Crusher Company, The U.S. Army Officer Candidate School

10/25/2016

Graduation pictures from Charlie Co. Class 009-16

Congrats to all our recent graduates!

https://ttm1.smugmug.com/OCSgraduationpictures/Charlie-009-16/

Take That Media 1 is a company that provides video coverage of your special events. From graduations to music videos to documentaries we are up for the challenge of capturing your visions and bringing them to life. Contact us for consultations and prices.

10/12/2016

Map Location of the Visitor Center at the Main Gate.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Benning+Visitor+Center/@32.3945958,-84.9312811,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x4cbc26a0273a244f!8m2!3d32.3945958!4d-84.9312811

Columbus, GA

10/12/2016

In preparation for Charley Company's coming graduation here is a link to information on gaining access to Fort Benning, and obtaining a visitor's pass. Please take special note that you must first visit the Visitor Center that is located at the main gate on the I-185 Access Control Point in order to receive your pass.

Due to the recent REAL ID ACT, driver's licences from the states of Minnesota, Missouri, Washington and the territory of American Samoa will not be accepted as valid ID, so be sure to bring another form of identification to avoid any issues. All of this information is further explained in the link.

http://www.benning.army.mil/gateinfo/index.html

The first change will affect the Visitor Center at the I-185 Access Control Point. This Visitor Center is currently undergoing renovations and requires the building to be completely closed down. We have established a temporary Visitor Center Trailer on the right hand side of the Access Control Point...

10/11/2016

On the October 5th Charlie Company took a trip to the site of the Andersonville Civil War Prison Camp. 52,345 Union Soldiers were held here, and an estimated 13,900 were put to rest from February 1864 - April 1865.

The outer wall of the camp does not stand today. Instead we are left with a wide open field. To understand the magnitude of this camp know that it was intended to hold at most 10,000 prisoners at one time, but instead held 33,000 in its harshest conditions. There were no housing structures for those imprisoned, so they instead slept on the ground with a makeshift tent to block out the elements.

Andersonville is a devastating example of what goes wrong when a leader does not adequately plan, logistics cannot be supplied, and prisoner of war welfare is not properly considered. It is a grave reminder to all future leaders that someday they too may be faced with similar tough decisions, and will do well to learn from the mistakes of the past.

Further Reading: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/warfare-and-logistics/warfare/andersonville.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

10/04/2016

Today, Charley Company had the opportunity to attend an Armor BOLC live fire, and get a tour of both the Abrams M1A2 and Bradley. Learning about disciplines outside of their own branches, and becoming more familiar with others' work is especially important for future Officers.

Every opportunity to expand an Officer Candidate's horizons increases the probability that they will discover a new way to think about a subject, or approach a problem from a new perspective. This increased understanding also paves the way for future cooperation. Also, it's always a benefit to walk in another Soldier's boots however brief that moment may be.

09/30/2016

Bright and early at 0400, Charlie Co. Class 009-16 stepped off on their final 12 Mile Road March.

Low on sleep, but high on determination, Charlie pushed through fatigue, blistered feet, and various aches to finish their march. It's this very determination that will continue to serve each and every one of these Officer Candidates in their near futures as 2nd Lieutenants. They know that when a task gets difficult all it takes is a step followed by another step to eventually reach the finish line, and accomplish their mission.

With graduation looming on the near horizon, Charlie Co. is dead set on finishing the cycle above and beyond expectation!

09/17/2016

After weeks of skill building, leadership development, and hard work, the Officer Candidates of Charlie Company Class 009-16 were put to their biggest test: Squad Situational Training Exercises (STX).

Each training lane tests an individual Officer Candidate as a Squad Leader and their ability to recieve a mission, deliver an Operations Order (OPORD), execute their plan, and complete the mission with their team despite whatever obstacles may appear. Whether it be indirect fire, unexpected enemy contact, or sustained casualties, every Candidate must be able to react, adapt, and overcome.

Despite the many obstacles, Charlie Company more than succeeded in its mission thanks to a demonstrated competency in their Warrior Task and Battle Drills, a resolute grasp of small unit tactics, adaptability, teamwork, and a strong demonstration of leadership.

09/02/2016

With each passing week new challenges continue to test Charlie Company. Road march distances steadily increase in order to stimulate growth, and test individual determination. This week brought the 9 mile road march.

Soldiers have the opportunity to learn a lot about themselves on a longer distance ruck. Not only do they face a benchmark of physical endurance, but also a test of mental resiliency. For many there is a certain point where fatigue sets in, and the mind starts saying, "Enough is enough." At times like these the Soldier has a choice to give in and give up, or instead put aside those negative thoughts, and drive on to the objective.

Intestinal fortitude, grit, and the will to never give up despite any obstacle are key traits for a Leader. You either fail to meet the challenge, or push yourself to success. Today, Charley Company chose success.

08/25/2016

This week Charlie Company Class 009-16 took to the Red Diamond Land Navigation course on Ft. Benning to put their night-to-day land navigation skills to the test. They were tasked with finding 4 out of 5 points within a 4 hour window starting at approximately 5 a.m. Each Soldier worked individually to plot, and navigate to their specified points often trekking deep into the Ft. Benning woods with nothing but a compass, a pace count, and moonlight to guide their way. It is a test of navigation fundamentals, the ability to adapt when something goes wrong, and intestinal fortitude.

The skills applied in the field help mold each Officer Candidate into the Leader they will someday become. Will they crumble when plans change? Will they be able to find their way if their GPS fails? Can they blaze a new trail where there wasn’t one before?

You better believe Charlie Company was up to the challenge!

08/20/2016

"Stay in top physical shape--physical stamina is the root of mental toughness." -- Major Richard "Dick" Winters

The advice Major Winters offers is a message that Charley Company Class 009-16 takes seriously. This week we took on Ft. Benning's Cardiac Hill in a morning Physical Readiness Training (PRT) session. It's an obstacle that many Soldiers are familiar with. Sprinting up this slope repetition after repetition isn't for the faint of heart, but heart is something Charley Company most certainly has.

When the going got tough Charley Company got tougher and kept pressing forward because C Co. takes the Major's words to heart. Every step we take builds our physical fitness which not only strengthens our bodies, but fortifies our mental will to keep pushing forward towards the objective: becoming the best possible leaders in order to best serve our Soldiers and the United States of America.

08/13/2016

What did you do with your Saturday?!

Charlie Co. continued work on radios, skedcos, M240s, and M249s!