Knowing what you do now as a post-CCC Captain, what preparation would you have done differently before and during the CCC to get what you wanted out of it?

During:

Take the GRE or GMAT. Someone has already said it, but CCC is all about development both professionally and personally. Use the time the Army gives you set your self up for a graduate degree. If you show up and do staff time as an AS3 or S4 you will have a lot less time than you did at CCC. Additionally, knock out the DLAB or any other test you can.

Get into any course you can as a follow-on. It is hard for a good officer to disappear for professional schoolings, so use the time that you are at CCC to knock out courses. I knew nothing about GCSS-Army so I went to the maintenance leaders course.

If you can afford it get a Masters. I went to MCCC at Ft. Benning early in my year group and was able to do the program at Columbus State University. I earned my Masters and was a full time student right after MCCC. It was great. I learned a lot and knocked out a degree without falling too far behind my timeline.

Most importantly you should put forth effort. This should go without saying, but too many times guys half-assed MCCC. It was frustrating to see because they are the same officers who half-assed their staff time. Have fun and enjoy it, but take the lessons seriously. Challenge yourself; IBCT LTs should learn from ABCT Officers just how hard mounted logistics is and ABCT Officers listen to the Infantry Officers when they talk about how long dismounted operations are.

ENJOY IT. I was ready to get out of the Army and went MCCC and it revitalized me.

Before: This one is simple. Practice and learn your craft as a Lieutenant. Take every opportunity to pitch orders. If you are a Troop XO and taking the quartering party out then issue an OPORD and give the guys graphics. I know it sucks to do it, but MCCC is all about getting the dust off your bag of tools and expanding that bag. If you use your LT time to practice what you learned in BOLC you will excel at MCCC. I issued an OPORD to the S3 Soldiers before a Squadron Field Problem. They got to actually learn what we were doing during the field problem and it kept me fresh. The S4 and myself pitched orders to the CTCP when I was a HHT XO. You show up to MCCC and have to test in on all the stuff you learned at BOLC. Do not get so caught up in the daily taskings that you forget about your tactical training.