JORDAN – Cartography, the science or practice of drawing and reading maps, dates to Before Christ (B.C.) in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. One of the oldest maps discovered is on a Babylonian clay tablet from around 2300 B.C. While the ancient craft of reading maps has evolved, its foundations have not been lost; it is still very relevant in military operations.
The Military Engagement Team-Jordan (MET-J), with 158th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB), Arizona Army National Guard (AZANG), explored this ancient science, with modern methods, through a Map Reading Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) with Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) and their Quick Reaction Force Female Engagement Team Soldiers at a base outside Amman Jan. 13.
Despite technological advances, such as GPS and satellite systems similar to Google Maps, paper map reading skills are still important in our current era, the Information Age.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Sierra, with MET-J, 158 MEB, AZNG, says a downside to relying solely on technology is its dependence on a power source. Sierra, who served as one of the subject matter experts for the exchange, said it is imperative to have a solid knowledge base, building from an elemental understanding to advanced techniques.
"You have to start with a foundation," he explained, "If the foundation is set strong, the rest will derive from the foundation."
Military maps have multiple purposes, enabling a Soldier to navigate from one point to another utilizing grid coordinates, topographic symbols and terrain features.
The SMEE focused on understanding geographic information on a Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) map, including identifying the five major and three minor terrain features – essential in deciding the most effective routes for tactical troop movement, supply routes, rallying points and analysis for missions.
"Light discipline, noise discipline, even litter discipline are important factors of map reading as you get further into the items needed to safely and securely complete said tasks," Sierra said.
The exchange used MGRS maps to examine terrain, plot points and analyze pattern of life. The JAF usually uses Universal Traverse Mercator Maps, but the exchange focused on the similarities between the two systems.
Sometimes experience can be the best teacher. In a past deployment to Iraq, Sierra had to rely on his map reading skills – not always for finding his way, but so he could be located and to identify potentially hazardous areas. He did this through resection, a method to determine the grid coordinates of an unknown location by using well-defined places or structures.
"When the IEDs [improvised explosive devices] began to pop off, we needed to know where we were" to relay the information to others and to mark off the area, Sierra said.
Practical exercises during the exchange included determining straight line and curved line distances, resection, determining routes of travel, plotting points using six- to eight-digit grid coordinates and practicing azimuth conversion formulas.
MET-J facilitates and conducts military-to-military engagements with regional partners in U.S. Army Central to build military partner capability and capacity, enhance interoperability and build relationships.
"Today's militaries are moving forward to train, assist and advise to build strong partnerships," said Sierra, "Exchanges like these help foster realistic relationships and strengthen each other's confidence while working to overcome cultural challenges, advancing our mission mindset and protecting one another."
Realistic coalition relationships mean that everyone may not speak the same language. Sierra said English was his second language, so he understood the significance of pausing while speaking to allow translations to sink in. Despite apparent language barriers, the SMEE was a success with the help of linguists assigned to both groups and Soldiers who spoke both Arabic and English.
The teams [U.S. and Jordan] worked together very well and completed the exchange well, which helps both militaries obtain a solid grasp of the joint operations environment," said Sierra.
The U.S. military has a long-standing relationship with Jordan to support mutual objectives by providing military assistance to the JAF consistent with our national interests.