Small Unit Leadership Evaluation (SULE)
Small Unit Leadership Evaluation (SULE) is the culminating leadership evaluation event at Officer Candidates School. It is designed to evaluate a candidate's mental, moral, and physical development. For many, SULE II will be the first time a candidate has reached the limits of their mental, physical, and emotional endurance; SULE II will demonstrate that they are capable of much more than they previously believed.Evaluations
Evaluations are crucial to the proper screening of candidates to become Marine Officers. Candidates are evaluated daily by their Sergeant Instructors for their performance and how well they are developing an understanding and personal ownership of core values, ethics, and leadership. They must also pass the seven graduation requirements. In addition to the Combat Course, LRC I and II, SULE I and II, and the Battalion Commander's Inspection are the final two requirements that all candidates must pass to become a Marine Officer.http://www.trngcmd.usmc.mil/OCS/canfaminfo/default.aspx
The candidates, including Caleb, will be facing probably their most difficult week this week. They contracted for four weeks. This is week four coming up. OCS intends to weed out those not capable of being a Marine Officer! That is their intention and their mission. In our phone call yesterday, Caleb mentioned that they will have to do a 6 mile hike after only 3 hrs of sleep this week. He also indicated that he will be doing a 9 mile and a 12 mile hike, all with full back pack gear on. He will have more written exams. He barely passed the first one and did not pass the second one. (Passing mark is 80% for written as well as leadership evaluations.) I'm sure each and everyday this week will be full of written and performance evaluations! Some of the above evaluations will happen after this week. He believes this is God's will for him. Please pray for continued strength, guidance, for leadership qualities to be at their best, for clarity of thought, for superb performance mentally and physically in his exhausted and less than healthy state.
3 weeks done and 7 to go! None of these weeks will be easy. Well, this occupation will not be easy, but... you finish it. My heart is heavy with anticipation and I am not doing it. Thanks for you prayer and letters of encouragement!
Candidate Allen, Caleb W
OCS C/3
2189 Elrod Ave
Quantico, VA 22134
Hang in there. If it is God's will that this is the course for your life, He will give you the strength and ability. (Phil 2:13 "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.")If not, He will open another door that better fits how He has designed you.
ReplyDeleteBill Shaneyfelt
Just a well wish on a tough week. My son went through Army boot camp...He says Marines are harder.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine but he found it in him and I am sure you will find it in you!
Try visualization! I fly without anxiety medicine now just imaging God holding the plane in His Hand! I am still petrified before-hand but prayer and visualizing... It works for me. Maybe He can carry your pack!
The very best to you.
Kim Reese (friend of Lisa Allen)
He'll be fine as long as he studies at least a little bit. Military "education" at OCS is sadly just rote memorization of facts, some useful, some completely arbitrary. As for leadership, it looks simple on paper, but with sleep deprivation, anxiety, etc it becomes a giant ball of suck. I failed SULE I and came back from it, so I'm sure he can too if he applies himself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouraging words!
ReplyDeleteHang in there Caleb you can do it:-) praying for you! Bobbie Huffman (friend of your mom)
ReplyDeleteHi Caleb. Just happened over here to see how your adventure was going! I've got total faith you can do it!!! Praying hard for you tonight and Looking forward to checking back in and reading more about your experience! Take care of you! *RachelMarie*
ReplyDeleteThanks, everybody! For everything!
ReplyDeleteMade it through Week 4 with just a rolled ankle and no evaluation failures!
Keep the prayers and encouragement coming!