The Lightning Academy (LA) develops agile, adaptive, and expeditionary Leaders through austere, realistic, and demanding training. LA serves as the U.S. Army's Premier Pacific Individual Training Venue and as a relationship engine for local, regional, and global partners.
Lightning Academy Enrollment Procedures
This section outlines the process for requesting enrollment into Lightning Academy (LA) courses. Procedures differ for 25th ID/USARHAW units and off-installation units. Please select your category below.
Select Your Audience Category
Step-by-Step Enrollment Process
Step 1 — Complete Request Memorandum Complete the request memorandum requesting seats in designated LA classes (mandatory for all non-25th ID units).
Step 2 — Route Through MSC Submit through your Major Subordinate Command (MSC). Requests from BDE/BN/CO level will NOT be accepted.
Any unfilled seats 14 days prior to the course start date will be reallocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
This does NOT apply to JOTC.
Internal Unit Procedures
Organic 25th ID and USARHAW commands route training assignments through local internal operations. Contact your respective Unit Schools NCO to cross-reference allocated institutional seat slots before coordinating packets.
Notice for Organic Units
Ensure that signatures on LA Form 100 are within the 90-day validity window. While off-island restriction warnings target outside forces, strict document requirements apply to internal personnel on report day.
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Downloadable Forms & Resource Documents
Select the links below to access up-to-date documentation and template materials. Form versions before Oct 2024 are obsolete.
Requests from BDE/BN/CO will not be accepted; this routing ensures Chain of Command concurrence across outside echelons.
The seat solicitation memo must be reviewed and endorsed by the Brigade Commander (the first O-6 in the line of command) before tracking to the 25th ID Division.
Individual personal data packages should only be dispatched after the underlying institutional enrollment request memo receives validation from Division leadership.
LA100 + applicable service-specific record brief (STP, BTR/BIR, CRB, SURF).
The operational timeline spans between 45–90 days from the point of formal packet submission. Command staff should reach back for tracking metrics at Day 90.
No. Class rosters remain fluid until official command screening actions resolve.
Submitting primary, alternate, and tertiary date preferences ensures flexible tracking choices during command reviews.
Bring LA100, record brief, and walk-on OML on report date. Off-island personnel must coordinate first.
Unclaimed vacancy allocations route to a first-come, first-served configuration 14 days prior to start (excluding JOTC).
See the contact card located directly below for full point-of-contact details.
U.S. Army's Premier Pacific Individual Training Venue - 25th Infantry Division
Important FY26 Course Update
All FRIES/SPIES Master Courses have been CANCELLED for FY26. Additionally, a signed LA Form 100 (Course Enrollment Form) is strictly required for all academy courses and remains valid for only 90 days following the date of the earliest signature. Expired signatures will result in non-acceptance upon reporting.
BOLT is a CG’s initiative to provide a top-notch integration experience for service members entering the 25th Infantry Division. Each service member, regardless of rank or MOS, entering the 25th ID will attend BOLT the week following in-processing at Reception Company. The goal of BOLT is to increase operational readiness, establish and uphold the Division's standards and discipline, embody the culture, and preserve the rich legacy of the Tropic Lighting Division.
o The Jungle Operations Training Course (JOTC) spans 12 days. Students focus on the individual skills associated with Jungle Dismounted Mobility, Land Navigation, Combat Tracking, Jungle Tactics, and Survival Training. Graduates of JOTC learn tactics, techniques, and procedures required to fight, win, and survive within any jungle environment. The course consists of two weeks of training following the "crawl, walk, run" methodology embedded within each activity as well as the overall training path. For more information, see Course Description and Joining Instructions below.
All FRIES/SPIES courses have been CANCELLED for FY26.
Signed LA Form 100 is only valid for 90 days following date of earliest signature. Students will not be accepted in LA courses if their signatures are expired on the day of reporting
The Lightning Academy Air Assault Course (LAAAC) is designed to provide parent units with subject matter expert Soldiers, Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO), and junior Officers in the full spectrum of LAAAC Operations. Students are trained on the missions performed by rotary wing aircraft, aircraft safety, aero-medical evacuation procedures, pathfinder operations, principles and techniques of combat assaults, rappelling techniques, and sling-load operations. The core POI requires minimum support assets and is adaptable to organic aviation elements. Both the core instruction and the additional instruction are conducted in a classroom/field environment.
The 25th ID Small Unit Ranger Tactics (SURT) program serves as a progressive physical and tactical preparation program designed to prepare 25th ID Soldiers to be successful during the Ranger Assessment Phase and Darby Phase of Ranger School. All graduations will occur at Lightning Academy on the last day of the course.
*All Students must bring a personally owned copy of the Ranger Handbook.
The Rappel Master Course is a one-week course consisting of 5 active training days (Monday through Friday) and designed to provide parent units with subject matter expert Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) and junior Officers in the full spectrum of Rappel Master Duties. Students will become proficient on the Rappel Master Personnel Inspection (RMPI), tower training, rappeller sustainment training, and rotary wing operations.
