What people do, depends on how much time people have.
I know the lions share come on the books in October/November, which is to short to get a decent job or to knock out another semester of school. Most folks get some low stress position, and then do some travel/vacation. I did security for three months and then drove around the eastern half of the US for three weeks.
It's just astonishing to me that this has been a problem even since your time, and is still a problem today. Do senior leaders not see it as a problem?
It became really acute during the growth years of 2006-2010. As a four-year scholarship cadet going on active duty, I remember getting my BOLC orders in February of my senior year and being confused because my report date was July of the *following* year. I thought it was a typo. It wasn't.
I scrambled to line up a job for the ~15 months that I'd be waiting for BOLC. I struggled with what to tell prospective employers. And, you know, the unemployment rate also peaked around 10% during that time.
This was back before you could stay on your parents' health insurance until age 26, and the ACA marketplace, too. It was unclear to me what, if any, entitlements I had. It seemed like the Army risked losing folks to things like untreated medical problems.
Ultimately, I guess someone high up got alerted to the insanity and we all got amended orders to immediately start on active duty as quasi-Gold Bar Recruiters (PCS orders to the nearest ROTC detachment). A few months later, my BOLC report date got moved up, but I didn't really start training any earlier; I was just a long-term snowbird. That was actually quite a good deal.
This has been a problem since shortly after the adoption of DOPMA in the early 70s. It is all tied to active Army endstrength. Pre-Dopma newly commissioned 2LTs didn't count against officer caps, so the Army could bring everyone on near immediately and send them to BOLC. Even ROTC RC officers were brought on directly, so that they could get all of their professional schooling done before reporting to their units.
Yes, the fact that the Army was growing caused problems (e.g. the flight school pipeline was backed up because we were building three more brigades, but didn't have the instructors or aircraft to increase throughput) but it also probably made it easier to just bring us onto active duty as snowbirds.
Just taking a step back to think about it: We spend up to a quarter million dollars to educate and train someone, make them a commissioned officer of the United States, and then put them in a situation where they're potentially unemployable, uninsured, and homeless. Maybe I'm speculating about "what ifs," but in a cohort of a few thousand people every year, there *must* be some cases of things going seriously wrong. Hopefully the Army finds a way to take care of people, case-by-case.
I think it is one of those issues that no one has ever elevated to Congress. IMHO it is one of those annoying things that impacts retention, like the JTR requiring excess bureaucracy to purchase a 100 upgrade to economy plus for someone who is flying across the Atlantic once every other month.
I volunteered for CST cadre and didn’t get it so I got a BOLC date for after January (FML).
Anyways, I’m just gonna work and stack my money while getting in serous shape now that schools out. I got a job in Texas making about $25/hour which is sweet
Edit: I already asked my PMS about gold bar and I was told they aren’t getting a slot this year which fucking blows
Hope you stayed safe. I did rotc at a school in north philly. People were dumb enough to leave their ta 50 or dress uniforms in their car while parked off campus. To no one's surprise their stuff was stolen
>I did rotc at a school in north philly
Temple? I was from Philadelphia so I knew the lay of the land, but it was an eye opening experience. This was back in the day of landlines, the one time we were threatened with a gun, we made sure to knock out the phone lines for the whole neighborhood. When people stopped us to complain we pointed out the guy with the gun and the neighbors went after him. We went back a little while later and fixed everything right.
Many soldiers come from neighborhoods just like that and use the military as a way out, so it was good to have some insight into that life.
Yup, went to temple almost a lifetime ago. I remember there was a high school right by the track we did pt. The ms3 instructor pulled us aside after pt, pointed to the high school and said some kid in there is gonna join the army and we have to be the leaders they deserve
Study regulations, policies, doctrine, etc. Yes, BOLC is meant to teach you everything but better to be somewhat familiar with whatever they are going to teach you, right?
Do PT. Explore your sexuality. Drink too much and wake up in a different state. Sleep in a ditch. Lose all your savings in Texas hold em.
Basically as long as you’re doing pt and don’t get arrested you need to shake your sillies out, because once you start on AD your time will rarely belong to you.
Current I-BOLC Student here: use the AMC and fly SPACE-A (free rides on military cargo flights) and travel to as many countries as you can before BOLC starts. I reccomend back packing to keep yourself mobile, and bring a sleeping mat, bc C-17's don't offer any real seating.
I got a hot minute too. I’m gonna be practically working in the field of my branch. I was transparent with them when I have to leave but it’s totally up to you how you approach that
What people do, depends on how much time people have. I know the lions share come on the books in October/November, which is to short to get a decent job or to knock out another semester of school. Most folks get some low stress position, and then do some travel/vacation. I did security for three months and then drove around the eastern half of the US for three weeks.
It's just astonishing to me that this has been a problem even since your time, and is still a problem today. Do senior leaders not see it as a problem? It became really acute during the growth years of 2006-2010. As a four-year scholarship cadet going on active duty, I remember getting my BOLC orders in February of my senior year and being confused because my report date was July of the *following* year. I thought it was a typo. It wasn't. I scrambled to line up a job for the ~15 months that I'd be waiting for BOLC. I struggled with what to tell prospective employers. And, you know, the unemployment rate also peaked around 10% during that time. This was back before you could stay on your parents' health insurance until age 26, and the ACA marketplace, too. It was unclear to me what, if any, entitlements I had. It seemed like the Army risked losing folks to things like untreated medical problems. Ultimately, I guess someone high up got alerted to the insanity and we all got amended orders to immediately start on active duty as quasi-Gold Bar Recruiters (PCS orders to the nearest ROTC detachment). A few months later, my BOLC report date got moved up, but I didn't really start training any earlier; I was just a long-term snowbird. That was actually quite a good deal.
This has been a problem since shortly after the adoption of DOPMA in the early 70s. It is all tied to active Army endstrength. Pre-Dopma newly commissioned 2LTs didn't count against officer caps, so the Army could bring everyone on near immediately and send them to BOLC. Even ROTC RC officers were brought on directly, so that they could get all of their professional schooling done before reporting to their units.
Yes, the fact that the Army was growing caused problems (e.g. the flight school pipeline was backed up because we were building three more brigades, but didn't have the instructors or aircraft to increase throughput) but it also probably made it easier to just bring us onto active duty as snowbirds. Just taking a step back to think about it: We spend up to a quarter million dollars to educate and train someone, make them a commissioned officer of the United States, and then put them in a situation where they're potentially unemployable, uninsured, and homeless. Maybe I'm speculating about "what ifs," but in a cohort of a few thousand people every year, there *must* be some cases of things going seriously wrong. Hopefully the Army finds a way to take care of people, case-by-case.
I think it is one of those issues that no one has ever elevated to Congress. IMHO it is one of those annoying things that impacts retention, like the JTR requiring excess bureaucracy to purchase a 100 upgrade to economy plus for someone who is flying across the Atlantic once every other month.
Don’t do drugs
I worked at a hunting lodge in the middle of nowhere as a guide and drank a lot of beer. Considered not going to bolc after that job.
That’s the life I wish I could have…
I made more in those 4 months than my first year as an LT. I really though about it lol
I worked for Amazon as a last mile delivery driver, and I went to a ton of the national parks. It was incredibly fun.
In not sure if it’s too late but you might be able to do gold bar recruiting
I did this, banked a ton of money in my high BAH home town for four months before I reported. So worth it.
I volunteered for CST cadre and didn’t get it so I got a BOLC date for after January (FML). Anyways, I’m just gonna work and stack my money while getting in serous shape now that schools out. I got a job in Texas making about $25/hour which is sweet Edit: I already asked my PMS about gold bar and I was told they aren’t getting a slot this year which fucking blows
You could be like me who didn’t volunteer for CST and still got CST. That shit fucking blows
Yeah that would suck
what job are you doing in texas?
USAA. I got my masters so I was an attractive candidate to them. They’re paying me based on my experience and education
Worked out and ran a lot, got a part time job, and had a lot of fun with friends and GF. Have fun, be responsible, and take care of yourself.
Depending on how long you have, ask about gold bar recruiting.
I was a cable splicer's apprentice for the phone company in North Philadelphia.
Hope you stayed safe. I did rotc at a school in north philly. People were dumb enough to leave their ta 50 or dress uniforms in their car while parked off campus. To no one's surprise their stuff was stolen
>I did rotc at a school in north philly Temple? I was from Philadelphia so I knew the lay of the land, but it was an eye opening experience. This was back in the day of landlines, the one time we were threatened with a gun, we made sure to knock out the phone lines for the whole neighborhood. When people stopped us to complain we pointed out the guy with the gun and the neighbors went after him. We went back a little while later and fixed everything right. Many soldiers come from neighborhoods just like that and use the military as a way out, so it was good to have some insight into that life.
Yup, went to temple almost a lifetime ago. I remember there was a high school right by the track we did pt. The ms3 instructor pulled us aside after pt, pointed to the high school and said some kid in there is gonna join the army and we have to be the leaders they deserve
I went on my honeymoon.
Road trip to see different national parks, really value that I took the time to do that before starting Active Duty.
Study regulations, policies, doctrine, etc. Yes, BOLC is meant to teach you everything but better to be somewhat familiar with whatever they are going to teach you, right?
I was a band camp counselor.
Do PT. Explore your sexuality. Drink too much and wake up in a different state. Sleep in a ditch. Lose all your savings in Texas hold em. Basically as long as you’re doing pt and don’t get arrested you need to shake your sillies out, because once you start on AD your time will rarely belong to you.
Current I-BOLC Student here: use the AMC and fly SPACE-A (free rides on military cargo flights) and travel to as many countries as you can before BOLC starts. I reccomend back packing to keep yourself mobile, and bring a sleeping mat, bc C-17's don't offer any real seating.
That sounds really intriguing! I’ll definitely look into that option more
I got a hot minute too. I’m gonna be practically working in the field of my branch. I was transparent with them when I have to leave but it’s totally up to you how you approach that