FORT KNOX, Ky.– 9th Regiment, Advanced camp hits the 10 day mark, successfully completing a third of their Cadet Summer Training. This morning, they continued their day land navigation exercise. Studying the terrain map is Cadet Carly Drew, a student at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University majoring in Global Conflicts. She takes these moments to prepare for the event that lies ahead.

Land navigation, as Drew explains, is the process of using a map, compass and protractor to find designated points in a terrain. This skill is crucial for military personnel, as it ensures they can lead their units accurately without getting lost. During CST, Drew and her fellow cadets were tasked with finding specific points using the techniques they had learned in their ROTC training.

One of Drew’s most memorable experiences with a land navigation course occurred during a Field Training Exercise at Camp Blanding. While navigating at night towards her last point, she had an unexpected encounter. “I was doing nightly nav and was chased by an animal leading me to run through a creek, when there wasn’t supposed to be water around,” Despite the initial panic, Drew managed to use her training to reorient herself. By performing a reevaluation, she found a nearby road and navigated back to her starting point.

The incident, while frightening, taught Drew valuable lessons about staying calm and using terrain features to reorient. She emphasizes the importance of these skills, particularly in high-stress situations where clear thinking is essential. “When I got to the creek, it was like a sort of clarity for me,” she said. “I needed to use that feature to get back to a familiar point. So after that, I calmed myself down, focused on my map, and how to get back.”

To manage stress and maintain focus, Drew uses various calming techniques. “I do a lot of breathing methods,” she says. “I find that the quickest way to calm me down during that time is to put my map up and breathe a little bit. I walk around a little to get the jitters out. When I felt calm enough, that’s when I went go to work.” This approach, she notes, has been effective in helping her regain composure and successfully complete her navigation tasks.

“My advice would be to try to find a terrain feature,” she said. “I’m really big about terrain features because sometimes head calculations are difficult. If I can find a terrain feature and take out my compass to see which direction I’m facing, it’ll be a lot easier to find out a path to take.”

Her journey to joining ROTC is deeply personal. Coming from a military family, she is the first female to join the military. Although she initially wanted to enlist, her parents encouraged her to take the officer route, leading her to ROTC. Her major in Global Conflicts, though initially chosen out of a love for history, has provided her with valuable insights into leadership and tactics. “I found a love for history and my major specializes in world conflicts, leadership types, and the patterns that happen before conflicts and how to prevent it,” she says.

Her background in global conflicts has also aided in learning her leadership style in ROTC. “I am not a super extroverted person,” Drew said. “I found that I lead better from being a great example. I like to put my troops first but I’m not overbearing.” Her experiences in a sorority also helped shape her understanding of leadership, teaching her to navigate different opinions and personalities effectively.