I just found out today that I am going to OBLC in October 2009. WE HEE - papers and waiting and more papers...

Anyone give me tips / hints / what not to do? I am already running a ton - I'm slow, but I'll do the half-marathon again this year. Improving my 2 mile time too. SO excited for this to get started. San Antonio here I come... ooh, am I actually excited for Texas?

Oh, guess I need to change name from wannabePA to ArmyPA or something like that. ')

I am scheduled to go in October as well for OBLC if I pass my Nclex

My class I think starts the 14th of October, but commmissioning is two days prior.

They have on their webpage a list of items they expect you to bring. I think physical aspects should be not too difficult. I made it through basic when I was 33 lol so if I can do that I think everyone else is safe

I am excited as well, but I feel a bit out of it since for two years all I have done is school.

Work on improving your upper body strength to. The best way to do this doing push ups. You need good upper body strength for obstacle course.

Here is the OBC/OBLC website you can find packing and general information (that Suzanne mentioned):

http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/obc/1RCOBLC.htm

Congratulations, and best of luck to you both!

Please keep us posted.

I am so excited!!!

To Susanne - huge congrats on the nursing, and good luck on the NCLEX. I have a good friend who went LPN - RN, took the NCLEX twice before passing. She tells RN students working on the hospital floor - don't overthink the questions.

To Pipedreams - thanks for the advice. I've got a trainer kicking me working on abs and push ups.

I am so excited, nervous. To think, silly old me, medical officer. 36y lady - didn't even go to grad school until I was 29. In January, couldn't even do one push up on my toes, now I do 20 in 2 minutes. To all of those young'ins who keep asking, "Can I do this?" If you want it bad enough, yes you can. Only advice I can give - if you want to be a medical officer, be prepared to wait. This whole paperwork will take a little more than 8 months from a talk with an AMEDD recruiter to starting OBLC in October...

Hay Susanne, maybe I'll see you there. Where will you be comming from. I'm in Montana- hospital medicine PA X 3 1/2 years (2 years rural medicine before that).

One more BIG question - coming from civilian world. I wear scrubs every day. I don't even know where to buy ACU's, let alone how to put my pants on. Any tips / advice from those in the know.

Hmm Montana...my son lives in Montana. He lives out in Harrison, close to Bozeman. I loved Montana when I visited there, but my lord it was soo cold in the winter.

I am currently near Fort Benning in Columbus Georgia. I was stationed in Fort Benning as my first duty station and then remained here when I did the AECP, two years of school for nursing. I agree with you with that overthinking the questions. My teacher says that I overanalyse everything, but we have to take some tests for exiting that program and my school required very high scores and they told me yesterday that is a rare occurance that any of their students would fail Nclex. That is good to know and I cross my fingers that I will not be the first

It would be great if I would meet you down there, its nice if have contact with someone and then when you get there maybe end up seeing eachother.

As to ACU etc etc. Either you go on base and they should be able to tell you if there is a military clothing store. Also, in Fort Benning we have two stores off post where you can purchase your ACU's and as well you would find it under Military clothing or Military appearal etc etc.

If you are near Billings I just saw online there is a ARMY and Navy Surplus store that sells articles that you will need. Hope this helps

Clothing Sales at Ft. Sam can fix you right up, kein problem! But before you buy off-post, wait to see what is issued to you - or what you are INSTRUCTED to buy (if anything) prior to reporting for duty.

You should be given some sort of initial issue, or told what to buy ... then you supplement from there. Best NOT to free-lance and guess prior to getting The Official Word, ya know?

Thanks for the info. I am in Billings... I know where the Army / Navy stores. But I wasn't sure if what you buy in civilian stores (ACU's) was OK for official use. I saw some online stores with good prices, I might go to the local store for sizing and buy online. With the OBLC class, I guess we buy everything and get reimbursed for most but rarely all, I guess the new dress blues are spendy. I have some friends who were Army, hopefully they can show/tell me how to get dressed... so wierd to be asking someone, "Hay, can you help me put my pants on."

So, Fort Benning - my AMEDD lead PA recruiter has talked to me about my possible first duty station of Fort Stewart... whatcha think? Never been to the south... hot, humid, just different from cold mountains of Montana.

Oh, email me leigh4473@yahoo.com or look up Leigh-Anne Brown on facebook. We can keep in touch before San Antonio.

We don't get "reimbursed" for uniforms. However do get one time allowance. Which is $400.00.(I belive)..

PD&B 0

I've been trying to contact you offline. Are you getting any of my messages?

Cider

Cider,

No, I haven't received any of your messages.

Want try again? Or do you want shoot email your way?

pipe

Yeah, not 'reimbursed' but the one time uniform allowance. There is a packing list that is on the OBLC web site that Susanne listed. I know that previous classes - some officer candidates show up with no ACU's and buy everything at Ft. Sam. This is apparently fine, but you look a bit like a schmuck being one of the rare person in jeans when everyone else is ready to dress like a soldier. I just don't want to be that schmuck. I might buy one set online, and then wait to see what is issued and what will need to be purchased on site. But I hear the camelback hydration water backpack is not issued, but highly recommended.

Thanks for all the tips... this, besides going back to school for the PA degree, will be the biggest thing that will totally change my life.

Someone told me to wait with buying the dress blues, because when you go to OBLC you might loose weight I guess lol. So you want to have it fit right by the time you wear it. Not sure if that is truly the reason, but they said to me to wait on that.

I will check with my Supervisor and ask her sometime and get back to you. I would not purchase it too early, because if you do suddenly work out more you are likely to loose some weight. Let me tell you and I am not kidding, but I was on this weight up and down and in four years I bought myself 6 uniforms lol. I saw so much green that I will be so thrilled to see blue!!

I shoot you an Email later from my other account, so you got my email address as well.

Listen to Cider33Alpha. She is right about getting your list before making purchases. You should receive a letter or email on what to purchase.

Most of your class mates won't have any uniforms (full uniforms), when they show up, and there's no need show up in uniform.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Edited: cider email inbound.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pipedreamsandbabies,

Hi all

I am an RN who just enlisted on the 20th July. Right now, I am unable to do any push ups. I think I am half way there on the running and the sit ups.

I am working on this now and am thinking of hiring a PT for this. My question is what is the pass rate on the OBLC? What happens if I dont improve by OBLC date?

I dont know when I will have my OBLC... but was very curious to know the pass rate in the OBLC.

Also, will they give me some extra time to work on my fitness. I am willing to work and improve on it but my concern is will I be able to do it by OBLC date?

Any response will be appreciated.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/a/afpt.htm

Above gives you what you need to pass your PT test.

They require of you to pass with 60% in each catagory so that would be your minimum.

However, while you train try go a little bit above minimum at least to start out on.

I believe what will happen if you come to OBLC and you are not ready to pass the PT test they will likely place you into remedial PT, which in other words they will require for you to do some extra supervised PT aside the normal PT we are doing. Also, make sure that your weight standards are within limits. If you by the end of OBLC have not met those goals they will hold your certificate; not sure what to call that, but bascically you can not graduate from OBLC and that is just not a good thing.

Further, you need to maintain your PT even after OBLC. It will not be only for OBLC but we are all required to pass the APFT and weight standards 2x a year.

I am going in October and I am well conditioned to pass my PT and weight. However, I start training hard on August 1st all the way until OBLC. I usually start out slow and just increase my goals each week by a small amount. If you are consistent with your PT until you OBLC you should be fine. The key is to work out regular and not try to pile all of it up in four weeks before you start OBLC.

Good luck to you!

To emk123 - I too was unable to do any real toe-style push ups in Jan of this year. There is a website 100pushups or something like that which talks about weekly increasing of your numbers and gives you some detailed instructions on how to increase what you can do. Start on your knees, do what you can. I also did lots of 'incline push ups' hands on the kitchen counter. Hands on the desk. Hands on the chair. These push ups are on your feet- not on your knees. If you do the combination you will surprise yourself what you can do in a month or so. I got a personal trainer who knows my PT goals, and my minimum (that 60% everyone is talking about) for my age is only 14. Last 2 min timed we did... I got 21. Like Susanne, I will be pushing hard August, going to 2 a day work outs in September also training myself how to get up at 0500... ug. Running, sit ups, push ups, and mock PT tests weekly to see how I am doing.

Definitely look up online (goodle searches for PT Army fitness) for your age and gender what is the minimum / maximum. My original goal was just to pass... Now I want to pass as if I was still 21 - show all those young-ins that I can still push hard.

Maybe see you in October?
Leigh-Anne

Thank you susanne and wannabe for all your inputs and the link too. It was very helpful and encouraging.

Have begun on my PT routine and hoping for the best.

Good luck to u guys....

WannaBe...so you are going active duty?

I just commissioned last month into the National Guard as a PA. I'm prior service, got out 3 years ago. I've been a PA for six years.

I recently purchased "The Army Officer's Guide" on Amazon.com, it is a great source of information for prior service enlisted or those with no military experience at all. Get the 2009 (51st) edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Army-Off...id=1254109060&sr=8-2

I regards to uniforms, it wouldn't hurt to get a set of ACU's before you go (and boots, belt, nametags, t-shirt, beret, and hat).
But clothing and sales at FSH will certainly have what you need.

Use caution with stuff from Army/Navy stores, as there are a lot of knock offs out there, if you go that route, make sure it says authorized for official use or it has an NSN (National Stock Number).

1800nametapes.com has everything you need in regards to name tapes, Army tapes, flags, and ACU rank. They have a "package deal" for each rank. I bought stuff from them 5 years ago for my desert combat uniforms (DCU's) before going to Iraq and I just got their ACU stuff, it's quality work.

I've never been to FSH yet, I was a medic before, but did an offsite course (91B at the time) and was an EMT-I prior to that. I'm National Guard, so I have a year to take OLBC, and for reserve officers it's only a 25 day course as opposed to the three month course for active duty.

Good luck.

Troy