Cam Essentials
The CAM Essential Course Outline and Schedule of Events
Day One
- 0800 Morning classroom session covering the fundamentals of four wheel drives. Different four wheel drive systems will be outlined and explained using classroom aids. CAM instructors will go into the basics of differentials, how they work off road as well as an introductory to the transfer case and its importance. All aspects of the classroom will play an important role in negotiating the terrain encountered in the field correctly.
- In the afternoon session of day one the students will have the opportunity to plot all way-points needed during the event, once comfortable with the way-points and maps the instructors will take the students out to the vehicles for an introduction and vehicle walk around.
- At this point the students will get hands on instruction by the instructors on proper winch techniques and winch rigging as well as all equipment needed for the next four days in the field.
- CAM instructors will demonstrate safe and efficient winch rigging scenarios to the class and then recreate each scenario for the students to practice. All recovery equipment will be covered for the students to familiarize themselves with while the instructors demonstrate the uses of each piece.
- Day one ends when all students are familiar with the vehicles and equipment. Once the students are comfortable, there will be some free time to address any special food or personal needs. Vehicles will be loaded that evening to prepare for an early departure the following morning.
Day Two
- 0800 Departure. We travel highway and surface roads to the start of the dirt. Along the way there are way point locations students need to find to recover articles that will be used throughout the rest of the course. CAM instructors will also cover field mechanics and basic vehicle knowledge.
- Instructors will create field repair scenarios to give the students a real hands on feel for field repairs.
- Skills:
- Common vehicle issues
- Identifying the problem
- Predicting a solution
- Deciding on a repair
- Executing repairs
Day Three
- Daylight we break camp. Route selection and the potential for vehicle recovery are possible throughout the day. Way points will need to be recovered to obtain fuel caches and have opportunities to cover field mechanics. Each vehicle will have different objectives throughout the day but will have to remain in communications with the other vehicles at all times by whatever means available. CAM instructors will disable the vehicles throughout the day to teach the students to identify problems.
- Skills:
- Vehicle knowledge
- Mechanical knowledge
- Field repairs
- Disabled vehicle scenarios
- Winch Skills:
- Technical winching
- Single vehicle downhill
- Side hill winching
- Safety and gear
- Day three will end at a night technical driving exercise and bivouac. The students will have the ability to accomplish the driving exercise during the day before having to do it at night under white lights or NODS. (Group depending)
- Day three will end at a night technical driving exercise and bivouac. The students will have the ability to accomplish the driving exercise during the day before having to do it at night under white lights or NODS. (Group depending)
Day Four
- At daylight, students will break camp and plot their route to the next nights bivouac. Driving instruction and the potential for vehicle recovery will take place throughout the day, as well as locating fuel caches and mechanical training sites. The group will travel in convoy throughout the day working together as a unit.
- Day four will also consist of a technical rock driving element, stressing the importance of vehicle preservation. The rock exercise will strengthen the student’s ability to communicate with each other through hand signals from outside the vehicle while having the ability to navigate terrain that would be un-drivable without a spotter.
- Skills:
- Vehicle preservation
- Terrain negotiation
- Marshaling
- Hand signals
- The day 4 night exercise will be a night navigation exercise through sand dune type terrain under NODS. Vehicles will split apart to achieve different way-point locations and recover a stranded vehicle back to camp. (Group depending)
- Nightly after action reviews will be conducted for the participants to voice questions or concerns pertaining to the day’s activities. Nightly AAR’s are imperative for the growth of the student and program.
Day Five
- At daylight, students will break camp and plan the route back to the hotel. Day 5 we will answer all questions and get the students up to speed on any of the skills covered throughout the week. Instructors will cover vehicle recovery more in-depth and create scenarios in the sand terrain to show safe and efficient vehicle recoveries using a number of different techniques.
- Skills:
- Single vehicle snatching
- Multiple vehicle snatching
- Recoveries without equipment
- Hi-Lift jack winching
- Winch skills:
- Recap of winch training
- New rigging scenarios
- Efficiency
- Safety and gear
- We will arrive back at the hotel in the afternoon to debrief, inventory and sort equipment. After the gear is sorted we will have an after action review and cover anything needed for the students while discussing ways to grow the training for future events. (Flights should be arranged for the following day) CAM will provide airport transportation.
- Suggested Gear: Regardless of the time of the year CAM recommends bringing winter sleeping gear (i.e. 0 degree bags, bivouac sacs, proper tents and warm clothing). The high desert can be cold at night any time of the year. Water crossings and deep snow could be possible so keep in mind the need for extra boots and clothing.
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