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National Guard PT and Fitness requirements, OBLC experiences


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Have been interested in joining National Guard. Was wondering if anyone has a link to the PT and fitness requirements. Have searched but keep finding dead links and outdated material. Wanted to make sure I am in range prior to wasting a AMEDD recruiter's time. I also don't want to go to BLOC or OBLC (have seen both abbreviations) and have to be recycled to the physical fitness program.

 

Also was hoping for someone to share BLOC/OBLC experiences. Noticed that for active duty training is 14 weeks however for Reserve/Guard is only 2 weeks? Must be doing coursework online I am guessing and 2 weeks for assessments?

 

Father was a Marine, I always wanted to do my part and serve too.

 

Any PA in Ohio National Guard willing to PM me or post their thoughts/experiences/advice please do so. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks to all for sharing!

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The APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) is composed of pushups, situps and a 2mile run:

 

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/army-fitness-requirements/army-pft-two-mile-run-score-chart

 

(scroll to bottom for situp / pushup scores)

 

I think PAs get direct commissioned (ie: you don't have to go through a candidate school like OCS) so you would go straight to a medical BOLC (basic officer leader course) where you would learn the basics about the military and have to pass an APFT. I think they do a short ruck march and some land navigation, but it is very basic stuff designed so everyone that can breath passes (inevitably you will see some tiny-hearts that can't pass, which always amazes me).

 

It is possible to join and barely pass an APFT test, I see that all the time, unfortunately. You will get a lot more respect if you show up in decent shape and able to score 280+ on the test. The APFT is not hard, you don't need to be an athlete to pass it. 

 

Also don't show up fat. Nothing looks worse than a fat, sloppy brand new lieutenant PA. That being said you are going into the Guard, they tend to be chunkers. 

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Army National Guard: BOLC is two phases, one being an online portion and the second phase being a resident portion at Fort Sam in San Antonio. You'll have some adventures to Camp Bullis (a training area) and also plenty of classroom style training while in BOLC phase II which is about 26 days total. After commissioning, you'll have two years to attend BOLC. When you go to BOLC often depends on state and unit funding to which you are assigned.

 

APFT taking annually it traditional Guardsman.

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  • 1 month later...

I agree with MainePA.  I'm in the Kentucky Guard and I commissioned  in September and attended BOLC in Feb. the next year.  You are not eligible for promotion until you complete phase 2 and attend BOLC.  If you have constructive credit on commissioning then you can put in for your promotion to CPT at that time.At Camp Bullis you will spend M-F in the field and then return to Ft. Sam to participate in death by power point.  You will need to have a passing APFT before heading out to BOLC.  I have heard different versions of APFT at BOLC.  Not sure what they are doing with that at this time.  Hope it helps. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

What the others says on BOLC and direct commissioning is correct. As for the APFT- be able to pass it with ease. Nothing is worse than a tubby medical provider. As officers and medical providers, we should be setting the standard.

 

As a newly commissioned officer, this is one of the easiest ways to gain a little credibility.

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I can jump in and add. I was an Army Medic on active duty for about 7 years before being released from active duty to attend a civilian PA school. Once I graduated, I joined the National Guard. I direct-commissioned as a 1LT with 6 months constructive credit towards O-3 in May of this year. I also just graduated from BOLC on Nov. 20th of this year. If you can I would recommend going to Phase II in the Spring or Fall when the weather is nice.

 

Phase I is an online portion that is 83.5 hours long through the ALMS (Army Learning Management System.) You can self-enroll through ATRRS once you commission. Give yourself plenty of time. It is designed so that you cannot blast through it, or test out in the pre test like we could in previous distance courses. It's the basics of soldiering, i.e. "This is an M16, this is how it works, this is your sight picture, this is how you disassemble, reassemble and perform a functions check." Get with your Training NCO to figure out getting paid for it, or getting constructive credit towards retirement.

 

Phase II is a resident portion spent at Ft Sam Houston, TX (Now known as JBSA-Joint Base San Antonio) for the didactics, and Camp Bullis for the field portion. It is 28 days long for Reserve/Guard soldiers. You will integrate with the active duty personnel that have already been in didactics for 3 weeks, that are coming out of ROTC, IPAP and such. Some might be stand-offish, but mine were cool with both new soldiers and prior service personnel. The first week, and your Saturdays are spent on JBSA in the AMEDD C & S (Army Medical Department Center & School) Auditorium, doing lectures. The other 3 weeks are spent "in the field" M-F. So you'll be spending your weeks living in a tent city on Camp Bullis. You will do Land Navigation in the day and night, M9 pistol ranges, M16 rifle ranges, Litter Obstacle Courses, Confidence Courses, two 4 mile ruck marches, the Gas Chamber and work in the simulated echelons of care i.e. you will run a Role I/Battalion Aid Station that is forward deployed, then a Role II/Brigade Aid Station, that is to the rear, and finally a Role III/Combat Support Hospital that would be the tertiary care center for a combat theater. The familiarization exercises are just that. They won't make you an expert on the echelons of care and running them, but they will deepen your understanding and it is valuable training. Also of great importance was the chance to meet our branch managers. Pay attention to these people. They are the ones that cut your orders to units and locations, and have tremendous influence in your career.

 

As for PT, if you have an APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) scorecard that is less than 6 months old, you are set. Just ensure that it is filled out correctly and bring a copy with you to hand off and that's it. If not, you won't get kicked out, the cadre will just administer a PT test while you are there. You've already been linked to the standards. Just meet them and you're good. Blow them away and you're great. Fail the PT test and that's one of the few things that will get you sent home.

 

For the other events, they are graded GO/NO-GO, however, you are not expected to handle weapons, land nav and such like a Ranger or a Special Forces soldier. Demonstrate a basic understanding and proficiency and you will pass. Even if you don't, you'll just get retrained and get another chance.

 

People were freaking out about the Gas Chamber. Don't. Seriously, don't. They go easy on us AMEDD officers. Just spit out your name, rank, a fake social security number and place of birth and walk out. They don't cook enough CS tabs to make that a particularly difficult task. The only people that should take caution are those with respiratory, dermatologic (Cholinergic Urticaria) or eye conditions. Everyone else is back to normal in 10 minutes, laughing at each other and the wacky things people do in the chamber.

 

It's good training for someone with no background in the military, and set in San Antonio, where there is tons of fun stuff to do in your off time. For those that have prior service, it is still pretty fun, even though most of it was old hat; it was basically a watered down conglomeration of 91W/68W (Medic) school and EFMB. I spent most of my time whispering in the ears of my class mates walking them through land nav, weapons handling and such. If you are new, make friends with a prior service soldier that isn't a jerk. They can make your life much easier by making sure you are squared away prior to stepping out to complete a task. 

 

Parting words: Just keep in mind it is still TRADOC, so there is an inherent amount of a cluster ___ built in.

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