Tips for preparing for Pathfinder, specifically at Ft. Drum?

2016-06-12T11:43:20-04:00

Every other year or so, Ft. Drum's Light Fighter School hosts a Pathfinder class. Does anyone have any experience with the course hosted there? Any tips for preparing for pathfinder school in general?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2016 11:48 AM

2016-06-12T11:48:27-04:00

Start brain dumping everything you ever learned except for Algebra. Find a learning method that works for you, ie study groups.
Perfect your clean sequence on slingloads. Above all, take it one step at a time. The instructors will teach you everything you need to know, if you try and self study you're going to do something wrong and it will become habit.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2016 11:49 AM

2016-06-12T11:49:47-04:00

I attended Pathfinder School at Fort Campbell, but the curriculum should be identical regardless of where the school is. A good jumping off point for studying can be found here:
http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/rtb/1-507th/pathfinder/content/PDF/PrepCourseStudyGuide.pdf
As for preparing, study, study, study. Once you're in he course the sheer amount of information thrown your way daily is incredible. The biggest issue my class had was the written and hands on sling load. Know the rated capacities of everything and be able to recite all sling load deficiencies verbatim. That will have you off to a good start.

Response by SPC James Harsh made Jun 12 at 2016 12:23 PM

2016-06-12T12:23:59-04:00

"You're out of your element Donny"~qoute movie big lebowski.
IIRC because you can access ako and all, isn't there a learning module Pathfinder. I don't know the prerequisites . Should be able to request it, why not right?

Response by CH (COL) Geoff Bailey made Jun 12 at 2016 1:37 PM

2016-06-12T13:37:41-04:00

Be prepared to learn rapidly and focus on every detail they cover for the Sling Load portion. Purchase index cards and memorize everything. Find someone in the class who is dedicated to graduating and become best friends for the duration of the class learning and drilling through flash cards on the information.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2016 1:46 PM

2016-06-12T13:46:30-04:00

Depends on what time of year you are going and where u coming from as far as tips for drum but the school should be the same just if u are going during the later part of the year be prepared with all or your cold weather stuff

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2016 2:02 PM

2016-06-12T14:02:23-04:00

Great school, the hardest army school I've ever graduated from. All the other posts here sum up most of it. One important thing I didn't see listed is if you don't understand, ask questions. Unlike air assault where the instructors must follow a script, in pathfinder they are allowed top actually teach. They will find a way to help you understand the concepts. Realize that the school is drinking from a fire hose and you have to learn literally everything they teach you. Be prepared to study, a lot, brain dump anything you learned in air assault or airborne and don't try to prepare ahead of time. Work hard and you will likely pass. Good luck.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2016 3:06 AM

2016-06-13T03:06:33-04:00

Don't prepare beforehand. There are always adjustments made to the curriculum. They tell you what you need to study (which I believe is only nomenclature and tensile strengths).

Additionally, I have found that those individuals who aren't airborne have a tougher time intuitively understanding drop zones (which is where most people fail the course).

Finally, I noticed (but may be incorrect) that you are an FA officer. Currently, FA officers are not authorized Pathfinder School and you will require a waiver, MTT or not.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2016 9:06 AM

2016-07-05T09:06:05-04:00

I just graduated the Pathfinder course that does the MTT up at Drum here at Benning. Pathfinder is no Joke. You have to study and you have to dedicate your time to this school or you will not pass. There are weekends but if you dont use them right you will fail. They will give out their phone numbers for if you have any further questions on the work, use it! If you do all this you will pass. If you have a family, let them know you need to study because it's a crawl, walk, run class and when they say run, it's full speed! To start studying something now, go on their website and start with nomenclatures as you test on this the 2nd day in class. memorize what they look like, their max rated hook capacity, and the associated charts that go along with them. This will follow into Sling loads so if you fail this test and the re-test, you wont get to Sling Loads. Everything you need is on the website. Other than that, buy a good scientific calculator, and come ready to learn an enormous amount information. Goodluck to you!