Officers Leadership Course

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Saeder-Krupp, along with many nations and corporations, offers a school that allows their employees to become officers within the military branch of the corporation. This is pretty much standard to the CAS/UCAS ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Course) that turns college kids into officers of the military. Like ROTC, the OLC is no different.

OLC candidates are selected through tactical skills and through application. The application process takes two weeks. The first week is filled with physicals, and some endurance tests. The second week is the "Weeding Out" week, which strives to weed out anybody deemed "unfit" for service as an officer. To even be considered for OLC, the candidate must be enrolled in a college, or planning to go to college. Naturally, Saeder-Krupp decides what college to go to, among the ones that they don't outright own. Most often the school is the University of Essen (sarcastically known as the "Officer Factory" by mainline Saeder-Krupp military units) in Essen proper, near the Saeder-Krupp HQ.

Acceptance is low, considering the scope of the size of the Saeder-Krupp military, and most effort is to give them a chance, yet making it hard to get it. For those who fail to make the grade, they may apply after six months, to allow the applicant to re-apply, with emphasis on working on the portion that they failed, while improving the points that worked.

When accepted, the person is trained around the regular corporate training areas. There are seperate barracks for this, and a lockdown until the final week is in effect. Lockdown consists of the recruit to pretty much stay in his/her room. If there is a need, such as personal hygiene items, the Platoon Officer takes them once a week to the local shopping center to buy items. Like Basic training, recruits are forbidden to buy candy bars, any sodas, alcholic beverages, etc. This in a way forces the student to try and forget about such items for the time being and focus on the training. PT for recruits starts at 0500 and ends at 0630. It conisists of running, and other calesthenics. Sports such as football and soccer are also played, to build Platoon integrity. A typical day follows:

Time	Activity
0630-0800	Personal Hygiene and Room Maintenance
0800-0900	Breakfast
0900-1200	Classes
1200-1300	Lunch
1300-1700	Classes
1700-1800	Supper
1800-2200	Personal Time
2200-0500	Sleep Time

Each recruit lives in a two-man room that is sparsely furnished, with a desk and night table for each person. They share a bathroom with a tub and there is no trid. Laptops may be used, but there are no phone lines or access to the Matrix. Access is only granted in certain cases such as during classes, and is closely monitored. However, there are public phones that can be used during the recruit's personal time if they would like to get in touch with loved ones, etc. Maintenance of the rooms, such as general cleaning, and inspections are common. At least one person has failed an inspection, and times are arranged on the POs to inspect the billets. It may be an hour later, or maybe in the middle of the night. Most POs do not sweat the small stuff, but a sty is totally unacceptable. Each recruit recieves counseling on what they failed, and after three such counselings on any matter, the recruit is automatically removed from the course. They can re-apply like any other after six months. Each cycle lasts for two months, and on average, the OLC leadership can do up to ten classes per year. Classes are simply known by the cycle number, and the year. For example, the fourth class in the year 2058 would be known as 04-58, and so on.

Each group of recruits is organized into four Platoons, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. These Platoons have around 20-25 personnel each and is each led by two people of either Lieutenant or Commander rank. Known as POs, or "Poes", they guide the Platoon, take care of most needs, arrange ranges, courses, etc. They do most of the work that NCOs do in UCAS Basic. Long nights and long days are a trademark for both the recruits and the POs. Like any officer, they are addressed as their gender dictates, "Ma'am" and "Sir" and must always be addressed at the position of attention. However, this is not always strictly enforced, such as during field training situations or other special occasions. Additionally, each platoon is led by a recruit that the POs determine by random a Platoon Leader (PL). He or she is the representative to the POs, and must ensure that his or her Platoon does as told. If the PL is determined to be unfit, he or she is simply replaced.

Classes are long and alot is put out, to address the need that the course lasts for two months. Training in tactics is paramount, and the main focus of the training. However, stuff such as Drill & Ceremony, and leadership skills are also taught. And unlike most schools, training in human relations is another thing. While respect for senior ranking personnel is paramount, they are taught through one day out of the cycle on that subject. They cannot afford always to use "the bar" instead of thier heads. While not perfect, it helps to relieve somewhat the stereotype of "the ell-tee syndrome". Because, when they hit that unit, they realize that all eyes are on them, for being new. Only when they prove themselves do they earn acceptance, through leadership and training, not "the bar". Other skills, such as weapon skills are taught. This takes place in the first five weeks of the course.

On the sixth week, they are trained in the use of the basic rifle of the Saeder-Krupp military, the G80. Aiming, cleaning of the rifle is taught, as well as Drill & Ceremony with it. Qualification is also done in the week, with various awards for excellent shooting given out. There is on the last day of the week the "Sharpshooter Drill", where the recruit must knock down ten targets within 2 minutes. While to most it seems easy, this has been a challenging course, since the firer is positioned on an undulating platform, and the targets are all at 500 meters. Few try, and even fewer make the grade. The last week is a field problem that puts most of their skills into use. All use MILES equipment and live off the land. They roadmarch 20 kilometers to the site, and roadmarch back. They do everything from Movement to Contact, Defense, and Hasty Defense. Most however, are not used to the field, and it is a good experience for most. The POs act as OPFOR to the recruits, to provide a realistic experience. Things such as OPORDs are given out, and the designated Platoon Leader hands out who has to do what.

After that week is over, the recruits are then prepared for graduation. At this time, when all has been taken care of from the field. This week is more lax in that the recruits can now eat all the food that they were restricted as well as alchohol. Unfortunately for some, their lack of alchohol leads to some accidents as most have lost thier tolerance, and can visit loved ones as well. The final day is graduation, and like any the world over, the remaining recruits meet in the field outside the main offices, and recieve thier bar.

For the Special Security Group, and the regular Saeder-Krupp military, it's somewhat different. For most of the time, leadership training is given heavily while the soldier is actively in the unit. When the soldier becomes ready after a few years as a Sargeant, then they can apply for OLC. They skip the first week of inprocessing, as the data is simply transferred to the OLC administration. The program, known as "Brown to Gold", is similar to the UCAS "Green to Gold" program, allows enlisted personnel to go to the officer ranks. In order to maintain such a required amount of officers in the SSG, they have been recruiting among the regular military, and in some cases, the OLC. However, this has created a schism among the SSG members, who term such people "Wonderboy" or "Wondergirl", since they rightly feel that any lower officer can walk in and act like they have been through it all. Some Sections put their OLC graduates through Section SEVEN. However, Section FOUR, never puts their new Lieutenants through SEVEN, as either most are going from Sergeant to Lieuteanant, and because the current Section Commander feels that to put the person through wastes another combat asset that usually needs to be used now.

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Game Notes

This wouldn't be worth anything if the character didn't pick up skills. Upon completion of OLC, the character gains these skills. The table below shows the skill, then the level learned when done. The number in the parenthesis indicates that if the character has the skill already, it adds to that skill:

Skill	Level
Etiquette (Military)	2 (+1)
Etiquette (Saeder-Krupp)	3 (+1)
Leadership	3 (+1)

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