The next three modules of BOLC are very similar from an expectations perspective. The course curriculum changes but it's mainly testable classroom material. Subjects cover offensive and defensive tactics, general engineering, horizontal engineering (soil, waste water, roads and bridges) and vertical engineering (buildings, electrical, concrete). For those of you with an engineering or construction background the academics are a piece of cake. If you're good at math, you won't have any issues. If you don't meet any of the above criteria fear not- it's the Army and they'll get you through.
The work load varies considerably. One week you'll be bored out of your mind and the next you'll wonder when you're supposed to sleep. Take each with a grain of salt, keep your head down and just plow through it. One event at a time.
Some of the key tasks in these modules include a "15 mile" (more like 20) ruck, a timed 12 mile ruck, FTX II, a 5 mile run in under 40 minutes and exams based on course material. Most of those are self explanatory, but I'll mention that FTX II is 3 days and includes the "long walk" as the 15 miler has been dubbed. I say more like 20 because the walk is part of your operations so only the road miles count toward the 15 mile distance over the course of 24 hours and the miles spent humping up and down the Ozark Mountains don't officially count for anything (Bitter, party of one your table is now ready). We slept about 3 hours each night and conducted round the clock operations until we left the field.
It's physically exhausting work, but enjoyable- after all this is the kind of stuff I signed up for. Since combat engineers work so closely with the infantry you'll be expected to meet the same standards that they have over at the Fort Benning School for Wayward Boys (ladies included). In that regard, Engineer BOLC is considered the most challenging combination of physical and mental tasks out of all the BOLC schools.
A typical day for me was waking up at 0405, PT formation at 0500, class from 0800-1700, homework/free time until 2130 or 2200 and then hit the sack. Monotonous would be an understatement.
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