What is it like being an OC/T? Would I be home every night or would I be in the field for weeks straight?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 May 2020 11:26:04 -0400

Hello everyone I am new here and I was looking into Project Warrior. My only question is what is being an OC/T like? As an OC/T would I be home every night or would I be in the field for weeks straight and run into the issue of having my dog and kid with me and having to find someone to watch them.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2020 5:46 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 May 2020 17:46:53 -0400

LT Loomer, I am not sure if you are AD or RC. I am USAR and my unit are Mission Command OC/Ts. We evaluate Battalion and higher HQs with a focus on Mission Command and the operations process. The exercises I have participated had us going out to the field for most of the day and observing. We would go back to garrison to write up our evals and sleep in garrison. That being said, i have heard there is a push from big Army to have OC/Ts embed with the evaluated unit during the exercise. It's a rewarding experience to help units become more proficient and help mentor Soldiers. Good luck!

Response by CPT Michael Moyers made May 13 at 2020 8:44 PM

CPT Michael Moyers — Wed, 13 May 2020 20:44:14 -0400

I was an OC/T (one of the 3 or 4 AD guys in the Brigade) with some Project Warrior guys back in 2009-2010 at Camp Atterbury, IN. It’s feast or famine. For a good part of the year it was a normal kind of work day for the most part. Sure, there were some late nights/early mornings/weekends, but it wasn’t too bad. However, come August you weren’t going to have a day off (I mean Sat/Sun, leave or DONSA was not going to happen) for 3-4 months. The rotation units swapped out in Q4/Q1 so it was a dead sprint from August until late Jan or early Feb. My NCOIC and I would split Thanksgiving and Christmas so that each of us got one of them off. I don’t know when First Army instituted the rule that CPT Snell referenced, but it sure wasn’t in place for DivEast back then. That being said, it can be a very rewarding experience depending on the unit and the units coming through validation. They have a list of mandatory training that must be completed before they can validate. Some units came through with 95% of it done and that allowed an easier schedule and a lot of flexibility to do additional value-added training. Unfortunately, those were the rare exception. Most units came through at around 25-30% and we had to work our tails off to get them done by validation. Also, it’s worth noting that you will very likely have some difficult conversations. During the year lead up to their validation and subsequent deployment, these units are THE big thing in their state. They get most of everything that the commander wants. Once they get to mob, they are competing with all of the other rotational units for ranges, training areas, ammo, etc... and most of them throw temper tantrums. I’ve had more instances than I can count where I had to take a unit commander to my BN CDR and then walk with them both up to the BDE CDR to explain that they can’t have everything they want. I’ve also had state AGs fly out to argue with my BDE CDR because we “weren’t supporting his unit.”

Given the choice, I wouldn’t do it again.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2020 1:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 May 2020 13:13:58 -0400

Depends on the OC coverage plan your team comes up with based on the RTUs mission cycle. I cannot tell you what the MPs cycle is since i am a AR/IN PLT OC and our coverage plan is different. But as an AR/IN PLT OC ive done day in/day out of the box and ive also dont 2 days in the box and 1 day out, just because my team was short handed and had to have coverage. Again there is no cookie cutter OC coverage plan for coverage but it is flexible.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2020 5:55 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 May 2020 05:55:16 -0400

You learn a TON. Especially if you do it pre command. You can make an entire playbook of what does or doesn't work, and have it with you when you get ready for a rotation somewhere. Highly recommend. Depends on where you go as to how often you will be in the field. Every night home? No. A lot of nights? Maybe. Depends on what is going on. If you are shadowing a Platoon in the box you are probably working 24 on 24 off. Maybe 24 on 48 off depending on how many other O3s are on your team.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2020 7:53 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 May 2020 19:53:30 -0400

I was an OC/T in my last duty station at Fort Knox. 2015-2018, it was really easy work. There are times you would be gone for weeks on in, but for the most part you are home and it is not as bad as it used to be during heavy deployment rotations. Occasionally you will go to a unit on a random weekend. You will more likely be bored and have time to finish school or find a second job. If you find yourself needing a second job, I have an opportunity to make quite a bit of money on a part time basis. Lets just say you can make more money part time than being a soldier with the proper discipline.

Response by MAJ Jason Sierakowski made May 25 at 2020 1:11 AM

MAJ Jason Sierakowski — Mon, 25 May 2020 01:11:27 -0400

OC/Ts senior folks SSG and above, and post command CPTs. Very good experience. This is the most doctrine you will read and understand far beyond captains career course. You will be vastly ahead of your peers with doctrine. Lots of TDY. I would say all of my TDY has been in a hotel room or very comfortable barracks. Your schedule depends on the units for assisting. You could be gone for 2 days, then gone for 2 weeks, just depends. Lots of time off when your back.

I am at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in 157 IN under 1st Army. Very large organization as far as quantity of officers. I looked at ROTC, Recruiting command, etc. It's no sham in taking a knee after command. OCing is very rewarding and fun.