WOBC 1

So it has been roughly 47 days since I arrived in Quantico Virginia for Warrant Officer Basic Course and the course has been everything people told me it would be and more. To explain it a little better, this four month school is designed to provide us with the knowledge and leadership to assume the role of a provisional Rifle Platoon Commander in the Fleet Marine Force. This course goes once a year and right now we have 195 students who are the technical experts in their respective occupational fields. This year there were 8 from my community including me and the other 7 will be my direct competition during this course! (ranking does matter) The amount of time in the service for each person ranges from roughly 9 years to 18 years and we have a minimum three year obligation after they spend all of this money on us. They preach the five horizontal themes of an officer which are; A man or women of exemplary character, Devoted to leading Marines 24/7, Able to decide, communicate, and act in the fog of war, A warfighter who embraces the Corps' warrior ethos, Mentally strong and physically tough. Everything we do here is under the microscope and very intense, they insert friction wherever they can in order to prepare us for difficult times later in our career.

Academically they cram 830 hours of classroom and evaluation time (roughly 2 years of college) in 4 months! They basically use the "fire hose" method of teaching and tell us to make it happen, but there is a method to their madness and the instructors are some of the best officers across the Marine Corps. We study almost all hours that we are not in class or sleeping and it feels like college finals week - every week! Physically they also push us past our comfort zone and many of us feel as if our bodies are breaking down...far more than bootcamp for instance, but that is probably just because we are old and not 18 anymore!!

Last week we spent four days in the field doing land navigation, squad assaults, live fire ranges, hiking, combat life saving, and much more. During that time we did roughly 30 miles of movement with various combat loads. I can officially say that I really miss California and its amazing weather, the last week has put me through sleeping outside in 8 inches of snow/sleet/rain with some 50 mph wind gusts!

Spirits are high and I am doing well so far, on course to graduate in the top ten percent. I am counting down the days however and right now I sit at 72 days till graduation, 125 to the wedding, and 144 till I am in Japan. 2013 has been and will undoubtedly be pretty damn crazy for me and Tara!! Hopefully this paints a better picture to what I have been doing out here and there will be more posts to come if I can get some free time...

Normal night at my desk doing homework

Reading and taking notes on MC Doctrinal Publication - Warfighting

Packing to go to the field

Roughly 125lbs of gear without my 400 rounds of ammunition 

Ready to head out to the field

Cannot believe this was 10 years ago!