor certification is incredibly rigorous so the folks on platform tend to be very well versed as well as experienced in what they are teaching. The exact number varies by iteration but the ratio tended to be about 20-30 days of field time out of the 18 week course though it gets more stacked towards the end with the week long capstone exercise in week 17. Is he living on post. I know that was the plan when I left the installation which is how it was when I went through the course. I found that to be very helpful as you always had a cohort n the same building/hall who were studying the same problems so study groups were very easy to coordinate. Tell him to take advantage of the time there to get in/stay in the best shape possible and seek any follow on schools that they offer.
 
Sounds about right. It gets better!

How far into the course is he?
3rd or 4th week on the course I believe. I'll let him know it gets better. He is living in the hotel on base and has a good study group to lean on.
 
I taught FA BOLC (Fire Support) and later CCC at Sill. It is a great course and the instructor certification is incredibly rigorous so the folks on platform tend to be very well versed as well as experienced in what they are teaching. The exact number varies by iteration but the ratio tended to be about 20-30 days of field time out of the 18 week course though it gets more stacked towards the end with the week long capstone exercise in week 17. Is he living on post. I know that was the plan when I left the installation which is how it was when I went through the course. I found that to be very helpful as you always had a cohort n the same building/hall who were studying the same problems so study groups were very easy to coordinate. Tell him to take advantage of the time there to get in/stay in the best shape possible and seek any follow on schools that they offer.
Yep, living on base in the hotel rooms , pretty nice. He and his college roommate (NG) are sharing a 2 bedroom suite. Food is sooooo much better than at Ft Knox.
 
Question about BOLC in general, I'm sure it may vary on the branch. Are officers allowed to leave base on their own time or for the weekend if training is not scheduled? Are they required to be back nightly?

DS will be attended EBOLC (which is about 24 weeks I think) and lives right at 100 miles from base. Would be nice if he could travel home on weekends.
 
They are allowed to leave when not in training. There are some restrictions such as distance from base without taking leave.

For some BOLC's they can live off base, some BOLC's are PCS moves.

The only time they can't leave is when they're in the field or have a duty assignment.

With that distance he should be able to come home if he does not have any training over the weekend, he will need to get a pass.
 
The Welcome letter posted on the website said NO passes would be issued while at EBOLC except for holidays and No 2 day weekend leaves but references another policy letter I can't find. This contradicts some other things I had read (which match what you said above).

I was just curious. I guess the best thing for him to do would be to ask other LT's he knows that have been thru it.
 
Interesting, I have to admit that my only real reference to BOLC was both my sons, they both went AV which was a PCS move. They basically got a house and could do what ever they wanted on the weekends providing they got a pass if they were heading to Destin for the weekend, they were never denied a pass unless they waited to long to get one.

Get back to us when you find out more information, I'm sure anyone else going to EBOLC would love to get the info.
 
He shouldn't need a pass to travel home unless he's wanting to take a Friday or Monday in conjunction with the weekend. The necessity for a mileage pass is dictated by the local commander, however, it's usually 250 miles.
 
He shouldn't need a pass to travel home unless he's wanting to take a Friday or Monday in conjunction with the weekend. The necessity for a mileage pass is dictated by the local commander, however, it's usually 250 miles.

True. Son said same for IBOLC. He said most of the time they got these the guys would fly home and drive back with the wife and kids.
 
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