Do I have to go back to W.L.C. after a two year break in service?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 May 2018 10:11:30 -0400

I'm going back active in a few weeks after being out for 2 years. I'm aware that I keep my rank but do I have to go back to WLC? ( or from what I hear it's called BLC now) I don't have to go back through basic but I do have to go back to reception once I get to Ft. Sill for AIT to receive clothing, admin. stuff, etc. Has anyone gone through reception for a 2nd time. Would like some insight on how it is for prior service going back through reception as well.

Response by SSG Dennis Mendoza made May 20 at 2018 10:21 AM

SSG Dennis Mendoza — Sun, 20 May 2018 10:21:48 -0400

Well hope you have all your documents from wlc/blc, what MOS are you going to I'm currently at Sill I just came back to active duty from the reserves worst mistake I did going from active to reserves back in 2014

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2018 10:53 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 May 2018 10:53:42 -0400

Yea I went through reception again at Ft Lenordwood. Drill SGTs are your platoon SGT, I stayed roughly 2 weeks. You have some briefs, you go through medical and dental. Lol we even had a curfew every night. Believe it or not in that short period of time people even got article 15s cause you couldn’t drink alcohol and they got caught.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2018 11:05 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 May 2018 11:05:15 -0400

Did you go to WLC to begin with?

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made May 20 at 2018 12:00 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Sun, 20 May 2018 12:00:01 -0400

The answer is no as long as you can provide the paperwork for the documentation that you went. You can find this documentation and your official Army transcript. Just Google army education transcripts or something to that effect. It does not take you to Ako then it's not taking you to the right place.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2018 12:54 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 May 2018 12:54:46 -0400

If it’s in your IPERMS you don’t have to do it again. If it’s not in your IPERMS get your 1059 put in there and your good. Block checked.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 21 at 2018 12:45 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 May 2018 00:45:51 -0400

You won't be able to even if you wanted to. I went to (what was then known as) PLDC. Primary Leadership Development Course when I was AD in 1990. I have a 17 year break in service before I came back, still as a SPC. I wanted to attend WLC just so I could get a refresher on basic leadership principles. I could not be enrolled because of my prior course.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2018 7:47 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 22 May 2018 07:47:50 -0400

I was prior Army Active Duty with almost 3 years break in service. I did BLC in 2011, ETS'd out of the Army that same year, and re-enlisted into Active Duty in 2014.

The issue for WLC was only a minor inconvenience when I got my promotable status in 2016. I always assumed I had to retake the course, but didn't want to if I didn't "need" to. In my case, I DID NOT have the 1059 and for some reason, the 1059 it was NOT on my IPERMS/ OMPF. According to my COC, the graduation certificate did not matter, the 1059 DID.

In 2014, I sat down with the nice ladies at Ft Bragg HRC with all my certs and documents and painstakingly tried to reclaim all my prior Army education/ courses. Like in 2016 I had my graduation certificate but NO 1059... My saving grace was that the course was on my Army Transcript/ Joint Services Transcript (formerly known as AARTS) and A LOT of convincing (with my handy DD-214) and my graduation certificate that I had in fact completed the course. The result of that was that they scanned and uploaded my WLC CERTIFICATE into IPERMS (no 1059). BLC was added to my ERB as completed in 2011.

Fast forward to 2016, BLC for me is officially recognized by the Army as completed because it's on my ERB.

Somewhere in the mess of Army institutions, apparently the people who work for or at ALMS are the final verification authority for courses that contribute to your professional advancement. I found this out the hard way because I had completed SSD1 and it would NOT show on my ERB as completed even though I had printed the certificate, therefore I could not get promoted.... I called them... again and again.... When the ALMS people updated their records, my ERB was g2g and I got my stripes :)

To my knowledge, my 1059 for WLC exists NOWHERE online. It's 2018. I think it's in my "I love me book" lol

TLDR
Was out for a few years, neither I nor my COC knew if I had to redo BLC.
It was on my ERB and Army educational records. BLC was avoided.
Make sure you update EVERYTHING when you re-enter service with all the proper documentation and you should be ok :)

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 22 at 2018 9:01 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 22 May 2018 09:01:00 -0400

Everyone has to go thru reception- period- How else can the verify your records, and get you the issue items you must have.