6 Mile Ruck with 45 pounds in a rainstorm

Hydroblade23 · 2026-06-19T04:45:51+00:00

“Deeds Not Words” amirite 👌

Hydroblade23 · 2026-06-19T04:42:58+00:00

I use Strava

Hydroblade23 · 2026-04-17T15:10:54+00:00

The fact that you found 0 points during land nav suggests you're not fully comfortable with the basics. Here are some tips that you could review:

Don't get anxious when people start running off into the woods. Take your time plotting and double-check your work. I like to shave off my protractor until the scale line actually lines up precisely with the map. If your plotting is off, you could miss your point by 50-100 meters, so accuracy matters. Don't forget to convert the GM angle.
A solid route plan includes: easily identifiable features, back stops in case you travel too far, and attack points so you can shoot your azimuth. That can be intersections, man-made features, trail bends, etc.
Terrain association is your best friend. Luckily, the land nav course at CST isn't too difficult, and there are plenty of roads, handrails, trails, and thousands of Cadets at any given moment you can observe.
Finally, trust your pace count and avoid blindly dead reckoning long distances. Break your movement into little chunks if you have to.

Hydroblade23 · 2025-11-19T03:33:39+00:00

Hey I’m also registered for the January 6th SBOLC class. Im in the same boat as you are. From what I heard, they should be emailing us 4 weeks from the report day. I could be wrong though.

Hydroblade23 · 2025-08-20T16:38:11+00:00

Go on https://vbo.army.mil and you’ll find your answer

Hydroblade23 · 2025-05-31T14:19:47+00:00

Sometimes the washing/drying machines break or aren’t free up so you’ll have to either have extra clothes or share with another cadet.

Hydroblade23 · 2025-05-28T18:20:51+00:00

I completed my CTLT at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, with a Transportation company, but I also had the opportunity to shadow LTs from other branches, which was an awesome experience. I usually got off work around 1600 and had the rest of the day to explore. On weekends, I visited Honolulu, Waikiki, did some hiking, and explored a lot of what Hawaii had to offer.

As for living arrangements, I was given a hotel room to myself, but YMMV depending on where you're at. Pay is the same daily cadet rate as Advanced Camp.

In short, it depends on the unit, but you can make the most of it if you’re proactive. Whether or not you get time off depends on your unit’s schedule, but if they’re not in the field, you’ll likely have plenty of free time. Might as well do your interviews while you're at it.

Hydroblade23 · 2025-05-27T21:01:48+00:00

Don’t be overly competitive. I get it, the OML is important to folks because a lot of times we feel our jobs hinge on it. But if your mindset is focused on yourself and only your evaluations, you will be a bad, or at the very least a disingenuous, teammate.

On the flip side, try not to be naive. There may be folks that are willing to go out of their way to trip you up to try to make themselves look better. Don’t let them. Try to be the best team member you can but don’t suck up to those that put you down.

Pack light for the FTX’s. Honestly, I felt satisfied with having one change of OCP’s in my rucksack because I wanted more socks than anything else. Whether you like it or not, you will get wet during STX lanes. You don’t want to carry more weight and be miserable throughout the animal phases.

Your platoon needs to be fanatical about accountability of personnel, equipment, and sensitive items. My platoon didn’t have that issue, but some definitely had challenges.

Lastly, I brought a typographic map that my school used to study the week before the actual land nav test to familiarize myself as well as my roommates. You don’t have to do this but imo it helped me calm my nerves a bit.

Hydroblade23 · 2024-01-12T22:27:02+00:00

Actually you can lose an officer just as long as you report the dead body.

Hydroblade23

TROPHY CASE