LDAC 2013
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Last heard was that LDAC will be split between Ft. Knox and Ft. Lewis depending on the cadets Geographic location.
It will be interesting to see which of the many rumors come true.
The last article I read about a possible move to Ft. Knox was seven months ago. In the article they stated that the Army was sitll considering the move but did not have a firm time table and had not yet reached a decision.
If you google to find any info on the move, there is very little if anything to find. There is nothing about a move on the CC website as of yet. Considering the Sequestration cuts and budget issues, and given the fact that they are right in the middle of revamping LDAC and Ft. Lewis is currently set up for LDAC, it would not surprise me if they hold off on any moves in the near future.
Then again, we are talking about the military, anything can happen. Funny how the rumors are different from battalion to battalion, my son's cadre said they would not be moving at least before the class of 2015 goes to LDAC next summer, and that it would be split between Ft. Lewis and Ft. Knox. Guess they'll just have to wait and see, and roll with whatever happens.
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Full Metal Bulldog
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As much as everyone is going to complain about how LDAC is "easier" now, with the new land nav, PT test grading, and the rumor about an easier obstacle course (? -this was a new one I heard about from someone I knew who went to LDAC this summer), I guarantee you that the ever-hilarious attitude of the MS-4's coming back from LDAC looking and acting like they just earned their CIB in OEF/OIF will still be ever present within the country's ROTC programs, giving us MS-2's something to make fun of 
I guarantee you that the ever-hilarious attitude of the MS-4's coming back from LDAC looking and acting like they just earned their CIB in OEF/OIF will still be ever present within the country's ROTC programs, giving us MS-2's something to make fun of
Really?
Spoken by one with the experience of a single freshman year.
In between all the laughing I hope some of you take the time to learn something from their experience.
Citadel must sure operate different then other Battalions, not really sure it's that "Ever Present"
Sorry to sound a little short, but that was an odd comment from a rising MS2.
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As much as everyone is going to complain about how LDAC is "easier" now, with the new land nav, PT test grading, and the rumor about an easier obstacle course (? -this was a new one I heard about from someone I knew who went to LDAC this summer), I guarantee you that the ever-hilarious attitude of the MS-4's coming back from LDAC looking and acting like they just earned their CIB in OEF/OIF will still be ever present within the country's ROTC programs, giving us MS-2's something to make fun of
When you have no practical experience, the smallest glimmer of insight can go a long way ("IF" you're willing to listen).
Full Metal Bulldog
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Sorry for sounding arrogant and naively smart, it's just an attitude that is sometimes seen that's just funny, I apologize for coming off as a brat.
Of course 99.99% of MS-4's are looked at by us junior cadets almost as the battalion Yoda for their LDAC experience, as it is indeed the crucible of our ROTC training, it's just the one or two that are exaggeratively (and comically because of it) proud of their experience.
Of course 99.99% of MS-4's are looked at by us junior cadets almost as the battalion Yoda for their LDAC experience, as it is indeed the crucible of our ROTC training, it's just the one or two that are exaggeratively (and comically because of it) proud of their experience.
NorwichDad
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And most will be on edge until they find out their Branch. Just in case you encounter one on a bad day.
Well aside from the comment made, as we all know ROTC gets more complex as the years proceed and more is expected from you and LDAC is something that can ultimately make or break your future career, has there been any information regarding how the land navigation is going for those attending?
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Easier to pass, harder to max.
I have friends who have been forced to do it like 10 times and I have walked around it quite a bit. They are trying to avoid the 60-70% first time fail rates of my year (2011).
mariner116
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Is it harder to max because it is easy to end up with a secondary target instead of the primary?
NorwichDad
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My DS is having all the fun he can stand at LDAC. 
We're actually receiving letters from him for the first time EVER (complete with an illustration of where he got stuck on one of the obstacles in the confidence course). He reported his first attempts at Land Nav (day and night) were quite the challenge (confusing cluster targets). Subsequently, he repeated both the next day, kept his cool, located 5/6 with 4 primaries for day, and 3/4 (all primaries) for the night. I have no idea if that is passing or not.
And.... he figured out how to unstick himself on the obstacle course and moved on.
We're actually receiving letters from him for the first time EVER (complete with an illustration of where he got stuck on one of the obstacles in the confidence course). He reported his first attempts at Land Nav (day and night) were quite the challenge (confusing cluster targets). Subsequently, he repeated both the next day, kept his cool, located 5/6 with 4 primaries for day, and 3/4 (all primaries) for the night. I have no idea if that is passing or not. And.... he figured out how to unstick himself on the obstacle course and moved on.
My DS is having all the fun he can stand at LDAC.
And.... he figured out how to unstick himself on the obstacle course and moved on.
My understanding is that he should be good to go. Sounds like the second round was FAR more successful than the first. Congrats!
My DS is having all the fun he can stand at LDAC.
And.... he figured out how to unstick himself on the obstacle course and moved on.
Sounds like they have clusters of targets that are close together?
Regarding clustered targets...yes, some are clustered together; I don't know about all.
As I understood from DS's explanation, there are two different point systems, each with designated target points. There are also targets with no points.
From DS's letter, three targets were clustered together - a primary under one point system, a primary under the other point system, and a target with no points. Keep in mind I am not aware of how geographically close 'clustered together' really is.
Bottom line: Watch the pace count; know the target; keep your cool.
As I understood from DS's explanation, there are two different point systems, each with designated target points. There are also targets with no points.
From DS's letter, three targets were clustered together - a primary under one point system, a primary under the other point system, and a target with no points. Keep in mind I am not aware of how geographically close 'clustered together' really is.
Bottom line: Watch the pace count; know the target; keep your cool.
My Battalion started to change the way that it conducted Land Nav to better get cadets adjusted to LDAC Land Nav.
From the explanation we received the theory and grading we used was a cluster of targets that vary between 15-50 meters from your actual target. Each of these has a point value associated with it, the primary one being 100, then the further off you are the points go down, 80, 60, etc.
Rather than getting a minimum score of 5/8 or 3/5, you need a certain amount of points out of 800 or 500 to pass. My battalion found that it was easier to create Land Nav courses since they wouldn't need to spread hundreds of points over a vast area, but rather making cadets trust the pace count and azimuth.
For an illustration, imagine the spread of a shot gun blast on a piece of paper, with labeled points 1,2,3..and this allows for a multitude of variation in courses, where cadet A would have point 3 and cadet B would have point 5 in the cluster.
Although this was what my specific battalion explain it as and theorized how LDAC Land Nav would be. If anyone has their DD or DS write, I would be interested to hear if this is right.
From the explanation we received the theory and grading we used was a cluster of targets that vary between 15-50 meters from your actual target. Each of these has a point value associated with it, the primary one being 100, then the further off you are the points go down, 80, 60, etc.
Rather than getting a minimum score of 5/8 or 3/5, you need a certain amount of points out of 800 or 500 to pass. My battalion found that it was easier to create Land Nav courses since they wouldn't need to spread hundreds of points over a vast area, but rather making cadets trust the pace count and azimuth.
For an illustration, imagine the spread of a shot gun blast on a piece of paper, with labeled points 1,2,3..and this allows for a multitude of variation in courses, where cadet A would have point 3 and cadet B would have point 5 in the cluster.
Although this was what my specific battalion explain it as and theorized how LDAC Land Nav would be. If anyone has their DD or DS write, I would be interested to hear if this is right.
mariner116
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That makes it interesting. I'd assumed there was always one primary in a cluster. In your description, one cadet's primary could be another cadet's secondary.
Yes, I did a poor job of explaining, but you are correct that one cadet's primary could be another cadet's secondary. Again, this was the way my Battalion theorized about the cluster method, I still an curious how accurate this model is to the one at LDAC.