Soldier teaching in a classroom. Soldier teaching in a classroom.

Set your course to lead

Raise the bar of what you can do. Learn the skills to lead your peers, advance your career, and exceed your expectations.

Officers standing in a group Officers standing in a group

Pursue the Path of Officer Candidate School

OCS is one of four paths to become a commissioned Officer in the Army. Applying is open to civilians, active-duty enlisted, Army Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers with at least a bachelor’s degree.

OCS offers the intense military tactical training you need to become an Officer, while also preparing you for careers in fields like engineering, finance, mechanics, communications, and more.

When you graduate OCS as a commissioned Officer, expect to be ready to lead in any situation, no matter the environment, and no matter the stakes.

Soldier in the field giving orders. Soldier in the field giving orders.

Show Your Determination

Leadership courses are optional, which means Soldiers who take them set themselves apart as someone who wants to advance in their career.

Soldier getting his promotion. Soldier getting his promotion.

Earn a Promotion

Gain new abilities and the promotions that go along with them. Leadership courses are a key way that enlisted Soldiers move up in rank.

Soldier leading in the field, waiting for a Chinook helicopter to take off. Soldier leading in the field, waiting for a Chinook helicopter to take off.

Gain Lifelong Skills

Strengthen your natural ability to lead and gain new communication, tactical, and teamwork skills.

Your Route to Success

There are several leadership courses available to enlisted Soldiers. Advancing in difficulty, each course reflects the skills needed to reach the next level of your career.

Basic Leader Course (BLC)

BLC is the first course of leadership training. A month-long intensive course, Soldiers learn the fundamental skills needed to lead small groups of Soldiers. This course is for you if you’re a specialist or corporal who wants to advance to the rank of sergeant.

Advanced Leader Course (ALC)

ALC focuses on the skills needed to lead squad-and platoon-sized units. It consists of a 90-day online program and a branch-specific resident phase. This course is for you if you’ve been selected for promotion to staff sergeant.

Senior Leader Course (SLC)

SLC is a branch-specific course that focuses on the technical and tactical skills, knowledge, and experience needed to lead platoon-and company-sized units. This course is for you if you’ve been selected for promotion to sergeant first class.

First Sergeant Academy (FSA)

FSA focuses on unit administration, personnel management, logistics, and communication skills. It consists of a self-study phase and small-group instruction. This course is for you if you’re a sergeant first class or master sergeant and want to become first sergeant of a company, battery, or troop.

U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA)

USASMA is a 10-month long course that prepares senior non-commissioned Officers to lead at the highest levels of the Army and defense department. This course is for you if you want to become a senior non-commissioned Officer.

Command Sergeants Major Academy (CSMA)

CSMA is a five-day course that focuses on assigning and utilizing Soldiers, developing training plans, caring for Soldiers and their families, and more. This course is for you if you’re a sergeant major who wants to become a battalion command sergeant major.

Focused Training for Expanded
Opportunities

When you train at the Army’s specialized schools, jobs you’ve dreamed of become reality.

Soldier earns the Master 
Recruiter badge. Soldier earns the Master 
Recruiter badge.

Recruiting and Retention School

Army recruiters serve the important role of helping create opportunities for recruits and maintaining the strength of the Army’s forces.

Drill instructor evaluation. Drill instructor evaluation.

Drill Sergeant School

Drill sergeants serve the critical role of transforming recruits into Soldiers at Basic Combat Training.

Group of Soldiers taking an EOA course. Group of Soldiers taking an EOA course.

Equal Opportunity Advisors (EOA) Course

Equal Opportunity Advisors are trained to identify discrimination in the workplace and promote equality throughout the Army, creating more diversity and fairness.

Sappers practice jumping from a Chinook. Sappers practice jumping from a Chinook.

Sapper Leader Course

Sappers learn to conduct combat engineering tasks, including bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, and airfield repair, making them expert engineers.

Army paratroopers jump and parachute safely from an airplane Army paratroopers jump and parachute safely from an airplane

Airborne School

Paratroopers take to the skies and learn to jump and parachute safely from airplanes at “jump school.”

Soldier in Pathfinder training. Soldier in Pathfinder training.

Pathfinder School

Pathfinders are trained to navigate through foreign terrain and identify safe parachute drop zones for Army aircraft and Airborne Soldiers.

Soldier with a open parachute 
at jump school. Soldier with a open parachute 
at jump school.

Jumpmaster School

Jumpmasters are experts who teach other Soldiers the techniques of jumping from airplanes while instructing at Airborne School.

Soldiers undergoing air assault training. Soldiers undergoing air assault training.

Air Assault School

Air assault Soldiers master assault helicopter missions, learning landing equipment, rappelling, and navigation in order to wear the distinctive air assault badge.

Special forces, maritime training at the beach. Special forces, maritime training at the beach.

Special Forces School

Special Forces Soldiers specialize in unconventional warfare and includes the elite team of Rangers, Green Berets, and Night Stalkers.

Soldier rappelling from a UH-60 helicopter. Soldier rappelling from a UH-60 helicopter.

Ranger School

Rangers are seen as role model Soldiers and experience one of the toughest training experiences in the Army to become experts in leading high-pressure combat missions.

Common Questions about Leadership Training

What skills can I learn from leadership training?

The skills you’ll learn during leadership training depend on your rank and the course you take, but every course will strengthen your ability to communicate, coordinate logistics, and manage teams.

How will leadership courses help my career?

Leadership training is one of the best ways to get promoted as an enlisted Soldier. Beyond moving up in rank, you’ll strengthen the leadership skills you were born with and learn strategies that will help you succeed in your day-to-day missions and even future careers.

Why does the Army value leadership?

In the Army, leadership can make the difference between mission success and failure. The ability to communicate, organize and motivate peers, and think strategically can make a huge difference during stressful moments. The Army believes that by helping every Soldier reach their full potential, the result is a stronger team.