Vanguards field first in-house Infantry BNCOC

<B>FORT STEWART, Ga. </B>- The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division fielded its first home-station Infantry Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course in August, and 70 Vanguard sergeants and staff sergeants graduated the Infantry-specific, Phase II leadership class at Fort Stewart's Moon Theater, Sept. 11.

After requesting a Mobile Training Team, the 4th IBCT was able to host its own advanced 11B course that is normally taught at Fort Benning, Ga.

Although resident 11B BNCOC classes are still held at the "Home of the Infantry" installation, the Henry Caro NCO Academy there also rotates six-man instructor teams or MTTs across the country to teach Soldiers who have recently redeployed from a combat zone, said MTT Senior Instructor, Sgt. 1st Class James Kirby.

"These Soldiers have been away from their Families for so long," he said. "So, rather than sending them off again, they get to stay here, attend the course and go home to their Families every night."

Sergeant First Class Kirby and five small group leaders taught the three-week course that included a forward observer and small arms proficiency exam, the Army Physical Fitness Test, three days of field training, weapons familiarization, and "outside agencies" like the Guard Unit Armory Device Full Crew Interactive Simulation Trainer and Virtual Battle Space.

Additionally, the 11B BNCOC commits a week to leadership classes and open discussions.

The senior instructor said there are only minor differences between an MTT-led course and the resident course at Benning.

"At Fort Benning, we have barracks inspections," he said. "Here, the unit supports us; whereas at Fort Benning, we are self-supportive."

Regardless of the course's location, Sgt. 1st Class Kirby says the class instruction and its importance remains the same.

"The Army is moving so fast; Soldiers are getting promoted a lot faster now," he said. "We want to teach them things they may not have learned already, or things they may have forgotten, so they can take it back to their lower-enlisted Soldiers."

"BNCOC is not just about the students who are going through it; it's about taking the knowledge that they learn here and passing it on to their subordinates."

Sergeant William Garay, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th IBCT and Distinguished Honor Graduate, said he appreciated the course's content.

"The course does a great job of breaking down classes, step by step, so we can understand it," the infantry squad leader said. "This class helps us teach our team leaders and our future leaders how to better themselves."

Sergeant Garay said the biggest benefit of the class was being able to attend it at Fort Stewart.

"When I went to Air Assault School I was away and I couldn't communicate with my Family except by phone," he said. "Here, I actually got to go home. I got to interact with my daughter, take her to school and take her to her ballet classes."

Sergeant Garay added he spent a year away from his Family supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He said the at-home BNCOC helped him relieve stress associated with Family separation.

He advises future 11B BNCOC attendees to come into the course with a positive mindset.

"Set personal goals and strive to surpass them," he said.

Sergeant First Class Kirby said his team's next class is scheduled for Alaska in November. He said another 11B BNCOC MTT plans to return to Fort Stewart sometime next year.

The name "BNCOC," however, will transition to Advanced Leaders Course as of Oct. 1, he said.