How was your experience at Fort Leonard Wood BLC? Any advice for land nav?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 08:54:17 -0400

Anyone ever went to Fort Leonard wood for BLC ? How was your experience ? Any advice for land Nav ?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2018 9:05 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:05:19 -0400

Read up on Warrior Tasks, its too easy, plug your points and step off. (STP 21-1 SMCT)

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2018 9:13 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:13:15 -0400

Never done land nav at Leonard Wood but I've done plenty of land nav. Rule #1. Take your time plotting your points and your azimuths. Go slow and do it right. If you screw up here, none of the other rules will matter. Rule #2. Trust your compass and follow it all the way to your point. No matter what your brain is telling you, the compass is right. Keep it in front of your face the whole time if you need to. You're not patrolling so there's nothing else you need to be looking at. Rule #3. ALWAYS ORIENT YOUR MAP. This screws up a lot of people with land nav. If you are heading south, when you pull out your map the southern part of the map should be facing the direction you're are travelling. This means, (in the case of travelling south) the map will be upside down. That's ok. As you follow your azimuth and you see a hill to your left, then you should be able to look at the map and the hill will be on the left there as well. Rule #4. Use your compass and azimuth over terrain association. Trying to use hills and whatnot to find your point is very difficult. Seeing a hill on a contour map and finding it on the ground is not as easy as it seems. Unless it is the only hill and stands out well. Use your compass. Follow your azimuth.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 16 at 2018 9:15 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:15:05 -0400

Don't forget to convert your grid azimuth to a magnetic azimuth. TC 3-25.26 is where you want to look if you're questioning your land nav abilities.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Mar 16 at 2018 1:21 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:21:19 -0400

There is a big reason why Fort Leonard Wood was nicknamed Fort Lost in the Woods (or so I heard).
Because Soldiers there do get lost during land nav.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2018 6:16 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 06:16:59 -0400

Lol I believe it

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2018 12:02 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 12:02:18 -0400

You can use terrain features fairly well there as there are a lot of hills. And, yes there are trails but they don’t always lead to the point. Trust your compass and use your terrain features and you’ll be fine.

Response by SFC Matthew Parker made Sep 11 at 2020 9:09 PM

SFC Matthew Parker — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 21:09:21 -0400

I built TA 247, it's a great course and self correcting. Point MCP SMP & HMP the three furthest out are also my kids initials.

Enjoy.