The unit commander provides specific guidance on what he requires in the development of a land navigation course. It depends upon the unit’s mission, training plan, and tasks to be trained. There are basic guidelines to use when setting up a course.
Determine the Standards. The unit commander determines the standards for the course. Recommended standards are as follows:
- Distance between points: no less than 300 meters; no more than 1,200 meters.
- Total distance of lanes: no less than 2,700 meters; no more than 11,000 meters.
- Total number of position stakes: no less than seven for each lane; no more than nine for each lane.
- Time allowed: no less than three hours; no more than four hours.
Decide on the Terrain. The unit should use terrain that is similar to terrain they will be using in tactical exercises, but, terrain should be different each time training is conducted. The training area for a dismounted course needs to be at least 25 square kilometers; mounted courses require twice as much terrain so that vehicles are not too close to each other.
Perform a Map and Ground Reconnaissance. Check the terrain to determine position stake locations, to look for hazards, and to develop training briefings. The following sequence can be used to develop any type of land navigation course. The difference in each course depends on the commander’s guidance.
- Plot the locations of your position stakes on a 1:50,000-scale map.
- Fabricate or order position stakes.
- Request support from the local engineer or field artillery unit to survey the locations of your position stakes.
- Emplace the position stakes in the surveyed locations.
- Certify the course by having your subject matter experts (SMEs) negotiate each lane of the course.
- Prepare course requirement sheets and print them.
- Complete a risk assessment of the training area.
- Begin teaching.
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For
55 years, this has been the basic guidebook for enlisted leaders
of the Army.
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