Six Marine Lieutenants face separation for cheating on land nav course

Good, toss them. Land nav isn’t that hard, but this is an integrity issue. It seems every 3-8 years there is a land nav scandal of Lts thinking they can cheat the system. We had one at TBS for a company that was about 2 months ahead of us in the curriculum. Learn the skill and walk the woods like the rest of us.
 
DD knew every tree and stream at Quantico. She either ran into one or fell in one during night nav at TBS. If they can't read a map and a compass and rely on GPS they need more training.
 
Night nav at TBS is just learning to put your head down and just walk straight as possible regardless of the terrain. You are going to get wet and it sucks, but you learn quickly that if you just suck it up, you will pass. Luckily Leatherneck taught me that lesson and I passed night nav round one and saved myself a few nights in the woods. Day Nav was actually one of my favorites. I mean it was 8 hours in the woods of no one speaking to me. You wear minimal gear, make your marks and plan on the map, pack some protein bars and water, and enjoy nature for the day. These Lts were just being lazy and compromised their integrity over an essential skill and something that can be learned/corrected if they were struggling.
 
My experiences match yours Hoops. I enjoyed Land Nav for the challenge but more for the solitude of traversing the woods of Quantico. TBS provides solid instruction and there is plenty of time for practice and/ or extra-instruction. I remember helping others who were struggling on Saturday mornings.

Regarding night navigation my frustration was with the holly bushes (thorns) and spider webs - hated walking into those damn webs with my face!

I went in with no prior land navigation experience. I believe I completed a mandatory MCI (book course) during NROTC but TBS provided enough training for everyone to pass. This is not a wash out course. Its a necessary skill that all Marines should possess and TBS makes sure you have the opportunity to learn and refine your skills.

Can't imagine why anyone would cheat and won't tolerate those that do.
 
The holly bushes, tank tracks after a severe storm that is so muddy it suction’s off your boots, barbed wire, trees, spider webs, tree branches, beavers (your cross beaver dam creek on the course), the river, brave dams... that course sucked, but you did it and passed.
 
Wife called it "Leatherhead" for DD. DD said it was tough but passed. She hoped that a tree would fall in their position during a storm one night so they could be Medivaced out.
 
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