Fort Knox woods put Cadets' map reading skills to the test

By Mark Payne

Staff Writer

To complete Wednesday's day-time land navigation, Cadet Justin Tucker, from the University of Missouri-Columbia, had to successfully locate three of the given plot points using a map and compass in less than four hours. Photo by Mackenzie Reiss

Wandering through the woods with just a map, a protractor and a compass, Cadets overcome obstacles and find their way in the land navigation course.

Land navigation is designed to teach Cadets how to find their way through the woods. They are given coordinates and mark the points they must find. In day land navigation, Cadets receive five points and are expected to find three of them in less than four hours. At night, since the conditions are a more difficult, Cadets are expected to get at least two points.

Before Cadets tackle the course, they must first learn the basic skill of map reading. They sit through a roughly five-hour class, learning the dos and don’ts of navigating with only a map, a compass and a protractor so they can plot points and guide themselves.

“Today everyone is very high-tech; all this GPS, all this technology. We go to war with someone that can take away this technology, so every Soldier needs to know the basic skills of taking a map out, a protractor and get out in the woods with a compass and be able to accomplish his mission,” Co. A 1/46th 2nd Lt. Nicholas Greco said of why Cadets must learn this essential skill.

After obtaining proficient map reading skills, Cadets practice what they have learned. During practice trials, Cadets are allowed to find points with their battle buddy.

Cadet Victor McCullough from Pittsburg State University pauses at a navigation point to reorient himself. Cadets had to traverse the course individually, overcoming muddy terrain, fallen branches, and moderate inclines. Photo by Mackenzie Reiss

They are first given a 30-minute brief, then 30 minutes of plotting their points. Next, Cadets head out on their own for the land navigation test. The first test is during the day.“It’s very tiresome,” said Co. B 1/46th Inf. Cadet Christopher Allen, who attends Georgia Southern University.  “It’s hot, you’ve got to walk a lot and you’re fighting bugs.”The hardest part, he said, is just walking in the woods, because of having to walk over trees and other obstacles thrown in the way.

After the Cadets participate day navigation, they face night navigation. The Cadets are only given a small flashlight with red filter to look over their maps. So navigating in the dark can be tough.

“If you’re not right on, you won’t get there,” Co. A 1/46th Inf. Cadet Peter Doblar said, on finding points at night. He attends the University of Texas.

The points are only small flags, so at night, if a Cadet isn’t exactly on with plotting, he or she will miss the point, he said.

A lot of Cadets have never been in the woods at night, especially not by themselves, said Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Green, the command sergeant major for the Leader’s Training Course.

“They start second-guessing the things they have been taught,” he said. “Part of what they do here is to get them to overcome their fear.”