Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps

PatuxentHigh School

12485 Rousby Hall Road

Lusby, Maryland20657

e-mail:

website:

NJROTC: 410-394-0731

CDR Michael L. Dvorsky ADCS Darrin Nelson School : 410-535-7865

Senior Naval Science Instructor Naval Science Instructor FAX: 410-535-7875

August 28, 2007

From: Senior Naval Science Instructor, PatuxentHigh School

To: JROTC UNITS

Subject: EighthAnnualPatuxentHigh School NJROTC Patuxent Orienteering Meet and Standard Operation Procedures (SOP)

Enclosures: (1) Advance registration form

(2) Schedule of Events

(3) Directions to KingsLandingPark

(4) Seabag packing list (What each cadet should bring to the meet)

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1. GENERAL. Patuxent NJROTC will host the Ninth Annual Patuxent JROTC Orienteering Meet at King’s LandingState Park, Huntingtown, MD on Saturday, October 6, 2007. Maps that will be used are the six color international standard maps used by the Quantico Orienteering Club for national Class “A” events. Courses will be set and checked by two of the top orienteering competitors/setters in the United States. Any cadet who competes in this Orienteering Meet meets the minimum qualifications for the NJROTC Orienteering Ribbon Award as outlined in the cadet field manual page 1-42 and can be awarded at the discretion of the SNSI.

2. SPECIAL NOTES FOR THIS YEAR.

  1. EXTREME O: This is a NEW team event for4 cadets who will complete a yellow to orange levelorienteering course using only an aerial photograph of the park. Details are described in section D of this instruction. This is also an exciting training course where a more experienced orienteer can pair with less experienced cadets to teach them orienteering techniques, tricks and just have some fun!. Try it, you’ll like it!
  2. ENTRY FEE: is $6 per cadet if pre-registered and pre-paid by October 2, 2007. $7 per cadet if registered and paid after October 2ndor the day of the meet! The entry fee covers participation on anytwo courses. Cadets may run additional courses if time permits. A $2 map fee will be assessed for each additional course run.
  3. Cadets may NOT run both the White A and White B course. They can run either one but not both. The white courses are considered the same and there will only one award for the white course.
  4. For safety reasons, all cadets should have a compass, watch, and whistle with them when they run any orienteering course.
  5. All course maps will be pre-marked.
  6. Any control card turned in with less than 50% of the correct controls punched, a lost map or control punch card, or exceeds the course time limit will be recorded as a DNF (Did Not Finish) and is ineligible for awards or points toward the overall trophy.

3. OPERATIONS.

A. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. Although more casual than a drill meet, the Patuxent Orienteering Meet is a military oriented event. Therefore, the conduct of participating cadets should reflect military courtesies that are taught in all JROTC programs. Tape players, radios, obnoxious noise or any device that distracts from conducting the meet or that contributes toward unruly conduct is not permitted. Cadets will not be allowed to participate without the presence of an instructor from his/her unit. Advisors, parents and friends are welcome as observers and non-competitive participants on the course of instruction and orienteering courses.

B. REGISTRATION.Teams should pre-register and pre-pay before October 2nd using enclosure (1) to take advantage of the 20% price break of $6 per cadet. Entry fee increases to $7 per cadet after October 2nd. This early registration will allow Patuxent to have an adequate number of pre-drawn maps and supplies on-hand for the meet. Fine tuning of the number of cadets attending can be adjusted by phone or e-mail after initial registration at the $6 rate. Upon arrival, the team commander from each unit will check in at the registration table with a count of the total number of cadets and adults competing, and pay a $7 fee per cadet and $2 per adult orienteer (if not already paid). Two tickets for each paid cadet and one ticket for each paid adult will be issued to the team commander. Additional tickets may be purchased at this time for a third course for $2 each.

C. TEAM COMPOSITION.

WHITE COURSE A or B = 2 CADETS PER TEAM

YELLOW COURSE = 2 CADETS PER TEAM

ORANGE COURSE = 2 CADETS PER TEAM

BROWN COURSE = 1 or 2 CADET(s) PER TEAM (There will be a separate male and female Division for the BROWN course only)

EXTREME O COURSE = 4 CADETS PER TEAM

SCORE O COURSE = 6 CADETS PER TEAM

D. COURSES. Six courses will be offered for competition. The entry fee pays for cadets to run two courses. A $2 map fee will be assessed for each additional course. White A and B (considered to be the same course), Yellow, Orange, and Brown courses will be open all day. The Score “O” course will be run in the afternoon. Instructors and parents can run the white, yellow, orange and brown courses. Instructors and parents who run the ORANGE course will compete for the “Old Fogey Pathfinder Award” ($2.00 entry fee to pay for the map for all adult courses).

  1. White Course. This is the beginners’ competitive course. Basic instruction will be given prior to challenging this course. Course length is usually 2-3 KM and control points are located at easily identifiable terrain features. This course is ideal for those who have never previously attempted orienteering and want to learn the basics of orienteering. The white course is a good confidence builder and challenging for those cadets who have never run an orienteering course before this meet. Each school may enter any number of two cadet teams. There is no distinction between males and females on the White course. Time limit is 2 hours . A DNF (did not finish) will be awarded for a finish time greater than 2 hours or less than 50% of markers correctly punched, a lost control punch card, or a lost map.
  1. Yellow Course. Course length is 3-4 KM. There are usually about 7-10 controls. Time limit is 2 hours. A DNF (did not finish) will be awarded for a finish time greater than 2 hours or less than 50% of markers correctly punched, a lost control punch card, or a lost map. This course is provided for cadets that have a good basic understanding of orienteering and map reading skills. The Yellow course requires basic orienteering skills. Each school may enter any number of two cadet teams. There is no distinction between males and females on the Yellow course.
  1. Orange Course. This course is for the intermediate competitors. The level of difficulty is the same as the National Interscholastic Championships for High School Junior Varsity Orienteering. There are usually 7-10 controls. The course length is 4-5 km. Controls are mostly off trail and technically challenging. The time limit is 3 hours. A DNF (did not finish) will be awarded for a finish time greater than 3 hours or less than 50% of markers correctly punched, a lost control punch card, or a lost map.Each school may enter any number of two cadet teams. There is no distinction between males and females on the Orange course. This is a difficult course and is not appropriate for beginning orienteers! If the cadet has never before successfully completed Yellow courses in less than 75 minutes, the Orange course is not appropriate!
  1. Brown Course. There will be separate male and female awards categories for the BROWN course only. This course is for advanced competitors who have significant experience in competitive orienteering. The level of difficulty is similar to the National Interscholastic Championships for High School Varsity Orienteering and College JV orienteering. This course is 5-7 kilometers in length, almost entirely off-trail and off-road with about 8-12 controls. The time limit is 3 hours. A DNF (did not finish) will be awarded for a finish time greater than 3 hours or less than 50% of markers correctly punched, a lost control punch card, or a lost map. Each school may enter any number of individual cadets or two-person teams. A team made up of a male and a female will be considered a male team. This is a tough, physically demanding course! If the cadet has never before successfully completed Orange courses in less than 75 minutes, don’t even think about running the Brown course.
  1. COMPLETING THE WHITE, YELLOW, ORANGE, AND BROWN COURSES. Teams will report to the start line, with a compass, watch, and emergency whistlesat least ten minutes prior to their start time. When the starter blows the whistle, the team will proceed to the standby line to gather their thoughts and get ready to run the course. On the next sounding of the whistle, the team will proceed to the map pickup area, and receive their pre-marked course maps and clue sheet, but may not look at the map until the next whistle blows. On the next sounding of the whistle, their clock begins to run for elapsed time, and the team may look at their map and take off from the map area and run the course. Whistles will sound at two minute intervals. After all members of a team cross the finish line and turn in their control card and map, the finish line judge will record the official finish time. Members of the White, Yellow, and Orange, and Brown teams must enter the finish line together. Any team arriving at the finish line without their control punch card or maps, or after the time limit for their course will be recorded as DID NOT FINISH (DNF).
  1. SCORE “O” Course. Score O is a timed, 6 cadet team event. The objective of the score “O” course is for the team to accumulate as many points as possible within the 1-½ hour time limit. Points are accumulated by finding markers, each of which have a different point value. The most distant and technically challenging have the most value. While the nearest and easiest to find markers have the least value. The team which finds the most points within the time limit wins. Six cadets are required for each team. At the start, the team breaks into 3-two person teams when searching for markers. No individual orienteers are permitted. Each unit may enter as many teams as they desire for this event. There is no distinction between males and females on the Score O course. Thirty control points will be used. A time limit of 1-½ hours is imposed after a twenty-minute strategy session for map copying, planning and developing team strategy. Distance will vary depending upon team strategy. A team captain should be designated for each Score “O” team. Any control punch cards turned in after the time limit do not count toward the team point total.
  1. COMPLETING THE SCORE “O”: At the designated time, each 6 person team will receive 1 pre-marked map, 5 blank maps, three clue sheets, three punch cards, and 6 red pens. The teams will then be given 20 minutes to plan their strategy and copy their maps. At the end of the 20 minute planning period, all team members will gather at the start point for a mass start. At the starters whistle, all team members may take off to find the markers. The team’s three punch cards must be turned in together prior to the finish judges whistle at the 1½ hour time limit. If all pairs are not back at the end of the time limit, the team captain or acting captain will turn in whatever cards he/she may have prior to the Score “O” time limit. Points will be awarded for what is turned in. Control cards turned in after the time limit will not be counted. All participants MUST terminate competition and report to the finish line by the end of the TIME ALLOWED for the course. ALL RUNNERS MUST CHECK IN AT THE FINISH LINE.
  1. SCORE “O” TEAM STRATEGY. Coaches may help their teams during the strategy period only. No coaching is allowed after the strategy period terminates. A team captain should be designated. Each member should have a compass, watch, and emergency whistle. Once a team is “on the clock” strategy should be determined. Team captains may disperse members in any manner desired (as long as two people go together with one punch card and one map between them) to locate as many designated points as possible within the allotted time. Controls will have a point value and will be counted only once no matter how many team members visit the same control. Control cards turned in after the time limit will not be counted toward the total points for the team.
  1. EXTREME “O” Course EXTREME O is anunconventional orienteering race with a mixture of controls with white, yellow, and orange levels of difficulty using only an aerial photograph of the park, a compass, three eggs, and a clue card to find the controls. The extreme O team is made up of four (4) orienteers on a single team. All cadets on a team must stay together and carry the three eggs for the entire course! NO BOXES, BAGS, OR PACKAGING MATERIAL OF ANY KIND MAY BE USED TO CARRY THE EGGS. NO MAPS ARE ALLOWED TO BE USED BY THE TEAMS.Total course length is 4-5 KM with 6-8 controls. Teams will write a code on all three egg shells at each control bag using the colored markers attached to the control bags to verify the eggs were carried through the entire course. If the aerial photo is lost, or at least one unbroken eggdoesn’t make it to the finish line within the1-1/2 hour time limit, the team is disqualified. The team that finds the most controls with at least one undamaged egg within the time limit wins.
  2. TIE BREAKERS:
  3. If all controls are found by more than one team within the time limit, then the least number of damaged eggs wins.
  4. If all tied teams have the same number of unbroken eggs, then the fastest time wins.
  1. COMPLETING THE EXTREME “O”. Teams may run the extreme “O”at anytime. There will be a minimum 10 minute interval between team starts. When a team of 4 cadets is ready to run the extreme O course, they report as a group to the Extreme O start table. They will be given a start time, a clue card, and 3 eggs. On the “GO” command, the team will be given an 8-1/2 x 11 inch aerial photograph of the park with the control locations pre-drawn on the photograph. The team has 1-1/2 hours to return to the table with as many special “egg” codes, which are on the control markers, as possible written on the unbroken egg shells. Teams must use the special colored markers tied to the controls to record the codes on the egg shells. Teams can locate the controls IN ANY ORDER. They then must turn in their maps, eggs, and clue cards to the course official as a team at the finish.
  2. Each member should have a compass, watch, and emergency whistle. This race is a good opportunity to have fun, work together as a team, and learn how to manage time. HINT: 1-2 of the team members will orienteer while the other 2-3 team members are responsible for the care of the eggs. Everyone must do their part to successfully finish the course!
  1. STARTERS AND TIMERS. Starters will be located at the designated start point. You will be notified of the location of the starting point at registration. When anorienteer is ready to begin competition, they will report to the designated starting point. They will turn in their ticket to the starter, who will assign a start time and issue one control punch card to each team. Teams from the same school are not allowed to start the same competitive course less than EIGHT MINUTES apart. ALL MAPS ARE PRE-MARKED, AND WILL BE ISSUED AT THE STARTING LINE FOR EACH COURSE. EACH ORIENTEER WILL RECEIVE THEIR OWN INDENTICAL MAP.
  1. EQUIPMENT for all cadets on all courses. Cadets must supply their own compass, watch, an emergency whistle, insect repellent, and clothing suitable for safe orienteering and weather conditions. All maps will be pre-bagged in plastic. Teams do not need to bring plastic baggies.
  1. VISITING CONTROL POINTS. Pairs must stay together and each member must visit each control. Each control will have an ID punch that will be verified by the scorers. Coaching is NOT allowed after a team is “on the clock” or on the course.

H. PENALITIES. Penalties may be assessed for the following:

  1. Missing a control point – 15 minutes added to a total time for each missed control..
  2. Receiving assistance in locating a control – 15 minutes added
  3. Arguing with an official’s position – Team disqualified
  4. Pairs of a team not staying within sight or sound of each other – 15 minutes added
  5. Possession of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or weapons (knives included) -Team disqualified
  6. Moving or altering any control – Team disqualified
  7. Causing intentional physical damage to anything in the park – EntireSchool Disqualified.

I. SAFETY. Safety is paramount. Competitors must be aware of the hazards involved in orienteering and be especially careful to negotiate difficult terrain within their abilities.