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National Guard Officer Candidates Complete Final Phase of Officer Candidate School
These past two weeks have been busy for the officer candidates taking part in the third and final phase of office candidate school (OCS) with the 2nd Battalion, 205th Regional Training Institute at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Officer candidates from nine different states had their leadership capabilities put to the test in a field leadership reaction course, squad-based situational training exercises (STX), platoon-based STX, a confidence course, and various other troop leading procedures.
“We are evaluating their decision-making process, their ability to go through troop leading procedures, to plan and execute missions, and we are just looking for their ability to lead soldiers,” said Illinois National Guard Sgt.1st Class Phillip McGill, an Oregon, Ill. native and senior platoon trainer with the 129th Regional Training Institute based in Springfield, Ill.
Phase three began with a leadership reaction course (LRC). The 98 candidates were split into 11 different squads and each squad was then faced with a number of problem-solving obstacles. For each obstacle, one candidate was selected at random to attempt to successfully lead their squad through the obstacle in a limited amount of time.
“You have to show the ability to be a leader, to command and control,” said McGill.
After the LRC, the candidates were transported out to a field training area, by CH-47 Chinook helicopter, where they would spend the better part of the next five days in the field eating, sleeping and doing squad STXs. The STXs consisted of multiple different scenarios in which squad leaders had to maneuver their squads through densely wooded terrain in order to complete a predetermined objective.
When asked what she hoped to gain out of joining OCS, Illinois National Guard officer candidate Haley Keenan, a Chicago, Ill. native, said. “Definitely more tactical leadership skills, the units I have been in have been somewhat far removed from what we’ve been learning in OCS so far.”
Every candidate was evaluated on a number of different criteria that determine their ability to lead a squad-sized element.
“I think this will be helpful in the future for any sort of mass training event or deployment,” said Keenan. “It will give me a lot of context and training to move forward with.”
The candidates completed the squad STX evaluation and were given a reset day to prepare for the platoon STXs that awaited them on July 30.
The platoon STXs were focused on urban assault. The Leschi Town training area on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, coupled with an oppositional force comprised of members of the Washington National Guard, offered a realistic urban environment for the candidates to be evaluated on their ability to work both as platoon and company sized elements to assault a target and complete an objective.
“This isn’t just for infantry officers or armor officers,” said Illinois National Guard Maj. Jared Dudley, commander of the Illinois National Guard OCS. “This skillset is critical to bring that knowledge in order to make your company more lethal.”
The last day of training involved a confidence course that tested their ability to maneuver through obstacles as a squad.
“OCS Phase three is the last phase before they earn their commission… here at phase three it’s focused on leadership… they are evaluated in leadership positions, it is a culminating event for them to apply their leadership skills and attributes as well as some doctrine and tactical knowledge along the way,” said Dudley.
The candidates are set to graduate Aug. 4, 2023 and commission as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.
| Date Taken: | 08.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.03.2023 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 450642 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, National Guard Officer Candidates Complete Final Phase of Officer Candidate School, by SSG Kyle Odum, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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