AMA OCS Phase III Handout

Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with

minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The
only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He
doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs,
his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not
concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He
doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?

-Anonymous

By now, you’ve acclimated to the arena and are ready for the final test. This is the
time in which we shift our gears into a more intimate aspect of leadership, the essence.
Cliché as it may sound, leadership is an art.1 Don’t get me wrong, there is a science
involved (i.e. following doctrine), but REAL leadership isn’t something you can paint-
by-number.

In the next two weeks, you’ll be allowed to demonstrate your proficiency in

leading from the front. This will be no easy task, as reality will not be easy. Where some
will excel, others will fail. It is the leaders’ responsibility to bear the burdens of this
struggle and drive forward to complete the mission.

In the following pages, I will outline a few foundations that should drive you to excel in
your endeavors. There is no rhyme or reason to how this has been written. I took a few of
my favorite leadership reads and gathered my thoughts from them.

Boyd’s OODA Loop 2

What if you could get into the mind of the enemy and make better decisions,
faster? Then hypothetically, scientifically, you should be able to defeat the enemy, right?
1) Observe the enemy action; 2) Orient yourself into a more favorable position; 3) Decide
a course of action; 4) Act.

Machines don’t fight wars, terrain doesn’t fight wars.

You must get into the minds of humans. That’s where battles are won.
- Colonel John Boyd

Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone 3

One of my instructors (COL Billy Shaw of Special Operations) has a “Bubble

Theory,” which describes human nature. We live in a bubble (our ego) that only allows us
to perform at about 10% of our plausible abilities. Each time we place ourselves outside
of that bubble, we accept pain, fear, etc. This experience increases the size of our bubble,
therefore expanding our abilities.

Physical exertion, especially a ruck march, is a useful tool. Here’s how:

A) It allows you to challenge your soul

B) It teaches you the importance of teamwork
C) It provides a mirror reflection of who you are
D) It exposes all the good and bad in yourself
E) There’s no way to hide on a road march
F) It strengthens trust in your leaders
G) It toughens you mentally
H) It beats complaining right out of you
I) It orients you to authority
J) It makes you think about others
K) It matures you
L) It makes you more objective
M) It provides a frame of reference for suffering

The road march is the crucible in which the soul is refined. Pulling a
trigger is easy. Humping the load over the distance is where you find out
who will be on the ambush site to pull the trigger with you. Never quit.
Come in ugly if you have to, but come in.
- MSG Howe

Selection is a Never Ending Process (Need I say more?)

4
The Mission, The Men, and Me

“The 3M’s are the key to being successful in life. They stand for the
mission, the men, and me.” He then drew a line from the top M, through
the middle M, down to the bottom M. “They’re all connected,” he
continued. “So if you neglect one, you’ll screw up the others. The first M
stands for the mission; it’s the purpose for which you’re doing what you’re
doing. Whether in your personal or professional life, make sure you
understand it, and that it makes legal, moral, and ethical sense, then use it
to guide all your decisions. The second M stands for the men. Joshua
Chamberlain, a Medal of Honor-receiving schoolteacher in the Civil War,
once said that ‘there are two things an officer must do to lead men: he
must care for his men’s welfare, and he must show courage.’ Welfare of the
troops and courage are inextricably linked. When it comes to your men
you can’t be good at one without being good at the other. Take care of
your men’s welfare by listening and leading them with sound tactics and
techniques that accomplish your mission, and by always having the
courage of your convictions to do the right things by them. The final M
stands for me. Me comes last for a reason. You have to take care of
 yourself, but you should only do so after you have taken care of the
mission, and the men. Never put your own personal well-being, or
advancement, ahead of the accomplishment of your mission and taking
care of your men….”
- mentor to LTC Pete Blaber

Listen 5

It’s all about humility. Always ask of others their thoughts and suggestions; but
don’t just hear it … listen. Listen for their experience, their perceptions, and their
creativity.

Okay, so you’re here, in the bay, wondering how in the hell this is going to get
you a “Go” on Squad-Level and Platoon-Level Operations so you can pin on your bar
and start your new military career. It probably won’t … Here you are only being
evaluated on TLP’s, but beware the pitfalls. Below is a couple of things you can do to
ensure less pain while here:

1) Weapons Safety: If you follow the four fundamental rules of weapons’ safety (and of
course watch your buddy as well), you should walk away from Phase III unscathed. You
do not respect these rules, pain follows.

- Treat all firearms as if they are always loaded; never trust your memory.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights and muzzle are on your
target.
- Never point a weapon at anything you are not willing to destroy.
- Know your target and your backstop.

2) 5 Principles of Patrolling:

- Planning: Be thorough and clear in your orders.

- Reconnaissance: Know what you are getting yourself into.
- Security: 360° at all times. WTF is “ghost security?”
- Control: When in charge, be in charge. Set your conditions.
- Common Sense: Don’t do dumb things.

In the end, you will know that you have earned your right to wear a gold bar. You
can look into the eyes of other squads/platoons and know they did not endure the same
stresses and experiences that you have shared with your comrades. You will know that
they are walking away with less gained in the time we have together. Welcome to the
suck …
1

Note that I there is no set writing style chosen. This is not for a dissertation …

Christopher Kolenda. Leadership: The Warrior’s Art. Army War College Foundation Press (2001).
2
MSG Paul R. Howe. Leadership and Training for the Fight. Authorhouse (2005).
3
Ibid.
4
LTC Pete Blaber. The Mission, The Men, And Me. The Berkley Publishing Group (2008).
5

Brace E. Barber. Ranger School: No Excuse Leadership. Patrol Leader Press (2001).