Every summer, the 2nd Battalion, 205th Regimental Training Institute invites officer candidates from across the country to Washington state for the final phase of the Officer Candidate School. For two-weeks, the unit and the cadre that oversee the field training are pushed to their limits.

However, this year the 2/205th RTI partnered with 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment from the Kansas Army National Guard to assist with making the two-week experience better for everyone involved.

“We invited LTC Nicky Inskeep, the commander of 1st Battalion, 235th Regiment from the Kansas Army National Guard to serve as our camp commander for this year’s Phase III,” said LTC Nicholas Zaharevich, commander of 2/205th RTI. “This year’s event highlighted the unique partnership between the Total Army School System Battalions of Washington and Kansas, supplemented by the habitual support relationships of platoon trainers and cadre for their candidates. It is a real testament to the power of collaboration and leadership within the National Guard.”

The Total Army School System, or TASS, aims to standardize and elevate training across different states, ensuring a consistent and high level of preparedness among all National Guard students that take part in a school.

“The successful execution of the 2024 OCS Phase III, with its multi-state collaboration, stands as a testament to the effectiveness of the TASS system. It highlights how shared resources and joint efforts can lead to superior training outcomes,” said Zaharevich. “LTC Inskeep was able to come in and know exactly what the structure of OCS Phase III was going to be since we all work together throughout OCS Phases I and II.”

This year’s OCS Phase III featured candidates from 10 states and cadre from six states, each bringing their own backgrounds and experience, but standardized expectations and evaluation measures.

“OCS Phase III includes a series of rigorous exercises designed to challenge the candidates both physically and mentally. Being on the same page is essential for preparing the future leaders of the Army National Guard, ensuring they are ready to meet the demands of their roles,” said Zaharevich. “This collaboration of diverse leaders ensured that the candidates received comprehensive and high-quality training, benefiting from both the habitual support relationships and the new inter-state partnership.”

According to Zaharevich, OCS Phase III was a tremendous success, showcasing the strength of the partnership between multiple National Guard states. It also highlighted the benefits of pooling resources and expertise to achieve a common goal.

“This collaboration not only enhanced the training experience for the officer candidates but also set a precedent for future joint efforts,” said Zaharevich. “OCS Phase III serves as a model for future initiatives, demonstrating how working together can lead to outstanding results.”