Old-school training in a high-tech world

by Tech. Sgt. Nic Kuetemeyer
180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

10/22/2015 - Whitehouse, Ohio -- Security Forces Airmen from the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard conducted old-school land navigation training at Oak Openings Metro Park, here,  Sept. 27.

The training, conducted using traditional navigation techniques such as maps, plot points and compasses, helps Airmen remain proficient with the equipment and art of navigation in austere conditions or in the event of an emergency when technology fails.

Security forces operations officer, 2nd Lt. Sam Thornton, explained why traditional navigation techniques are important to practice in today's world of smart phones and satellites.

"Technology can fail; a battery can die on anything," said Thornton.  "We have a GPS unit you can plug coordinates into and it'll take you right where you need to go, but if you're in a wooded area, the canopy can keep it from working."

The term "land navigation" refers to finding one's way by using maps, plotting points on a grid, counting footsteps to judge distance and using a compass to find direction. It is a very precise process that must be followed exactly in order to successfully find a way through any terrain without the use of Global Positioning Systems, street names or easily recognized landmarks such as buildings.

Thornton explained that going up and down hills, navigating through thickly wooded areas, and crossing rivers can all throw off distance and directional calculations. If an Airman walks a few degrees off the line set by the compass, they could end up very far away from their intended point on the map. In a deployed or combat environment, being able to rely on these techniques could make the difference between reaching safety or not.

"In Security we do a lot of off-base patrols," said Thornton, who helped set up the course and plot points the Airmen needed to reach. "If your vehicle breaks down, you might have to walk and if you don't want to take the road, you can just bring out a map."

180th FW Airmen have a unique training ground available to them in the Oak Openings Metro Park. It contains such highly varied ecosystems like sand dunes and wetlands, presenting a challenging course for Security Forces.

Maintaining trained, qualified Airmen who are ready to deploy is a top priority for the 180th FW. Even though it may sound old fashioned, techniques like land navigation will help the 180th execute the mission at home and abroad.