Posted on Feb 12, 2018
Land nav, iron sights and more discipline: Big changes are coming to Army basic training
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After a multi-year review of the Army’s basic and advanced individual training programs, the service is piloting a long list of changes and tweaks, with an eye toward a full roll-out in late spring, Maj. Gen. Malcolm Frost told reporters Friday.
Land nav, iron sights and more discipline: Big changes are coming to Army basic training
Posted from armytimes.com
Basic Training
Recruit
Defense
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 19
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Glad that they are bringing back land nav and instilling more discipline.
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Interesting read. I know that when I compare what I experienced in BCT vs what my son-in-law experienced a couple of years ago they are as different as night and day. I am a firm believer in strict discipline in BCT. You need to know how to carry yourself as a soldier and how to respect those NCOs and officers appointed over you. Iron sights....absolutely. Optics will fail. Glad to see that the Army is re-evaluating this important training.
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I truly hope that it actually goes through and works this time. Not sure how to feel about land nav and grenades though. Every soldier should be competent in those tasks, and they are in the SMCT Level 1. Land nav bothers me more because its out-and-out contradictory. They dismiss land nav because we have GPS, BFT etc, but then they turn around and say that ironsight qualification is essential (they aren't wrong, but that's not the point) -- why?-- because technology will inevitably fail eventually. So don't you think we should keep focus on manual navigation and not allow it to fade into obscurity simply on the premise that we have technology to replace it?
I don't know. I'm kinda conflicted on this whole thing. Good share and an interesting read, Sir!
I don't know. I'm kinda conflicted on this whole thing. Good share and an interesting read, Sir!
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SPC (Join to see)
I may have to get with you offline when I'm out of BLC to figure this out. Because all the research I'm doing on it just gives me bare bones information, and its just aggravating me more and more because a lot of the sources contradict one another and we all know better than to take Army Times at their word. Being at the same installation helps.
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
The Army has been successful in the past because we practice contingencies. With a more technical environment than ever before we find ourselves dependent upon electronic devices that can and do fail. Therefore, learning and maintaining manual skills is still important. If every recruit were an Eagle Scout or Gold Award winner maybe we'd have to do less of it, but since Scouting is not a prerequisite to joining the military, those basic skills such as map and compass should still be taught. You never know when your GPS or smart phone will quit on you. Hooah!
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MAJ (Join to see)
Q: "So, don't you think we should keep focus on manual navigation..."
A: YES YES YES!
"Why? Because technology will inevitably fail eventually"
No. Because:
1) the received strength of GPS at the surface of the earth is 0 [login to see] 000000x Watts
2) Every adversary worth their salt has massive capabilities to jam GPS, and all the rest we have to assume are both trying to get military jammers, and buy commercial ones.
A: YES YES YES!
"Why? Because technology will inevitably fail eventually"
No. Because:
1) the received strength of GPS at the surface of the earth is 0 [login to see] 000000x Watts
2) Every adversary worth their salt has massive capabilities to jam GPS, and all the rest we have to assume are both trying to get military jammers, and buy commercial ones.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Seen posted on the fridge in the breakroom 17 years ago when i was a 2nd Lieutenant:
A map with a bullet hole in it is still a map.
A GPS receiver with a bullet hole in it is a paperweight.
A map with a bullet hole in it is still a map.
A GPS receiver with a bullet hole in it is a paperweight.
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