Soldier and NCO of the Year Competition Reflects Current Environment

By Spc. Fay Conroy, 8th U.S. ArmyOctober 4, 2007

The Right Position
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Navigating for the Win
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Soldiers began to smile when it was announced that the land navigation portion of the Soldier/NCO of the Year competition would be held in urban terrain. What they did not realize, and would soon find out, is that the points were set much farther apart and the maps did not have the names of the roads. To get back in a good time, they would have to jog from point to point.

"By 2010, 70 percent of the population will be urbanized. This is the new war environment," said Staff Sgt. Joseph Berg, 49th Quartermaster Company, operations noncommissioned officer in charge for the land navigation portion of the Soldier/NCO of the Year Competition.

By request of the Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston, the Soldier/NCO of the Year Competition began using urban warfare orienteering last year and the 49th Quartermaster Company was put in charge of developing and supporting the land navigation portion of the event.

This year, there were nine lanes used with six Soldiers per lane. The competitors had three hours to find four points - a target at each one with the coordinates for the next point written on them.

"We're trying to give the Soldier something realistic that is like downrange, where you'll have to transverse the city itself," said Master Sgt. Daniel Choice, operations sergeant, 530th Combat Service Support Battalion.

That effort was not lost on the Soldiers who navigated through the course. "It was different from the last competition," said Staff Sgt. Victor Trinidad, 8th U.S. Army NCO of the Year. "Urban land navigation is more relevant because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Soldiers will get to test their skills once again with the night portion of the land navigation course later tonight when they will have three hours to find two points.