N at LDAC for failing land navigation?

fx567

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Dec 23, 2012
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Hello everyone,

I heard that this year at LDAC for Land Nav, cadets only get one shot at it. If they fail Land Nav, they are a NO GO on it, and no retest at all.

Is it true, if one fails Land NAV they get an Automatic overall N for LDAC, even if they got S's and E's in all the other areas?

I find this nerve wrecking, considering some days people have off days at Land Nav.
 
Hello everyone,

I heard that this year at LDAC for Land Nav, cadets only get one shot at it. If they fail Land Nav, they are a NO GO on it, and no retest at all.

Is it true, if one fails Land NAV they get an Automatic overall N for LDAC, even if they got S's and E's in all the other areas?

I find this nerve wrecking, considering some days people have off days at Land Nav.

Someone will correct the details I'm sure, but I do not believe the Land Nav written is a graded event at LDAC this year, not sure about the actual Land Nab Exercise.

I did read that cadets only get one shot at the APFT, fail and you return to your battalion.
 
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Someone will correct the details I'm sure, but I do not believe the Land Nav written is a graded event at LDAC this year, not sure about the actual Land Nab Exercise.

I did read that cadets only get one shot at the APFT, fail and you return to your battalion.

No, you complete LDAC and retest at your battalion later.
 
They just made LDAC stupid easy this year, you might not get an S but even if you fail events I believe you can still pass with a N. That is what I have been hearing.
 
Aglahad, yes, yes they have haha. You can fail a couple different things and still be allowed to continue. Including the APFT.

Land Nav is graded, but doesn't factor into the OMS.

I've never really got the thought that you have "off days" in Land Nav. Yea, sure, there are days where you aren't 100% on, but even days I haven't felt completely "on", I still seem to find a way to point a compass in the right way or realize I'm in/on the right draw or spur.
 
Yes, you receive an N after a first time fail for Land Nav this year.

This is a change from last year, where you could fail once and pass the second and not get an N. Last year, you had 3-4 and sometimes 5 attempts to pass, although if you didn't pass the second you automatically received an N at camp.


So this year, if you fail the first time, you receive an N at camp, you retest once, and if you don't get it then, you still go on to receive camp credit and get retrained at your school.

Also, it does factor into your OMS points. An N at camp will get a much lower percentage of LDAC OMS points than an S or an E. We had a kid with a 3.6 GPA get an N at camp last year and he didn't get active duty. It's a big deal to get an N.


All that being said, I wouldn't worry that much about it. They made the Land Nav course significantly easier by making clusters of points. So, instead of having a single point that you're going to, they have a cluster of three points that are all "right". There is the exact right point, which gives you full points, and the "somewhat right" points nearby that also give points. The way its structured, it will be very difficult to fail the course.
 
We were briefed at one of the 6th Bde JFTXs that getting an S was still possible after failing once this year, but that you would be unable to participate in some sort of advanced land nav course later on. There are a lot of moving pieces this year, so we'll see how everything shakes out come 1st Reg I guess.
 
I should've clarified. Getting an N due to Land Nav failure does affect OMS, but no, land Nav does not factor into OMS by itself (it's been eliminated from the percentage breakdown). It's now pass/fail (it does matter for Recondo still, which can also affect OMS). Check out the breakdown for percentages for OMS.
 
Land Nav is graded, but doesn't factor into the OMS.

True, but...
Day and Night Land Nav Practical Exam at LDAC is no longer an independent entry into OMS. A failure at either exam will probably be taken into consideration when the RGT TAC and the PMS enter their evaluations.
 
Exactly why I clarified. Doesn't directly factor in, but can affect other areas.
 
As a brief note, I did receive a note from my cadre detailing:

1. Land Navigation: Testing consists of a day course test and a night course test only. Cadets passing the first attempt will proceed to advance land navigation training. Cadets who fail the first attempt will be retrained and allowed to retest. Cadets who do not pass land navigation testing at WF will require retesting on campus and will receive a Needs Improvement, but will be awarded WF completion credit barring any other issues.

2. APFT: Only one APFT will be administered. Cadets failing will require retesting on Campus and will receive a Needs Improvement, but will be awarded WF completion credit barring any other issues.

Also, other things to note:

1. We will be doing FLRC while there, but it will not be a graded event.
2. We will qualify while at LDAC, but these scores will not be counted in RECONDO evaluations or your personal evaluations
3. We will have 4 total evaluations: 2 at the regimental level, one at squad STX, and one overreaching eval during tactical leader development (tactics),
4. This overreaching eval will include us as followers and as leaders.

To get RECONDO:
1. Do not get a No-go on anything
2. Get a 270 on the APFT with 90 in each event
3. Achieve a 80% on the land nav proficiency test
4. Complete the first aid test successfully
5. Get at least an S on squad STX evals
6. Complete WF without a waiver, medical are okay
7. Get at least an S on all 17 Core Competencies
8. Meet bodyweight requirements

Side notes:
Bring a pre paid calling card, you will have your phone for the first 2 days, then will get it back on D+27
 
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Thank you all for providing input about getting a N at LDAC for Land Nav. So I'm assuming if anyone get's an N at LDAC, they can graduate WF but they recieve no OML points for LDAC? Basically they get 0/18 oml points for the LDAC portion of the OML?
 
Thank you all for providing input about getting a N at LDAC for Land Nav. So I'm assuming if anyone get's an N at LDAC, they can graduate WF but they recieve no OML points for LDAC? Basically they get 0/18 oml points for the LDAC portion of the OML?

No. An "N" at camp will give you a percentage of the available points, but it is not zero.

As far as I remember, an E will give you 100% of available points, an S will give you 85% and an N will give you 60%. This may have changed, but you get the general idea.

You can get an N at camp and still commission like everyone else. However, taking a big hit on OML points can usually sink your chances of making Active Duty. That being said, there are still cadets with N at camp who go on to be perfectly fine 2LTs.
 
Interesting to read about the calling card. Do the cadets really get to call home at some point?
 
Interesting to read about the calling card. Do the cadets really get to call home at some point?

The cadets will be able to make calls for the first few days then they take the phones away. They will be able to make calls again, short ones, close to graduation.
 
No. An "N" at camp will give you a percentage of the available points, but it is not zero.

As far as I remember, an E will give you 100% of available points, an S will give you 85% and an N will give you 60%. This may have changed, but you get the general idea.


Ok thank you that makes sense. One thing I never understood was that LDAC is broken into two sections:


(11.25) - LDAC Performance (E/S/N)
- Leadership positions
- Leadership attributes/skills/actions
(6.75) - LDAC PLT TAC Evaluation (E/S/N)

So if one gets an Overall N (or an S) at LDAC, does that mean they are getting the N in both the LDAC performance that is worth the 11.25 points, and the LDAC PLT TAC Evaluation section that is worth 6.75 points??
 
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