| Once you are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, | | | | experience. |
| your next step is to attend the Officer Basic Course, | | | | Most OBC classes last somewhere between two and |
| which is now known as the Basic Officer Leadership | | | | six months. During this time, you will attend classes |
| Course. | | | | and field exercises with other Lieutenants. Our class |
| The purpose of OBC is to educate new Lieutenants | | | | had approximately 50 officers. |
| about a variety of military and leadership topics. | | | | Simply put, OBC is where you will start to build your |
| These topics vary from branch specific topics. In | | | | "formal military education." |
| other words, you will learn a little bit about what each | | | | Once you finish OBC, you will depart to your first |
| of the Military Occupational Skills within your branch | | | | duty assignment. This is where you get the best |
| does. For instance, when I attended the | | | | education. I like to call it on-the-job-training. |
| Quartermaster OBC, I learned about fuel, ammunition, | | | | As a young Lieutenant, you will probably serve as a |
| supply, food service, mortuary affairs, shower and | | | | Platoon Leader or Staff Officer. You will work directly |
| laundry operations, etc. | | | | with an experience NCO, who will teach you the |
| These gave me basic fundamental knowledge about | | | | ropes. |
| the different jobs any of my soldiers might do. | | | | You'll also serve with other Lieutenants and work for |
| We also learned about military customs and | | | | a company commander or senior staff officer. These |
| courtesies, Army traditions, Officer expectations, and | | | | people will also serve as mentors and teach you the |
| many other helpful lessons. Our OBC Instructor was | | | | ropes. |
| a senior Major who had plenty of practical, real-world | | | | |