Sharpen Your Skills
This course is suitable for anyone who moves about where there are not roads. If you are not totally comfortable with a map and compass, or it's been a long time, this is your opportunity to learn more.
This is not a course for the general outdoorsman, but is specifically geared towards teams operating with specific objectives such as military, police, and search & rescue. Communications, planning, teamwork during movement, safe movement at night, and light discipline are all parts of this course. Bring your whole team and learn together!
You Must Bring
Very little equipment is needed, but you will need to bring some specific things:
- Compass - It has to be something good, reliable, and which works at night. If you have questions, contact us.
- If a USGI lensatic compass, bring the corresponding protractor or roamer
- Notebook - Preferably a waterproof one
- Pace Count Beads - Attached securely to your equipment so they can be used while walking in the woods
- Cold and wet weather clothing - Dress appropriately for the environment, including footwear. There will be some classroom time, but we will be in the woods, day and night, in October, probably regardless of the weather.
- Food and water - We won't feed you, so bring food, snacks and make plans for the meals indicated. Bring water you can carry while hiking.
- Dim, red light - The night exercise is tactical, so no white lights. Bring something dim, and red or with a red filter.
- And any field gear you may need such as a day pack to carry water, more clothes and snacks for your night exercise, a map case, or so on.
- GPS suitable for field use if you have one and wish to bring it. Not all exercises will use the GPS. You may also try using your phone. Install GPS Test for Android or any GPS tool with MGRS for iOS (I don't have a free favorite).
- Night vision if you have it or rent it.
If you have any problems sourcing any of this equipment, or have questions, just ask us.
NOTE ON COMPASSES: If you are not sure you have a quality compass, contact us to confirm, and discuss what a more suitable one is for your needs.
You are also encouraged to bring a larger notepad to take class notes with, any other land navigation tools you use, a GPS or GNSS-enabled device (including a phone or tablet with a suitable app), night vision, or any other items you use when hiking in the woods or performing your work in such environments.
CWG will provide printed maps, printed classroom materials and handouts, and radios for portions of the field exercise.
You are encouraged to bring all devices such as night vision you have available. Night vision may be available for rent if there is sufficient interest.
Food
To keep costs down, and training time up, CWG will provide no food for this event. Bring snacks and an evening meal as you require, as well as breakfast if you stay overnight
Lodging
We strongly suggest no one drive away in the middle of the night so you stay nearby, or on site with us until Sunday morning.
Several national chain hotels are available in Farmington, 18 minutes from the training site.
The classroom will be converted to an un-improved indoor sleeping area, with heat. There is a bare concrete floor, so bring a sleeping pad and/or cot to sleep on.
There is room outside for those who wish to set up a tent, or for anyone who wants to sleep in their car or a camper. There are few large flat areas, no RV hookups, and no dumping is allowed, but you may bring an RV to sleep in if you wish.
Course Plan and Schedule
- Saturday - Start 10 am
- Brief in, dump camping items, etc.
- Confirm equipment, fix deficiencies
- Static Field Instruction (classroom)
- Map basics, symbols, scales, grids, and map reading
- Plotting a grid position onto a map
- Reading azimuth off a compass
- Estimating distances
- Finding your position on a map, reading the grid
- Finding and using your pace count
- Terrain association
- Marching with the compass
- Movement tactics (hills and obstacles)
- Teamwork and team movement tactics
- Late-Lunch/Snack break
- Issue orders
- Teams plan, with assistance if needed
- Teams brief back their plan to cadre, check out radios, last equipment inspection
- Day exercise. Work as a team to find a brief series of waypoints, quickly, and use radios to confirm right point to HQ, get the next point.
- Saturday Evening - Start 7 pm (Note sunset is 6:42 pm)
- Night compass practice
- Night dim light/covered light practice
- Night vision classroom
- Night vision backyard exercise
- Issue orders
- Teams plan, with assistance if needed
- Teams brief back their plan to cadre, and if approved go out
- Night field exercise is like day, but at night. Instructors will be in the field with night vision to assure you stay safe and grade your light discipline.
- Sunday Morning - Start 10 am
- AAR on the evening field exercise.
- Principles and pitfalls of GPS and other GNSS
- Integrating GPS with your land nav operations
- Questions, other topics
- End by appx 1 pm