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. 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, look for hazards, and to develop training briefings.
- 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 position stakes in.
- Survey the position stakes in and emplace them.
- Certify the course by having your SMEs negotiate each lane of the course.
- Prepare course requirement sheets and print them.
- Complete a risk assessment of the training area.
- Begin teaching.
This sequence can be used to develop any type of land navigation course. The difference in each course depends on the commander’s guidance.
Next Page : Appendix A – Field Sketching