Will online BLC actually help future NCO's?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:26:41 -0400

Recently the Army has committed to establishing BLC online at the soldiers home. Do you feel this method of teaching will actually give soldiers basic knowledge of being a NCO or do you feel its better to continue the school course after the virus.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 6 at 2020 12:29 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:29:48 -0400

It might work, but only if they a shortened on site course for the tactics involved.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Apr 6 at 2020 12:32 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:32:59 -0400

I don't think it'll help much but at the same time they need to get soldiers through NCODP programs to keep their TIG rank requirements on track.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Apr 6 at 2020 12:33 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:33:28 -0400

I think it's a temporary fix that should stay temporary

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 1:00 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:00:18 -0400

It’s better than nothing but far from ideal.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 1:00 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:00:28 -0400

Have them evaluated at a location within thier state for National Guard (During or for Annual Training). On a Field site for Active. Reserves at a Training location/Site

Everything should be as local as possible.
Have oversight by CSM/SGMs pick by other CSM's.

Recommend be done in Squad/Team size groups.

Maybe record the event for evaluation?
For schoolhouse NCOES instructors?
Live video streaming for better evaluation, using approved apps that allow recording.

Just some thoughts.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 1:30 PM

CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:30:07 -0400

I don’t know how you’re going to complete land navigation from home. GPS is great, but yo should know how to get where you’re going the old fashioned way too

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 2:02 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 14:02:19 -0400

The course doesn't do anything as a resident course, why would online change that?

Response by SGM Robert Murray made Apr 6 at 2020 2:06 PM

SGM Robert Murray — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 14:06:05 -0400

ANY. . .repeat ANY continuing education improves professional development. The more you learn, the more you grow. . .period. In my 25 years of the military, I received my BS degree, however, when all was said and done, I actually accumulated over 240 semester hours of courses completed. Most colleges, you only need 120. Some were traditional; many were online. What the online did was improve my written/composition skills immensely. You'd be surprised how many people don't write well to effectively communicate a thought process. Online works.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 2:40 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 14:40:48 -0400

Nothing better than actually attending. But we gotta do what we gotta do right now.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 3:31 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:31:42 -0400

So I’ll be 100% honest when I went through BLC it really didn’t teach me anything I hadn’t already known.

I do think the brick and mortar BLC is good for those who have zero experience in a leadership role though

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 3:43 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:43:42 -0400

BLC no longer has Land Nav and the only real "leadership" practice Soldiers receive is well nothing, because even in class leader roles you just help march people and get accountability. While important, I would not consider this practical leadership training as most Specialists(P), in my opinion should already understand how to accomplish those tasks. BLC now is primarily focused on writing as many Soldiers (NCOs) struggle at effective written communication especially in higher level NCOES. Moving BLC online does not change the overall content being taught nor would it adversely affect the Soldier.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 4:51 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:51:21 -0400

Needs to be a face to face course. Jr enlisted need that experience of standing in front of a formation and leading the element. They have to feel the nervousness and get their commands in order before they march the element. The pressure of being graded in person for marching or land nav or leading in the FTX. Can’t do that online.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 6 at 2020 5:00 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:00:27 -0400

In person is always better, you also have the benefit of Peep discussions. On line has provided college degrees for many, many years. It is better than not at all.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Apr 6 at 2020 5:59 PM

SFC Kenneth Hunnell — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 17:59:30 -0400

Yes and no, Yes it will allow the Soldiers to have time to learn to use initiative. No, it will not allow the Soldier to learn from other Soldiers experience

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 7:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:23:40 -0400

It is a short term fix for a short term problem. This is only until the social distancing stuff is over. This was discussed in detail in the DAG1 Memo. It is intended to stop a potential backlog of promotions. You have clearly misinterpreted the memo if you believe its a transition to online only.

Response by SGT Victoria Belbusti made Apr 6 at 2020 8:54 PM

SGT Victoria Belbusti — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 20:54:05 -0400

We don’t actually study online training

Response by 1SG Tommy McGee made Apr 6 at 2020 9:24 PM

1SG Tommy McGee — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:24:40 -0400

You learn by doing. Just because you have a piece of paper saying that you are qualified to do something doesn’t mean that you can actually do it. Leaders lead by example, others just check the box or get the certificate and move forward.

Response by 1SG Tommy McGee made Apr 6 at 2020 9:54 PM

1SG Tommy McGee — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:54:10 -0400

I believe all services should go back to school after this lockdown ends. You can only learn so much out of a book or online.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2020 11:57 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 23:57:33 -0400

I took the equivalent PLDC back in 1991 and got out as a SP4. 17 Years later I joined the Reserve as a SPC and was promoted to SGT in 18 months. I don't think what I learned 17 years earlier really had any effect on how I am as an NCO. I developed as an NCO thanks to good mentorship and some harsh lessons early on. I don't know what is being taught in the BLC-DL course compared to what I learned back in 1991. I know that I learned and excelled at land nav, and all the basic communication lessons. I totally sucked at D&C. I have a hunch that D&C and Land Nav lessons are not very robust in the DL course work.

Response by SSG George Holtje made Apr 7 at 2020 2:36 AM

SSG George Holtje — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 02:36:48 -0400

Leadership development requires institutional training and hands on experience.
The items that don’t get stressed are letting everyone stand up front and march the formation and lead PT and pitch classes. We all were forced in PLDC(WLC for you millennials).
So, in other words, no, bring back the schoolhouse when we can.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2020 9:52 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 09:52:36 -0400

Honestly I graduated from BLC with a 96.68 but if you have basic knowledge of the army and have been in at least 3 years, BLC isn’t much help

Response by SGT Kenneth Curtis made Apr 7 at 2020 4:33 PM

SGT Kenneth Curtis — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:33:33 -0400

I don’t see it helping. These schools are in person and physical for a reason. Many of the lessons have to be in classrooms. Some of the projects that you’d do on poster board anyhow, that could be online no problem. But learning how to conduct PT, in ranks inspections, and D&C can’t be done online. I would wonder how they’d rate your leadership potential through this.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2020 1:53 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 13:53:04 -0400

Hell No. People try to fly though the online course and do not learn anything. This will only make things worse.

Response by SGM Julio Nazario made Apr 12 at 2020 3:15 PM

SGM Julio Nazario — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 15:15:47 -0400

It’s better to have a temporary fix than to have a humongous problem after the Virus issue is over. Do you know how many Soldiers this will affect? How many Soldiers that were promotable would have to wait? BLC should be just a validation not a course where you are learning how to be an NCO. That is your Squad Leaders job.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 17 at 2020 10:52 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:52:25 -0400

The bus must continue to move. We need NCOs to get through schools. So yes

Response by CW2 Michael Mullikin made Apr 19 at 2020 5:30 PM

CW2 Michael Mullikin — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 17:30:19 -0400

Continue the school course. Some subjects, like leadership, are best present in a military setting so their is interaction with instructors and other students.

Response by SFC Jeremy Boyd made Apr 20 at 2020 1:06 PM

SFC Jeremy Boyd — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 13:06:37 -0400

My personal opinion is that the Army should wait the pandemic out and then send Soldiers to resident BLC. I graduated PLDC at Fort Hood in 2001 so I fully acknowledge that I'm being biased. If I had to go for 30 days, then the young bucks should too, lmao! In all seriousness, I don't see much value in online NCOES. It is too easy to treat it like a "check the block" activity, like the SSD modules turned out to be for a lot of Soldiers (not everyone). I do understand that a lot of people, whether military education or college education, prefer online courses and excel at them, but I'm not one. I despise online classes and only take them when absolutely necessary. I strongly prefer the interaction with fellow students and professors/instructors at a brick and mortar classroom. I also strongly believe that in order to get the most out of an Army course, especially a leadership course like the NCOES ones, a Soldier needs that interaction with other future leaders. Much of my leadership philosophies developed over time by interacting with instructors and fellow students in PLDC, BNCOC and M-SLC, coupled with the doctrinal foundation provided by the course curriculum itself.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2020 11:30 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 23:30:32 -0400

I’m attending the first hybrid BLC. 1/2 POI and 1/2 online. I do like this method, however, I can’t imagine doing it ALL online. For example, PRT evals are done with only one rank consisting of 3 people at a double arm interval. That works, considering the circumstances (even though the SGL is close and not 6 feet apart). I agree with someone who mentioned “for temporary measures.” I don’t see it being effective for long term at all.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2021 6:17 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Nov 2021 18:17:42 -0400

All DL teaches an SM is how to google answers. The OAS experimented with this in the early 2000s and the results were horrible. SMs who passed DL couldn’t tell a combination wrench from a lug wrench or a firing pin from a bobby pin. I spent POI hours and personal time catching them up. I can’t imagine DL NCOES will have better results.

Response by SGT Tomas Husted made Mar 25 at 2022 1:49 PM

SGT Tomas Husted — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:49:34 -0400

What ever happened to good ol' BNOC and PNOC? Of course the was no such thing as 'on line' back when. I'm lost when it comes to today's Army and some of their new methodologies. As an old 19D it was training,training,training and hump, hump and hump some more. Whether it was helicopter insertion or in Sheridan's, gun jeeps or M113 90% was hands on.