Today I had a fellow LT that I was in my platoon at Ft. Lewis last summer send me a Facebook message asking me for advice on Signal BOLC. Thought it would be cool to post what I answered to him on here, since I'm playing the whole "catch-up" game anyway!
HIM:
hey buddy, im trying to go signal, should get it, but was wondering if you could give me a rundown of signal bolc. how long, where you are living, weekends, anything i could study to prepare, etc. thanks
ME:
hey man, it's all pretty cool down here. i'm going to be graduating on ____________. augusta is a great "hopping off" point to visit a lot of different areas: atlanta, charleston, savannah, etc. so i've enjoyed that on the weekends. went to charleston this weekend and last weekend i went to atlanta. the airport here has connection into charlotte and atlanta as well for when you want to get out of town for the weekend.
ft. gordon is very much a growing post, so they're still lacking in being able to house all the officers while here on tdy. i spent the first two months here off post in a holiday inn and now am in a hotel on post. with that said, you'll be surprised to see how big the post is and the px, comissary, etc are all nice.
for the course work, a lot of it will go right over your head, but it's not too hard to cram it in for the tests. basically the idea is to get a good understanding of how to plan based on the capabilities of the of the equipment.
i have a lot of fun with the other lts and the overall tempo here is nothing too stressful.
the course here is 4 months long (mine was ___________), and over that time there is a very varied order between each class. i shared my google calendar for the course to your ako email. you'll need to set up a google account to access it though. if you have any questions about the acronyms on there let me know.
when it comes to studying to prepare i'll recommend you a few things, but keep in mind you'll likely be okay even if you don't study up:
-read a book from sublist 1 or sublists 2 of the the csa professional reading list OR just find a military-relevant book you're interested in. there's a very short memo book review that is turned in about a month or two in.
-there is a short memo biography required.
-there is a presentation you do on a subject of your own personal interest (they're just trying to gauge public speaking). it's about 10 minutes long. for me, i just did mine on army social media.
-there are only three "hard" parts of the course:
1) CISCO. Just google it, or look up stuff on skillport (through AKO) if you really want to be a stud. Any general knowledge will help you from being clueless. A small skill that is difficult to comprehend is how to subnet a network. Learn that early and you'll look like a genius.
2) Security +. Same as above. You can get yourself a certification while you're here if you come ready to roll with it.
3) JNN. This is the "meat and potatoes" of the actual Army side of communications. If you can understand how Joint Network Nodes and Expeditionary Signal Battalions set themselves up down range at least a little bit before you get here you will be ahead of the power curve. Check out s6.army.mil for some ideas on that.
Much of the rest of the course has no high stress tests. Just show up and do what you can to learn. There are some minor quizzes along the way, but many of them (and actually even the 3 parts i mentioned above) are open books or open notes to varying degrees.
the "hooah" stuff you do here includes:
-German Proficiency Badge - as long as you can score a 270, you can get a shiny new ornament for your blues in your free time. just google the badge. there's separate pt for those who want to go for it. i got it easily and from what i remember you're a big runner so you'll have not problem getting it.
-Combatives
-Range Qual - They breeze you through. Short day, no problem.
-Convoy Ops - I'm starting this tomorrow. It's only a two day thing so it can't be too hard.
-Signal Stakes - Can't tell you much about this yet, cuz I haven't done it, but it's the culminating event in which you go with your squad between different sites on foot and plan communications to brief to the commander.
-Radio systems - Towards the end you'll actually get some hands on (which you will be happy for due to a lot of Death By Power Point) with some of the equipment.
Any more questions, just let me know man.
03 October 2010
27 September 2010
So, to Summarize Almost 4 Months
Add "Free Six Flags" and "Visit and Stay in Downtown Atantla" to this list and you're pretty much caught up with the random things I've done since I graduated in May. I'm sure I forgot a bunch, but that's what came to mind the other day when I scribbled all of this crap on paper. I started this blog to keep up with my thoughts, but I think it might be best to start back in May at my graduation/commissioning. Writing in a past-tense that is more than just a couple of days off should be a better chance to reflect anyway. Right? Huh? Oh.
UPDATE: I got bored and made a ghetto map of this chicken-scratch. According to Google Maps... 4885 miles with 3 days and 16 hours.
UPDATE: I got bored and made a ghetto map of this chicken-scratch. According to Google Maps... 4885 miles with 3 days and 16 hours.
18 August 2010
"US Combat Troop Withdrawal"
Must comment here....
Balancing the realities of the slow withdrawal to the actuality of deployment to the heart of a failing democracy. It can be weird.
Although Barack Obama's speech on the "end of the combat mission" was largely a political move (but one that many will actually take seriously), it is strange to think of myself being in war that no one wants to consider a war anymore.
Balancing the realities of the slow withdrawal to the actuality of deployment to the heart of a failing democracy. It can be weird.
Although Barack Obama's speech on the "end of the combat mission" was largely a political move (but one that many will actually take seriously), it is strange to think of myself being in war that no one wants to consider a war anymore.
08 August 2010
01 August 2010
Learning and Productivity
Going through the technical portions of my most-recent classes here, I've begun to realize just how much information can be crammed into ones brain in a very short period.
Of course, cramming is nothing new to me--I did it all through college. Given 3-4 months to soak in most of my knowledge made me do just that...often leading to a strong week of brain-drilling dementia towards the end.
What's interesting to really think about is how much productivity can soar when you add two elements: a deadline and pressure.
As I have recently read in 4-hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, the 9-5 work week really is a farce and I'm starting to agree with that. At least in the sense that deadlines are spanned so far for most jobs. Instead of being productive, people just make themselves "busy".
For me right now, the 9-5 work week--however painful it may feel--is MUCH more productive in educating me on the concepts of study than were semester long classes during college.
Applying this to other parts of my life in the future should be helpful, but I am glad right now that I know that I can learn completely foreign concepts in a week--just need the pressure and the deadline.
Of course, cramming is nothing new to me--I did it all through college. Given 3-4 months to soak in most of my knowledge made me do just that...often leading to a strong week of brain-drilling dementia towards the end.
What's interesting to really think about is how much productivity can soar when you add two elements: a deadline and pressure.
As I have recently read in 4-hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, the 9-5 work week really is a farce and I'm starting to agree with that. At least in the sense that deadlines are spanned so far for most jobs. Instead of being productive, people just make themselves "busy".
For me right now, the 9-5 work week--however painful it may feel--is MUCH more productive in educating me on the concepts of study than were semester long classes during college.
Applying this to other parts of my life in the future should be helpful, but I am glad right now that I know that I can learn completely foreign concepts in a week--just need the pressure and the deadline.
27 July 2010
Air Forse Neads SplelCheck
A little light humor this morning. The picture below was on the main page of AKO. Know it's not a Wikileaks-level find, but I thought it was funny.
26 July 2010
RIP Andrew Hand
Please read this article on PFC Andrew Hand. All of my best to those who perished with him as well. I knew Andrew and remember him only to be a quiet but confident person--full of ambition.
It was interesting to read that he actually turned down an opportunity to move off the line for a new assignment but said "he didn't want to leave his brothers". Truly a tribute to his character.
Andrew's death is certainly a tough taste of reality for me. Having others in my close groups of friends and family deployed has given me my own perspective, but Andrew was the first person I have known personally to have died serving overseas. Not only did Andrew serve his country, but he did so both in Afghanistan and Iraq--twice. His sacrifices in life and in death will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
Army Times Article
It was interesting to read that he actually turned down an opportunity to move off the line for a new assignment but said "he didn't want to leave his brothers". Truly a tribute to his character.
Andrew's death is certainly a tough taste of reality for me. Having others in my close groups of friends and family deployed has given me my own perspective, but Andrew was the first person I have known personally to have died serving overseas. Not only did Andrew serve his country, but he did so both in Afghanistan and Iraq--twice. His sacrifices in life and in death will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
Army Times Article
22 June 2010
CU: The College Home and Atlantic City June '10
Directly after I finished up with a week of weddings and some personal disappointments, I turned around to regain some vigor for life with my best friends from school. The drive through the WV mountains turned out to be a great relief and it was really nice to be back to my hometown one last time--though this time not one bit of my stuff was there. The middle of June is an odd time to be in a college town, but it was refreshing to see the area during that time of the year because I had not done so in the 3 years my family lived in Germany. As one last "victory lap" my roommate and I went for a hike up the local mountain, which boasts a great view of our town.
After that, it was off to the famed Atlantic City to meet our other roommate. His mother frequents there to play slots, so we were able to get a room gratis. I wound up playing a good bit of "Caribbean Stud" and overall the experience was a great chance for us to relive a "light" version of our exploits from our Spring Break trip to Vegas. We could have stayed for another day, but we were just as content with heading back to my roommates home in New Jersey for a party. Writing this now is almost surreal, because I cannot believe it's been since then that I saw my old friends. Luckily, I'll be heading back there for this weekend, which should be crazy since it's Halloween weekend!
After that, it was off to the famed Atlantic City to meet our other roommate. His mother frequents there to play slots, so we were able to get a room gratis. I wound up playing a good bit of "Caribbean Stud" and overall the experience was a great chance for us to relive a "light" version of our exploits from our Spring Break trip to Vegas. We could have stayed for another day, but we were just as content with heading back to my roommates home in New Jersey for a party. Writing this now is almost surreal, because I cannot believe it's been since then that I saw my old friends. Luckily, I'll be heading back there for this weekend, which should be crazy since it's Halloween weekend!
17 June 2010
Catch-up: Weddings in WV June '10
It was an experience attending my first two weddings in a span of a week. I still had never gone to one (mainly because I am the oldest in my family). Seeing it happen in real life took the mystery out of it, both in a good and bad way. That week was pretty tough personally, but in many ways it confirmed to me a lot of questions I needed answered.
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