Why would you want to use a Military Compass in a world filled with GPS devices?

The Military mind assumes that technology will fail when you need it most. This goes against the grain from the Steve Jobs worldview where you just press a button. This means the people who work for Uncle Sam need to be able to go out and find the bad guys, do their thing, and then get home in time for dinner. That means they need a tool that works when GPS doesn’t reach or when electronics are down due to Murphy’s Law.

How To Use A Military Compass

So, with that in mind, that thought in mind let’s introduce you to the standard MilSpec issue compass.

It’s got a lot of functionality build into a small package, and none of it is battery powered or runs under MS Windows. To get a complete breakdown of all, it can do we will refer you to a guidebook put out by some people who want you to survive in our ever-increasingly hostile world.

Now, let’s get your feet wet by showing you it all in a short video as well with a brief intro to the general MilSpec Compass.

Differences Between A Lensatic Compass And The Military Version

The Lensatic Compass and the Military Compass are almost the same in construction. However, it is more rugged and is designed to rigid Military Specifications(MilSpec, and they come with a sheath that is weatherproof, sand, and mud resistant. They often come ready to attach to a web belt or harness.

Let us go over some of the other differences as well.

One of the major differences is in the Bezel as it is used more often in military versions than with a Lensatic Compass. It is useful for nighttime land navigation. This is when most hikers and campers bed down for the night. The military has to be on the move anytime, and at night, concealment is better as well.

Here is another video that also goes into the night navigation benefits.

The MilSpec compass will have Tritium in it to enable you to see to use it at night. Tritium is good for about a decade of useful life. Also, a real MilSpec compass will warn you about opening it up as well.

The Development Of The Military Compass

The history of the Military compass is quite fascinating, and most people are not aware of the goings-on behind the scenes that made it possible. If you are interested, here, in brief, is everything you ever wanted to know about the Search for a compass for the Military prior to WWII.

If you are a history buff, you can get a copy of the entire document here.

Sufficed to say getting the compass for the ground troops was a long and laborious process that went through machinations that would make a Machiavellian disciple proud.

How To Go About Using A Military Compass

This is a definitive video on how to use the Military Compass. It was made to teach GIs how to get about using one in conjunction with a map.

If you want to get maps to work with when you use your compass here is a video on how to go about getting them.

You might want to learn how to use the Military Grid Reference System when you want to try out your skills.

Now that you are buried in map info, you now should learn how to fold one, so it can be useful while you are in the field.

The gent in the video demonstrates to you how to fold a map that enables you to see the entire map in easily manageable sections.

One (his favorite) relies on folding only. The other (Which the writer prefers) combines folds with a single cut, which makes a book out of the folded map as a result, which is very convenient to put in a waterproof slip map case, which fits comfortably in a pocket. The same technique can be used to create many kinds of survival information. There is a website that creates various kinds of these mini-books.

They provide a blank form for you to create your own. Recently the also added a downloadable App so you can make them offline as well. These are suitable for Radio Frequencies, Windage and Elevation charts, and a whole host of other things you can find useful in the field, especially if you laminate the pages.

Getting All The Information, You Need In Ebook Or Paper

If you want to have the information, you need in a readable form we refer you to the Army’s Land Navigation Manual, which still uses maps, the compass, and GPS combined. Here is a copy you can download. This is the omnibus copy of everything you wanted to know about the military compass and map reading. If you have a copy of the Topographical Engineer book we talked about earlier, you can see how this manual was put together.

The companion manual is, of course, the Army Survival Manual which you should also have on your bookshelf as it dovetails nicely with what you will find in the Land Navigation Manual.

These are probably the two most read books on the planet besides the Bible and the Koran, everyone who is venturing out into the wild whether with or without a compass/GPS needs to be familiar with both.

The third book is the Red Cross First Aid Manual.

With the above, you should be ready to tackle anything you will encounter when you venture into the wild. There are of course many other sources you can find on the Net. However, you will find that they all derive from what we have shown you today.

Final Thoughts

We have covered a lot of material today. You now are familiar with the Military compass and the differences between it and the Lensatic compass you buy in the Survival Aisle at Walmart.

You know the orange stuff marked as “Bear Grylls Survival Gear,” while some of it is nice. And you need to think if you are willing to have your life depend on it. A Military Compass on the other hand as stood the test, and many service people owe their lives to having one and knowing how to use it.

You are now entering that elite group of people, and with some study and practice, you can be just as proficient with a compass and a map as you are with your GPS in your car. The upside is if your car’s battery dies. You can always dig out your compass from your emergency kit in the trunk and still find your way home if you have to hike out.

After a while, you might even join an orienteering club and compete to see how good you have become.

It’s now all in your hands for you to take up the challenge to become a “Landmaster” and start blazing trails of your own like the pioneers of old.