LAND NAVIGATION You cant kill the enemy if you cant find him

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LAND NAVIGATION You
cant kill the enemy if you cant find him
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Section I
• General Land Nav Tips and Techniques
• Section II
• OCS Prep
• Section III
• TBS Prep

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SECTION IGENERAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
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TIPS

• Land Nav is like shooting the rifle. You must
  stay relaxed.
• Land Nav is a 3-legged stool. The 3 legs are
  Direction, Distance, and Terrain Association. If
  you take one of the legs away, the stool tips
  over.
• Apply what is taught. Pay attention to the
  instruction. It's worked for candidates much
  worse at Land Nav than you.
• Use a fine point map pen. Anything larger will
  cover up important information on the map.
• Always double check your plots.

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PACE COUNT

• Walk off 100 meters counting every time your left
  foot hits the deck. Then, walk back. Divide the
  total number by 2. This is your pace count.
• Walking up a hill and then back down will give a
  better number
• Common things that will affect your pace count
• Hills
• Wind
• Type of surface
• Weather
• Fighting Load
• Stamina

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Nomenclature of a Lensatic Compass
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Terms

• True North- North Pole. Lines of longitude on a
  globe indicate this baseline direction
• Magnetic North- Direction the compass points
• Grid North- Lines on a map used to plot direction
  Indicated by vertical and parallel lines. These
  lines interpret the earths round surface and
  transfer it to a flat surface.
• Azimuth- Horizontal angle measured clockwise from
  a base line.
• Grid Azimuth- Horizontal angle measured clockwise
  from a grid north line. A grid azimuth can be
  measured directly from a map showing north grid
  lines.
• Magnetic Azimuth- Horizontal line measured
  clockwise from magnetic north. Can be read
  directly from a compass, but not from a map.

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Terms Cont

• Pace Count- Measurement of how many paces it
  takes to reach 100 meters.
• Declination Diagram- Indicates the angular
  relationship of True North, Grid North, and
  Magnetic North.

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METHODS

• Compass to Cheek
• Open up the compass and use the back sight and
  the sighting wire just as a rifle sight. Point
  it in the direction you need to go and get the
  azimuth.
• Center Hold Method
• Place the compass in the center of your chest,
  using your fingers and thumbs in a U shape to
  stabilize it.
• Compass to Cheek Method vs. Center Hold
• Compass to cheek is much more accurate but also
  more time consuming. For land nav purposes, the
  most reliable is the center hold method due to
  its quicker pace. If youre late on land nav you
  fail.

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SECTION IIOCS PREP
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Reading Map Grids

• Read right to the vertical grid line that forms
  the left boundary, and record.
• Read up on the horizontal grid line that forms
  the bottom boundary, and record.
• The combined numbers recorded is the grid
  location
• 6 digits are typically used.

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Measuring a Grid Azimuth

• Plot two grid coordinates
• Connect with a straight line
• Place the index point of the protractor on the
  point from which you want to measure the azimuth
• Ensure the grid alignment lines are parallel to
  the north and south grid lines on the map.
• Ensure the square edges of the protractor are
  aligned with the east or west horizontal grid
  lines
• Read the value of the protractor where the line
  crosses the rounded edge. Make sure to read the
  proper scale.

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Converting Azimuths

• The GM angle is the key to converting azimuth
  back and forth between grid and magnetic.
• On newer maps, the instructions are written out
  next to the declination diagram.
• If the map does not contain instructions use one
  of two simple methods to determine when the GM
  angel should be added and subtracted.
• Look at the declination diagram and determine the
  direction between the line representing grid
  north and the line representing magnetic north
• Put your finger on the grid north line, now move
  it to the magnetic north line. If you moved left
  you would add the angle between grid and
  magnetic if you went right, you would subtract.
  This concept is known as the LARS method. Left
  add, right subtract

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Shooting a Back Azimuth

• The opposite direction of an azimuth. To
  determine a back azimuth
• If the original azimuth is greater than 180
  degrees, subtract 180 to obtain a back azimuth
• If the original azimuth is less than 180, add 180
  to obtain a back azimuth

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SECTION IIITBS PREP
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TIPS

• Land Nav is an "area weapon." If you get to the
  correct terrain feature, you'll find your box
• When you get to what you believe to be your
  objective, try to prove yourself wrong. Use
  SOSES. Size, Orientation, Shape, Elevation,
  Slope
• Drop Dead Time is directive! You WILL be back by
  drop dead time. Drop dead time is implemented as
  a safety precaution in addition to ensuring that
  you are finding your objectives in the allotted
  time. It allows us to take immediate action to
  find a student who may be lost or injured.
  MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY!
• Protect your card. Waterproof it. Don't lose
  it. If it's unreadable or lost - you fail.
•  Use attack points. Don't go box to box. You
  aren't that sexy.
• Plan your route before you step off. Plan
  attack points. If possible, work your way out to
  in, i.e. back to the return point

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SOSES

• Size- When you get to your suspected terrain
  feature, compare the size of the feature with the
  one on the map, and see if they correspond.
• Orientation- Does your plot on the map look like
  the area around you?
• Shape- Make sure the shape of the terrain feature
  youre on is the same as the one on the map.
• Elevation- Judge your elevation on the feature
  and see if it is the same as the terrain on the
  map.
• Slope- Become familiar with the different types
  of slopes and you should be able to recognize
  them both around you and on the map. This will
  greatly help you orient yourself on the map.