Posted on Apr 29, 2023
What are the benefits of the SPO course for Infantry Officers?
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I am an 11A 2LT who is about to promote, I just was enrolled into the SPO course to pick up the 90A designation. Once a O-3 how much does it help to also have the 90A designation? Will this help me become a BN S4?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
Caveat: In case you cannot tell by the "SFC" in front of my name, I am not currently, nor have I ever been, an Infantry Officer. I have also never been to the SPO course. So take this for what it is worth.
I literally cannot count the number of trainings I have gone to - from 1 day seminars to 6 month AITs, and everywhere in between. Every single one has been useful somewhere down the road. And usually in more than just the intended role. I used HAZ-12 (learned to certify HAZMAT shipments for Iraq deployment) over a decade later when discussing hazmat requirements when we moved to a new Barracks, of all things. I have used CLS, master driver, master resilience trainer, both of my AITs, PLDC, and more as a civilian.
If the Army wants to send you to a course.... go.
I literally cannot count the number of trainings I have gone to - from 1 day seminars to 6 month AITs, and everywhere in between. Every single one has been useful somewhere down the road. And usually in more than just the intended role. I used HAZ-12 (learned to certify HAZMAT shipments for Iraq deployment) over a decade later when discussing hazmat requirements when we moved to a new Barracks, of all things. I have used CLS, master driver, master resilience trainer, both of my AITs, PLDC, and more as a civilian.
If the Army wants to send you to a course.... go.
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1LT (Join to see)
SFC, That is also my attitude, I was enlisted for almost 5 years and would jump on any courses my unit had. Anything from Hazmat to Raven operator and ETC
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The SPO course is an incredibly valuable course. Are you branch transferring to a Sustainment branch?
For 90A you need to either to command and FSC of graduate from the Log Corps CCC unless they recently changed the regulation.
The point of the SPO course is to plan and execute multifunctional logistics (man,arm,fuel,fix, move,sustain soldiers and their system) for a BCT. They also go into detail on EAB to strategic level sustainment. It had not been focused on S4 functions, but S4s are a customer of a Support Operations shop, led by the SPO.
You have to consider the SPO as the S3 like the Fires S3, supporting maneuver. The Support Battalions have S3s but they are focused on battle tracking, battle space coordination, training and force pro. The SPO decides what is getting pushed when, ensuring the resupply pipeline is charged and anticipating requirements. They are also solving sustainment problems raised by supported units.
For 90A you need to either to command and FSC of graduate from the Log Corps CCC unless they recently changed the regulation.
The point of the SPO course is to plan and execute multifunctional logistics (man,arm,fuel,fix, move,sustain soldiers and their system) for a BCT. They also go into detail on EAB to strategic level sustainment. It had not been focused on S4 functions, but S4s are a customer of a Support Operations shop, led by the SPO.
You have to consider the SPO as the S3 like the Fires S3, supporting maneuver. The Support Battalions have S3s but they are focused on battle tracking, battle space coordination, training and force pro. The SPO decides what is getting pushed when, ensuring the resupply pipeline is charged and anticipating requirements. They are also solving sustainment problems raised by supported units.
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1LT (Join to see)
Sir, I am currently deployed with a sustainment brigade and have been told the SPO course can open a lot of doors both in and out of the Infantry. The new guidance I was tracking is that completion of any CCC and the SPO course would give me the 90A designation as a secondary branch.
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LTC Jason Mackay
1LT (Join to see) everuthong in the Guard is a little different. I was an active duty 90A almost my whole career and was an O4 when Log Corps began.
Do you have any Platoon Leader time? That’s pretty important regardless of compo
Do you have any Platoon Leader time? That’s pretty important regardless of compo
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1LT (Join to see)
Sir, I went straight to staff in the S3 shop in order to deploy, I will be taking a platoon come August
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LTC Jason Mackay
1LT (Join to see) You need to learn as much as you can with that. If your plan is to be Log Corps Officer, throw down with the SPO course and get the Log CCC. Leverage your Combat Arms officer experience to be a great logistician.
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