MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- Over the years new technologies have made life easier. Hybrid cars, high-speed internet, video games, even little devices that kindly give directions to lost travelers and are second nature to most. Many become dependent on these technologies. Because Marines may end up in a situation where these technologies are not available to them, they must learn fundamental knowledge in areas such as land navigation. Company E Marines were no exception.
The recruits of Company E were at field week at Edson Range, July 1 learning basic land navigation.
The recruits attended several classes lasting the majority of the morning. They were taught how to read a military map, convert individual pace counts to measurable distance, use a lensatic compass, use terrain identification and basic navigational techniques.
After participating in these classes, it was time to see if the recruits could successfully apply their new knowledge in a field exercise.
Just before the exercise, each fire-team leader was given a map of the immediate area, a compass and a set of eight-digit grid coordinates. To complete the course successfully, the teams had to locate three ammunition cans.
There are different sets of points recruits can receive in the land navigation exercise. Each fire-team starts at a different spot.
Once the exercise began, recruits were released to navigate and locate their three ammunition cans with approximately 2000 meters of hilly terrain separating each can. After the recruits located one of the cans, they recorded the marker number on it.
If a fire team was unable to locate their cans, they would then be given advice by their field instructors, then sent out again until they located all three correct locations or until the horn sounded for the end of the exercise.
The course wasn’t only designed to test individual recruit’s knowledge of land navigation; teamwork was also being tested.
“Working as a team was the most difficult part to me because everyone wanted to talk,” said Pvt. Jacob Fowler, Platoon 2110, from Jackson Miss. “We had some difficulties, but we recovered. We needed to step back and let the leader lead.”
Recruits also tested their land navigation skills during a night exercise.
“The night evolution tonight is a little more challenging because they can not see the boxes and must rely on the pace count technique they learned earlier,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Houtz, senior drill instructor, Platoon 2115.
Although the recruits will have practiced land navigation several times during recruit training, this would not be the last time they would use their new skill.
“During the Crucible, the recruits will utilize the grid system yet again,” said Houtz.
Later, when the Marine’s go to their respective training at the School of Infantry, Marine Combat Training or Infantry Training Battalion (if they are going into an infantry occupation), they will again use their land navigation skills.
“I thought land navigation was a good experience,” Fowler said. “I am looking forward to expanding on it and using it later on in my career.” Fowler is slated to go to the Infantry Training Battalion following recruit training to become a rifleman.
Now that these Marines have learned the fundamentals, they have the ability to go on to more advanced training with these root skills to fall back on, according to Houtz.