How to sprint your way through land nav courses: An alternate method

Most people prefer the ease of GPS over a map and compass — in a combat scenario, stopping and conducting map-checks by definition leave the element exposed, it takes unnecessary time, and requires the element to set up security and then break it again down upon movement. GPS takes all of those out of play, […]

Selection land navigation refresher: Planning your route

We’ve been going over some of the basics that candidates should know before taking on the Selection Course, and with a lot of prospective Special Operations guys coming into the pipeline via the 18X program for Special Forces, most don’t have any experience in Land Navigation. So, many of the questions we get are centered […]

Selection Land Navigation Refresher: Planning Your Route

We’ve been going over some of the basics that candidates should know before taking on the Selection Course, and with a lot of prospective Special Operations guys coming into the pipeline via the 18X program for Special Forces, most don’t have any experience in Land Navigation. So, many of the questions we get are centered […]

Selection land nav basics, pinpoint your location, orient the map

We’ve been going back over some of the basics in recent weeks as the winter months means an entirely new batch of Selection classes and candidates. And many of the new candidates have questions, just like the last group of prospective Special Operations troops did and we’ll do our best to answer every one of […]

Selection Land Nav Basics: Pinpoint Your Location, Orient the Map

We’ve been going back over some of the basics in recent weeks as the winter months means an entirely new batch of Selection classes and candidates. And many of the new candidates have questions, just like the last group of prospective Special Operations troops did and we’ll do our best to answer every one of […]

Passing Selection, Land Navigation and Map Reading Basics

As we stated in a post last week, we’ll be going over some of the basics in the upcoming days as the newest Selection courses get underway. We get a lot of questions regarding SFAS and especially the Land Navigation Course out in the Hoffman Area, what they call the “Star Course” in the SFQC. […]

Finding the ‘lost’ land navigation point at Camp Mackall

Many of the training pieces that deal with either the Selection Course or the SFQC (Special Forces Qualification Course) we write from a perspective of one of the cadre members, which I was for a time during the early days of Selection. Passing Selection and the SFQC was/is no easy task and many of the […]

Finding the “Lost” Land Navigation Point At Camp Mackall

Many of the training pieces that deal with either the Selection course or the SFQC (Special Forces Qualification Course) we write from a perspective of one of the cadre members, which I was for a time during the early days of Selection. Passing Selection and the SFQC was/is no easy task and many of the […]

SAS Selection: Disappearing in the trees (Part 8)

(Read part 7 HERE) We were now beginning to feel like soldiers. The trees are a tough environment and people were falling by the wayside at an alarming rate. I always remember one DS (Directing Staff) saying “If you imagine trying to get through a bush covered in thorns whilst its pissing down with rain in […]

Revisiting the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Night Land Navigation Course

In previous articles, we’ve touched on the different aspects of land navigation. We’ve gotten a few questions and comments about night navigation which is the hardest part of land navigation because all your skills will be tested to the max in the hours of darkness. Rather than re-hashing the entire Land Navigation series of articles, […]

Revisiting the SFAS Night Land Navigation Course

In previous articles, we’ve touched on the different aspects of land navigation. We’ve gotten a few questions and comments about night navigation which is the hardest part of land navigation because all your skills will be tested to the max in the hours of darkness. Rather than re-hashing the entire Land Navigation series of articles, […]

Selecting a Better Green Beret: Interview with Brian Decker Pt. 1

The Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) was in a bit of a crisis mode back in 2011. Candidates were failing at about a 50 percent rate which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but the reasons why they were failing was a big concern with the powers in the Special Warfare Center (SWC). The issue was […]