Might be a strange request

[Amato]

This might be a strange request, especially since I am new here, but I was wondering if anyone in the Bragg area would mind giving me assistance in Land Nav? I am currently working on my SFAS packet, I seem pretty confident on most things except LandNav. I basically know nothing on orienteering. I have been bugging the hell out of people in my unit to teach me but no such luck. I know none of you really know who I am, but possibly there are some others from Lightfighter.net that can hopefully vouch for me. Well in any case, thank you for giving this a read.

[Huey14]

To add to this, if anyone has some good links on military land nav, I would appreciate it also.

I've found some links, but I don't know my arse from my elbow as to if they're any good or not.

[Pete]

Land Nav is like SA in some ways.

The mechanical part of Land Nav is easy. You move from point A to point B. You transfer the two points to a map. Find the distance and direction and start walking until you get to point B.

The key to Land Nav is having a real good pace count and the ability to keep your direction as you move left and right around obstructions in your line of march. Pace count varies from just LBE and weapon, add a ruck, a heavy ruck and then walking and jogging. Direction may be general as when moving to an attack point on a long distance Land Nav course or exact when moving on a land nav course with multiple targets set up on two paralel roads about 700-1,000 meters apart.

You get your gross pace count by moving along a marked distance on a flat surface like a road. You then move to a Land Nav area and move between two know distance points. You compare the two distances and come up with your true pace count.

Direction is something that takes work. In the daytime you can sight in on a tree 100 meters to your front, move to it, pick another and keep moving, and so on. At night you have to keep a mental picture of your movements as you move. Right around this tree, left around the next. I went about 10 meters to the left around this brushy area, I need to move that far right.

The wooded areas around Camp McK and Hoffman do not have any gross terain features. Ups, Downs, Trails and Streams are very small and easy to miss but they are there. As you plan your route over the map for each leg you should notice that it will be level for about 400 meters, slight down slope for 200, slight upslope for 300 meters, cross a trail and then level 200 meters to the target. The mental picture of the ground should match your pace count as you move.

All of the above takes practice. A lot more practice for some than others.

The key to everything is your ability to trust in your training. If you are not comfortable in the woods at night and if you do not trust your own abilities you will be a No-Go at Land Nav.

[hotshot]

You will get great classes on Land Nav at SFAS.

[jatx]

Amato,

Welcome, and good luck with your packet.

There have been some good threads on this topic here, though it has been some time. Try searching for "orienteering", "map reading", etc. You might also search socnet - I seem to recall some good land nav threads over there from a long time ago, plus a discussion of pace counts for soldiers headed to Ranger School.

[Bill Harsey]

Not to sidetrack but just a footnote,
My woods experience is from the hills out here in Oregon when weather permitting, we have gross land features to orient from.
After being a guest in some of the training areas mentioned here I can see how that is PERFECT training ground for reading a map, compass and pace count. Unless you have a starry night, it isn't easy to cheat.

On the other hand, if you guys would go ahead and finish up your logging, the visibilty would be a little better.

[Desert Fox]

Hi Amato,

Personally, I greatly improved my Land Nav skills simply by practicing almost every weekends. It just takes maybe 5 hours, its fun, and very useful. At first I practiced without any rucksack, so I can focus and learn more. I also did night navigation. At night, I found that the hardest thing was to stick with your plan and trust your ''instruments''(pace and orientation).
Whenever I see a map, I do some mental ''war games'' and plan some routes (what if....).
Also, know your limitations.
Keep a log book and note what you have learned, right after you come back from the woods. you can also place a GPS in your pocket, so at the end you can see how accurate you were.


my .02

Olivier

[Amato]

I wouln't mind spending my weekends practicing it, but what I don't want to do is go out there and try to teach myself, and come back with some bad habits.

[longtab]

Originally Posted by Amato

This might be a strange request, especially since I am new here, but I was wondering if anyone in the Bragg area would mind giving me assistance in Land Nav?

The SFAS cadre will teach you everything you need to know to pass the land nav portions of Selection. Anything else you bring to the table is gravy... just remember blue on the map means water, water means draws, draws mean pain and misery and most likely non-selection. By having a 110+ GT score means you probably possess the aptitude to learn and apply basic land nav skills, heart is what plants one foot in front of the other. If ya aint't there on the last day ya ain't getting selected, but on the same token survival isn't selection. My 2¢.

[stakk4]

Sorry to revive kind of an old thread, but I am also on Bragg looking to improve my land-nav prior to Selection. I've got the procedure straight and have studied the FM, but need some "hands-on." My leadership has told me that it is possible to use the land nav course on my own time. However, noone seems to be able to produce the "key" or map. I've tried my Squad Leader, Platoon SGT, Det SGT, Commander, our previous Commander, and several other NCO's in the unit, all without success. Does anyone happen to have the map for the Ft Bragg land nav course? I've been stationed here for a year. We did land nav once, and I was taking my wife to her appointment that day. My luck I understand that we'll get refresher training at Selection, but I haven't gotten to do it since Basic. Any chance that anyone can help out, I'd really appreciate it.

Once I get it, anyone on Bragg who'd like to go with me shoot me a PM. It'll be a ruckin good time. I mean a rockin good time.

S

[stakk4]

Never mind, my Det SGT finally came through! I'm psyched. We need a new smiley of the weightlifter, but with a map and compass, on the move. That's me!

S