11B Infantry OSUT Graduation Guide

18 wk · Two family ceremonies · Fort Benning, GA

Infantry OSUT at a glance

Duration: 18 weeks (combines BCT and Infantry AIT in a single cycle at Fort Benning)
Location: Fort Benning, Columbus, GA
Graduation: Venue depends on your Soldier's brigade and cohort
Family trips: Two family ceremonies: one around Week 10 (intermediate ceremony) and one at the final graduation

The two-trip decision

Infantry OSUT has two distinct family-attended ceremonies. Many families travel for both; others attend only the final graduation. Here’s what each trip looks like.

A drill sergeant loops the Infantry blue cord onto a new Soldier's shoulder during a Turning Blue ceremony at Pomeroy Field, Fort Benning, March 2026. U.S. Army photo via DVIDS.

Image: 1st Lt. Drew Adams / U.S. Army

U.S. Army Soldiers and their families participate in the Turning Blue ceremony at Fort Benning, April 2023. U.S. Army photo via DVIDS.

Image: Sgt. 1st Class Justin P. Morelli / U.S. Army

Trip 1: Intermediate

Turning Green Ceremony (Week ~9-10)

The Turning Green Ceremony marks the end of the BCT portion of Infantry OSUT. Your Soldier is now a Soldier, but still has 8 weeks of AIT ahead before the blue cord. Families pin the Army patch, hear the Soldier's Creed, and then the Soldier is released on a 3-day pass (Fri through Sun with 0900 Sat/Sun check-ins).

This is the smaller of the two trips. Many families treat it as optional and save the longer trip for the Week-18 Cordon.

Venue

Kanell Field, Sand Hill (on-post).

Gate

Enter via the Sand Hill Family Day / Graduation Entrance on Custer Road. For on-post events, REAL ID scanning can create a digital visitor pass at the gate. Battalion Special Event pre-registration is another route. Non-U.S. citizens need visitor-center processing. Lindsey Creek Visitor Control Center is open 24/7; confirm other open centers or advance vetting with the visitor center before travel. Follow your track and ceremony letter.

Time

Typically Friday, about 1 hour.

Dress

Smart casual. Columbus GA summers are hot and humid; plan for outdoor standing in direct sun. No formal dress requirements for this ceremony.

Source: army.mil/article/291367; army.mil/article/291378

Trip 2: Week 18

Graduation Ceremony (Infantry OSUT)

The Graduation Ceremony marks completion of Infantry OSUT. Soldiers earn the coveted Infantry Blue Cord in the Turning Blue ceremony the day before graduation. For families, this is the high-stakes trip.

Check which brigade your Soldier trains under and confirm the venue on the brigade ceremony page. 197th Brigade ceremonies are at the National Infantry Museum off-post (free parking, no gate to clear, arrive early as the lot fills). 198th Brigade ceremonies vary by cohort: NIM appears in the retained schedule, and some cohorts use on-post fields which require gate entry with government-issued ID. Confirm your cohort's venue with the unit. The venue varies -- do not assume based on brigade alone.

Venue

Venue depends on your Soldier's brigade and cohort. 197th Infantry Brigade: Inouye Field, National Infantry Museum (1775 Legacy Way, Columbus GA 31903), off-post with no gate entry required. 198th Infantry Brigade: NIM appears in the retained ceremony schedule (army.mil/article/291367); some cohorts use on-post parade fields (Pomeroy or Kanell Field, Sand Hill).

Confirm at

Confirm the venue on your brigade's ceremony page before you travel; the difference between NIM and on-post matters for gate planning.

Time

Typically Thursday, about 2 hours.

Dress

Smart casual. Columbus GA summers are hot and humid; expect 2+ hours outdoors at the parade field or museum grounds. Some families dress up for photos; there is no formal attire requirement.

After

Soldiers often ship to their first duty station within days of the ceremony, sometimes overseas. Plan for a longer stay and a deployment goodbye.

Source: army.mil/article/291367; army.mil/article/291378

Upcoming cycles

No upcoming graduation dates are posted for this track yet. Army OSUT dates come from the brigade ceremony schedule and are added as they are confirmed. Check back, or confirm your Soldier’s date with their unit.