CLC3 Day 97: 2nd presentation

Well, I'll be graduating on schedule, at least.

After four hours of sleep, I got into the classroom and turned in my second three ICOS products -- the presentation, the log estimate, and the synch matrix by the 8:00 deadline. Unfortunately, for my second presentation, I got one of the more difficult graders.

The underlying problem was that my plan had no basis in reality. That's not surprising, considering 1.) I've never been in a BCT, 2.) I've never been on battalion staff (so I don't really know what the SPO shop really does, and 3.) We never learned how BCTs actually work. We learned what equipment they have, sure, but how do they resupply when they're in the middle of a operation? I had to guess on a lot of this stuff.

This underlying problem showed itself in every class of supply -- the pattern in which I planned to resupply the maneuver units, the lack of mission configured loads to resupply artillery rounds, and the assumption that we wouldn't need a forward surgical team. "How are you going to evacuate wounded?" my grader asked me.

"By rotary wing medevac," I answered.

"And if air conditions are black? You don't have a backup plan," he replied. It was five hours by ground to the next level of care -- far too long for someone to survive. I could only concede the point.

Even my transportation scheme was messed up -- a particular embarrassment for a transportation officer. I didn't show how many fuelers or cargo trucks my plan would need, or even if the road could handle the traffic I had planned.

In sum, it was a painful experience. At the end, my grader asked me, "You seem like a smart guy. What happened?" I could only explain that I simply have no idea what I'm doing, and this was the best I could do. If this was my first attempt, he said, he'd have failed me, but since this was my final chance gave me a passing score.

So I'm *still* not at a decent level, but I'm not worth failing, either. The broader Army's just going to have to deal with a rotten logistician. Luckily, I'm going to another sustainment brigade, where my lack of BCT competence might stay unnoticed a bit longer. :-(

It was a rough start, but the day got better. I got my evaluation, which was decent, and in the afternoon we rehearsed for the graduation ceremony.

What a day.