TBS

The Basic School



The reason we're in Quantico, VA. Everyone has been asking, so what is it that Nate's doing now? What are you doing in VA? What exactly is TBS? So here you go.

The mission of TBS is, "Train and educate newly commissioned or appointed officers in the high standards of professional knowledge, esprit-de-corps, and leadership required to prepare them for duty as company grade officers in the operating forces, with particular emphasis on the duties, responsibilities and warfighting skills required of a rifle platoon commander".

Basically OCS was a 10 week course to answer a single question, do you have what it takes to be a Marine Corps officer? Since Nate commissioned as a Second Lieutenant a month and a day ago (has it really already been that long...?) someone decided that the answer to that question was yes. So he has what it takes to be an officer, but he wasn't taught HOW to successfully do that. So that's the purpose of TBS or, as I like to call it, How to be a Marine Corps officer 101.

TBS is a 26 week course, which is approximately 6 months. Nate is in Delta Co., 2nd Platoon. The report date was today, but the start date of the 26 week training isn't until May 10th. Graduation is November 5th.

He'll be up early in the morning (between 4 and 5 am) and at TBS until around 6:30 in the evening. We won't get to see each other nearly as much as we have this past month, but it'll definitely be an improvement over OCS.

Here's the TBS website if you want to check it out, but honestly wikipedia might be more interesting. Hopefully Nate will be able to update with how training is going once he gets into it. As for now, we're spending the evening at Outback with other Delta Co. Marines to relax and take a deep breath before the insanity that is sure to follow :)