Overview: This week was difficult. We have new commanders and the standards for land navigation rose dramatically since the previous DCC class. We had 4 hours to find 5 out of 7 points in the day and night on a very large course. We're hoping that the standards and way about doing land navigation will change by the time your class begins. In the span of the few days that we were in the field, we likely logged about 40 miles and 16+ hours of walking in our boots. It was a challenge for everyone whether fit, young, or prior service. There's a very good chance that the schedule below and the way they go about land navigation will most likely change.
Schedule
Monday: No PT in the morning, began completing the final steps in preparation to leave for the field. Arrived in the field around noon and began training for land nav. In the daylight we did a cadre led land navigation course, in which we split into squads and had one cadre member lead each squad out to find a few points on the land navigation course. In the night, we paired up and went out in battle buddy teams to look for points. Went to sleep about 0030 at night in the field.
Tuesday: We woke up, ate an MRE for breakfast then did our first individual practice test which was to find as many points as possible in 4 hours. We finished around noon, ate an MRE for lunch and then were free to relax until about 2000 when we began the individual night practice test which also lasted four hours. Went to sleep around 0100 at night in the field.
Wednesday: We did the same thing as Tuesday, except these tests were official now. We went out in the day and night for 4 hours each to find as many points as possible with a long break in between tests to rest our feet, nap, etc. Went to sleep around 0100 at night in the field.
Thursday: We woke up in the morning, cleaned our area and then headed home before noon. When we returned, we began doing field recovery which is laundry, cleaning equipment, etc.
Friday: No PT this morning. We drew our M4 weapons for the first time today and had classes all day on basic riflemanship, how to assemble/dissemble it, how to properly fire it, etc.
Saturday: Spent the day at the EST simulator range which is basically an electronic/video game style of the rifle range in order to practice your marksmanship. No pass afterwards to do anything.
Sunday: People were allowed to go to church services and we were given an on-post pass to go to the PX/shopping malls/eat out.
Miscellaneous Notes from Week 3
-Stay hydrated. Drink as much water as you can. It was hot for us out there, but it'll only be hotter for you all in the June or August classes. Buy Pedialyte, etc. the weekend before.
-Take care of your feet. Running around in boots all day is not the same as going on a scenic hike. Your feet are going to be in pain. Make sure for this week to get moleskin/band-aids/anything else you'll need to take care of blisters. Ask a buddy or the cadre on how to take care of your feet for this week.
-Stay healthy. Push yourself hard, but don't be a hero this week. Safety is the number one priority. We had multiple injuries this week during land navigation. When you're out on the course, be cognizant of holes and other terrain that can cause serious injuries, especially in the night time when visibility is very limited.