Right then,
I recently passed OASC, even though the Commandant was observing my Syndicate all day!
Any advice or experiences to share about Officer’s Initial Course?
Looking to get these white tapes swapped with that very thin blue braid soon!
What’s the course syllabus like? IS it anywhere on Badger?
Erm, where to start…?
First of all. Enjoy it. It’s a cracker of a course. Best training I’ve had as adult staff. The syllabus is packed, absolutely no time goes to waste. (As an example, we said at the end of the course that 15 minutes with the RAFA Representative just wasn’t enough. The staff said they couldn’t give us any more time as those 15 minutes had been shaved off the hour with the commandant as there was no slack left.)
You will cover, Drill, (magic circle, saluting a dais [while giving the command to your squad/flight] receiving awards etc.) Child protection policy, administrative discipline policy, interview technique, presentation skills, command task techniques, command tasks themselves in the hangar, RAFA, and many other things I’ve forgotten!
You will be inspected 3 times in the week, so make sure your uniform is up to scratch, but this is quite a communal activity in the evenings pre and post bar, so there will be people there to help you or for you to help.
Your only free time is during the CCF lesson, which is when ATC/VGS Officers get their uniform measured, so you get chance to go to the various tailor’s shops and spend your moneys. (Stores sometimes have PWS No.5s if you fancy them, and they fit.) One guy had those, many bought rank slides and berets. Foley even bought a lovely Crombie coat.
By the way, the method you used to do the hangar exercises in OASC is nothing like in OIC, so you needn’t fret about repeating exercises, the learning objectives are very different.
Any specific questions?
And you’ll need to do the new drill test at the start of the week that’s just been introduced wef today I think. Ask your WWO who should be aware of it, but it’s all basics so shouldn’t worry anyone reasonably competant at drill.
Make sure your kit all fits properly. Try and scrounge a spare pair of trousers and a couple of extra shirts, else it’s all a bit minging by the end of the week !
I found by the time I’d got back to the mess, eaten, done uniform prep and then any pre-work for the following day it was somewhere between 2130/2200 hrs, so one pint and I was ready for bed !
We did an extra hour at the ATF building every day after the formal course lessons had finished, just to polish up on inspection items and drill.
Enjoy it, and make sure you’re not late for any of the lessons (as a group).
Ahh Bravo Syndicate then!
If you get pinged to be course leader you will be given a deputy. Delegate 99% of the work to them.
I can’t remember a huge amount about OIC any more, but I know I had a good time and was knackered at the end of it. And I had a hangover that went on for far too long!
[quote=“xab” post=4910]If you get pinged to be course leader you will be given a deputy. Delegate 99% of the work to them.
I can’t remember a huge amount about OIC any more, but I know I had a good time and was knackered at the end of it. And I had a hangover that went on for far too long![/quote]
Oh yes! Do make sure that your other course members and you take advantage of the bar! It is all well and good working after dinner each night on uniform prep and presentations etc but you do need time to relax, network and experience military life (and its very cheap bar prices).
No Morgans last time - lets hope the bar is in better order!
Bad form!
Thanks All for the responses! Some useful stuff there!
Whitegaffertape, how did you know? did you read the FB post?