What to expect at WOCS

[MckeeC]

I'm graduating from basic training this week and was just curious what I can expect at WOCS. I'll start by saying I did a forum search but it didn't seem to bring up any relevant information.

 

I assume I go directly from here to Fort Rucker to start WOCS? Or is there something in between? I've been reading:

http://usacac.army.mil/organizations/cace/wocc/courses/wocs

It seems like there is a reception period before WOCS starts. Am I correct to assume I'll be with more than just aviation guys and gals? I've read differing answers on how long it is but it seems like 6 weeks is about the average. According to that site somewhere around 2 weeks in is when candidates usually get phone access. Is this fairly accurate? I've went this long so I guess another few weeks without a phone isn't so bad, just curious so I can let my family know. How much of the training is physical vs classroom?

 

Any other tips or info you could share would be awesome. I wish I had more phone time to keep searching because I'm sure the answers to many of these questions are somewhere in this forum, just wasn't able to find them in my search. Thanks!

[StockTrader]

Like BCT but a little more relaxed. Phone time depends on how quick you come together as a class. Just color between the lines for 7 weeks and you'll be ok.

[PhrogGuy]

Biggest tip, work hard to work together. When in a leadership position, lead. Follow when you aren't. All of your privelages stem from those things. Good luck, it will be over before you know it.

[VelosiT]

So I'm assuming that you (like me) will graduate basic on a Thursday morning from (presumably) Fort Jackson. You'll take whatever transportation you chose down to Fort Rucker and sign in to WOCS probably on Friday.

 

What happened for me was this: You sign in Friday. They tell you that the weekend is completely yours. This is true. Spend some time exploring Fort Rucker. Get a cab and go into Enterprise. Go to Mellow Mushroom and eat pizza and drink beer like a free American, because you just got out of basic. Send me a message and I'll come pick you up and take you there and you can ask me all your questions. On Monday morning you'll start the actual process of starting WOCS. You'll be doing paperwork for most of the day for the next three days, and then class will actually start. It's super fun, especially when they give you the rubber rifles for PT.

 

You won't be with just aviation people. My class was very aviation-biased, but there were a dozen or so tech warrants in there.

 

You'll have your phone with you until about the day before class starts. You won't get it back until approximately week 2, or the end of "junior phase". You'll get it two or three times a week once you get it back for about half an hour each. It's much easier to keep in contact with people than it was in basic.

 

Physical training is, for the most part, limited to an hour of PT in the morning. You'll have an FTX during week 5 (?) which is, like, 30% physical. It's good PT. You'll be in better shape when you leave than you are now. Most of WOCS, however, is mental. The hardest part for me, coming straight from Basic, was turning my brain back on. You need to do this quickly. You go from "just wait for the DS to give me an order" to "What does the TAC want me to do? I better do that". The classroom stuff is not hard, it is tedious. Much of it is rote memorization. You have a test at the end of each week. It is very hard to stay awake during class until you get coffee privileges, then you turn into a rampaging caffeine addict.

 

Some advice - when they ask for volunteers for additional duties while you're at HHC, you have two options. One is to slip by with minimal effort, and the other is not. Minimal effort duties include HAZMAT officer, fire marshal, car wash officer, and (I'm told) assistant t-shirt officer. Get one of those and you will do almost no extra work. If, however, you feel like stressing yourself out more, take S1, S4, or morale officer. You'll get good at writing memos.

[brackac]

Rumor is at least one candidate dies each class. Second toughest course next to PJ indoc.

[MckeeC]

I appreciate all of your feedback! I'm excited to start WOCS. My only worry now (and if it's true there isn't much I can do about it) is ill be a holdover until January 5th as I was told this is the next class date. I've already received a good amount of feedback on what to expect as a holdover but if anyone wants to let me know what their experience was that would be great.

[Yamer]

Rumor is at least one candidate dies each class. Second toughest course next to PJ indoc.

Hmm, I heard it was tougher. I better check my sources.

[CharyouTree]

I appreciate all of your feedback! I'm excited to start WOCS. My only worry now (and if it's true there isn't much I can do about it) is ill be a holdover until January 5th as I was told this is the next class date. I've already received a good amount of feedback on what to expect as a holdover but if anyone wants to let me know what their experience was that would be great.

 

No rumor, buddy. If you don't start the 13th of October, the next Phase 1 is 5 January. Stay in shape...

[Dmurray]

 

No rumor, buddy. If you don't start the 13th of October, the next Phase 1 is 5 January. Stay in shape...

I can verify. I'm in said class. We are the last class until after the new year.

[USCav19D]

You are going to die.

[shmoeser]

Just a question has anyone in here been assigned the WOCC DL class. I'm enrolled and it strated and I'm just trying to make sure that I am doing it correctly.