UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

THE BASIC SCHOOL

MARINE CORPS TRAINING COMMAND
CAMP BARRETT, VIRGINIA 22134-5019

MILITARY TOPOGRAPHIC
MAP I
B181936
STUDENT HANDOUT

Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Military Topographic Map I

Introduction The intent of this lesson is to familiarize you with the military
topographic map in order to prepare you for follow on
classroom and field instruction in land navigation. Maps
provide information on the existence and location of man
made features such as buildings, bridges, and routes of
travel. They also indicate variations in terrain, the elevation
of terrain features, and the extent of vegetation.

Importance Marine officers must consistently strive for overall

situational awareness, including, but not limited to, their and
the enemy’s current position. This lesson will lay the
foundation for ensuring you are skilled in the art of land
navigation.

In This Lesson This lesson discusses how to evaluate and interpret map
information, how maps are created and accounted for, and
how to neatly and accurately plot grid coordinates on a
map.

This lesson covers the following topics:

Topic Page
Material Requirements 4
Marginal Information 5
Topographic Symbols 7
Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) 7
Graphic Scale and Distance on a Map 9
Requirement 1 Review Questions 12
Requirement 2 Review Questions 14
Requirement 3 Review Questions 15
Requirement 1 Review Answers 16
Requirement 2 Review Answers 17
Requirement 3 Review Answers 18
Summary 19
References 19
Glossary of Terms and Acronyms 19
Notes 19

Learning Objectives Terminal Learning Objective

0300-PAT-1002 Given a military topographic map,

protractor and objective, navigate with a map and compass,
to arrive within 100 meters of the objective.

2 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Military Topographic Map I (Continued)

Learning Objectives Enabling Learning Objectives

(Continued)
0300-PAT-1002a Given a military topographic map, identify
marginal information without error.

0300-PAT-1002b Given a military topographic map, identify

contour lines without error.

0300-PAT-1002d Given a military topographic map,

interpret map colors without error.

0300-PAT-1002e Given a military topographic map,

protractor, and a specific point on a map, determine the six-
digit grid coordinate to within 100 meters.

0300-PAT-1002f Given a military topographic map,

protractor, and two points on a map, determine distance to
within 25 meters.

MCCS-NAV-2101g Given a military topographic map,

protractor, and a specific point on a map, plot the eight-digit
grid coordinate to within 50 meters.

3 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Material Requirements

For The Basic School land navigation package, you will require the following maps and
materials.

Maps Quantico—1:50,000 Special.

New River—V742 5553 III.

Margarita Peak—V795 2550 IV.

Mapping Gear Straight edge with map scale markings.

Protractor.

Lead pencils and black ball point pens.

Fine tip mapping pens.

Pencil sharpener.

Eraser (pencil and alcohol pen).

Whistle.

Waterproof bag—Ziploc bag, etc.

Lamination Laminate your 1:50,000 Quantico land navigation special

map sheet. We highly recommend that you laminate the
map either at the Lamination Station at the Marine Corps
Exchange on board Camp Barrett or at The Scholarship in
Aquia Towne Centre. Do not laminate the map at Staples,
as their lamination is very thick and is not conducive to
folding.

When preparing your map for lamination,

• Trim and SAVE the marginal information.

• Tape/paste the marginal information to the back of
your map BEFORE you laminate the map.

4 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Marginal Information

Use marginal information for:

• Identification — indicates which area coverage the map represents.

• Interpretation — provides correlation between actual terrain features and map
topographic symbols.
• Evaluation — helps determine the validity of the information represented on the
map.

The elements contained in marginal information are listed below with a brief description.
Refer to the diagram on page 6 to see where the elements appear on a map as
indicated by the number in parentheses after the name of each element.

Sheet Name (1) The sheet name describes the most significant terrain
feature covered by a particular map (cities, mountains, etc.)

Series and Sheet Number Numbers are provided for organization and accounting
(2 and 5) purposes. The sheet number refers to a specific map; a
series contains numerous sheets.

Series Name (3) A collection of maps representing a specific geographical

area has a series name.

Scale (4) The scale is a ratio of map to real-world coverage; depicted

using a colon or a comma, as in 1:50,000.

Edition Number (6) The edition number is the production version number; a
high number indicates a more recent map. Sources are
Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) or National Imagery
Mapping Agency (NIMA).

Index to Adjoining Sheets The index displays sheet and series numbers for maps that
and Boundaries (7 and 8) cover areas adjacent to those covered by a particular map
and the political boundaries of an area.

Elevation Guide (9) The elevation guide gives a general overview of the
elevation of the terrain covered by the map.

Declination Diagram (10) The declination diagram provides a reference showing

declinations of grid North and magnetic North from true
North.

Bar Scales (11) The bar scales show straight line distances in kilometers,
statute miles, and nautical miles.

5 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Marginal Information (Continued)

Contour Interval Note The contour interval note describes the elevation change
(12) between consecutive contour lines:

• Horizontal datum indicates the collection of data

from which the grid reference system is based.
ALWAYS CHECK THE HORIZONTAL DATUM!
• Vertical datum indicates the collection of data from
which the elevation data is based.

Legend (13) The legend provides the key for interpreting the map
symbols.

Grid Reference Box (14) The grid reference box provides information indicating the
100,000 meter grid square identifier and grid zone
designator for a particular map, as well as information on
plotting specific points to an accuracy of 100 meters.

Stock Number (15) Use the stock number to reorder maps from NIMA.

6 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Topographic Symbols

Topographic symbols are symbols used on a map to represent actual terrain features.

Colors Colors represent different terrain features. The colors that

may be used on a map are:

• Black: manmade features.

• Brown: terrain features.*
• Green: vegetation.
• Blue: water.
• Red: road conditions and built-up areas.*

*Note: Recent maps show only four colors. In 1982, brown

and red colors were combined to make military maps
red-light readable. Likewise, the features these
colors represent are also combined, i.e., red/brown
represents terrain features, roads, and built-up
areas.

Military Grid Reference System

The Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) is the geographic standard used by the
United States armed forces and NATO for locating any point on the earth with a 2 to 10
character geocode. A two digit code implies a precision of 10 km; a ten digit code
corresponds to a 1 m precision with intermediate steps of 1 km, 100 m, and 10 m. The
geocode is always displayed in an even number of characters preceded by an alpha-
numeric code describing the larger Earth area to which it belongs.

7 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Military Grid Reference System (Continued)

How to Plot/Read MGRS Be neat and accurate with all map work! All information
Coordinates required to correctly read/plot a grid coordinate is in the
marginal information!

To plot MGRS coordinates,

• Identify the correct grid square.

• Correctly orient your protractor on the grid square.
• “RIGHT THEN UP.”

Read MGRS coordinates, for example, 18S TT 8750 6380

(Camp Barrett) as follows:

• 18S: Grid zone designation: 6 degrees x 8 degrees

• TT: 100,000 meter grid square
• 875 638: 6 digit grid = 100m accuracy
• 8750 6380: 8 digit grid = 10m accuracy
• 87500 63800: 10 digit grid = 1m accuracy

Protractor Be sure to use the correct scale when plotting/reading grid

coordinates and to correctly orient your protractor (see
diagram below) with respect to the map.

8 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Military Grid Reference System (Continued)

Partial Grid Squares If a plotted point lies within a partial grid square, you have
to reconstruct the grid square in order to accurately plot or
read an eight-digit grid coordinate (see diagram below).

The table below lists the steps for reconstructing the grid
square to accurately plot or read an eight-digit grid
coordinate.

Step Action
1 Using the coordinate scale on your protractor,
draw in the incomplete sides of the grid square
out to 1000 meters for each side. You will have to
rotate the coordinate scale for each side to
accomplish this step.
2 Utilize the same technique for reading or plotting
an eight-digit grid coordinate on a complete grid
square to read or plot your eight-digit grid
coordinate.

Graphic Scale and Distance on a Map

Maps are categorized by their scale:

• Large scale: 1:75,000 and larger.

• Medium scale: Smaller than 1:75,000 and larger than 1:600,000.
• Small scale: 1:600,000 and smaller.

Small unit leaders primarily utilize large-scale maps and some medium scale maps.

9 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Graphic Scale and Distance on a Map (Continued)

Large Scale Maps Large scale maps

• Cover relatively small area.

• Contain good detail.
• Are used for tactical purposes.

Medium Scale Maps Medium scale maps

• Cover a larger area.

• Contain less detail.
• Are used for strategic purposes and aerial
navigation.

Small Scale Maps Small scale maps

• Cover an extremely large area.

• Contain almost no detail.

Graphic Scale A graphic scale is a pre-measured map distance

corresponding to a certain ground distance (see diagram
below). The map distance is marked off as a straight line in
the margin of the map sheet, then subdivided and labeled in
terms of the corresponding ground distance. This scale
enables you to measure distances by visual examination,
avoiding lengthy and repetitive calculations. Military maps
contain several graphic scales to allow quick
measurements of ground distance in different units (i.e.,
meters/kilometers, statute miles, and nautical miles) and to
enable you to convert from one unit of measure to another
quickly and easily. The parts of the graphic scale are

• Primary scale
• Extension scale

10 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Graphic Scale and Distance on a Map (Continued)

Measuring Ground The methodology for using the graphic scale depends
Distance whether the distance is

• Straight-line distance.
• Curved-line distance.

Distance measurement on a map does not take into

account changes in elevation.

11 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 1 Review Questions

Requirement 1 map: Virginia, 1:50,000, Quantico MIM LND NAV SPECIAL, Edition 2-
NIMA.

1. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find grid
square (GS) 9572?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

2. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest 100 meters?
a. Bench Mark in GS 9177 Answer:
b. Little Union Ch in GS 9572 Answer:
c. 617B GATE in GS 8470 Answer:
d. Major road intersection in GS 9378 Answer:

3. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you find grid square
8959?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

4. What is located at each of the following coordinates?

a. 03437485 Answer:
b. 99287380 Answer:
c. 86277683 Answer:

5. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest ten meters?
a. Tank in GS 9574 Answer:
b. Horizontal Control Station in GS 9570 Answer:
c. Intersection of stream and unimproved surface road in SE corner road of GS
9079 Answer:
d. Bridge in GS 9863 Answer:
e. School in GS 8361 Answer:

6. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find GS
7470?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

7. What is located at each of the following coordinates:

a. 92508040 Answer:
b. 95347903 Answer:
c. 00407965 Answer:
d. 91107951 Answer:
e. 95847196 Answer:

12 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 1 Review Questions (Continued)

8. What are the 8-digit grid coordinates of the following objectives?

a. Post chapel in GS 9865 Answer:
b. Community College in GS 0077 Answer:
c. LZ VIP pit in GS 9864 Answer:
d. Cemetery in GS 8778 Answer:
e. Tower in GS 8365 Answer:

13 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 2 Review Questions

Requirement 2 map: Virginia, 1:50,000, Quantico MIM LND NAV SPECIAL, Edition 2-
NIMA

1. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find grid
square (GS) 8175?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

2. What is located near each of the following coordinates?

a. 954753 Answer:
b. 033704 Answer:
c. 880730 Answer:

3. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest hundred
meters?
a. Church in GS 9579 Answer:
b. Woodbridge MS in GS 0180 Answer:
c. Church in GS 0378 Answer:
d. Road intersection in GS 8967 Answer:
e. Stream junction in GS 8671 Answer:

4. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find grid
square 0679?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

5. What is located at each of the following coordinates?

a. 86387530 Answer:
b. 92356690 Answer:
c. 95457225 Answer:

6. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest ten meters?
a. Hawkins Bar in GS 8764 Answer:
b. Night Lab in GS 8763 Answer:
c. VA DMV in GS 8861 Answer:

7. In what state and county are grid coordinates 02536411 located?

Answer: State:
Answer: County:

8. What is located at each of the following coordinates?

a. 94486868 Answer:
b. 87996464 Answer:
c. 04158970 Answer:

14 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 3 Review Questions

Requirement 3 map: Virginia, 1:50,000, Quantico MIM LND NAV SPECIAL, Edition 2-
NIMA.

1. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find
coordinate 05007000?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

2. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest hundred
meters?
a. Radio TWRS in GS 8778 Answer:
b. Horz CNTRL Station in GS 9570 Answer:
c. Junction of perennial and intermittent stream in GS 9268 Answer:
d. Gravel pit in GS 9572 Answer:

3. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find grid
square 8282?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

4. What are the coordinates of the following objectives to the nearest ten meters?
a. Hard surface road and unimproved road junction nearest BM 87.7 in GS 9376
Answer:
b. BM 73.0 in GS 9570 Answer:
c. Fire station in GS 9681 Answer:
d. Power line junction GS 7674 Answer:

5. What is located at the following grid coordinates?

a. 90657486 Answer:
b. 95507285 Answer:
c. 86606628 Answer:

6. What are the map sheet number and series number on which you would find the
coordinate 04007500?
Answer: Map sheet number
Answer: Series number

15 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 1 Review Answers

1. Map sheet number 5561 IIII

Series number V734

2. 6-digit grid coordinates; no tolerance.

a. 910776
b. 955729
c. 848706
d. 933785

3. Map sheet number 5560 IV

Series number V734

4. a. Railroad bridge
b. Road junction
c. Stream junction

5. Questions requiring accuracy to the nearest 10 meters require an 8-digit grid

coordinate as an answer. Your 8-digit grid coordinate should be within 50 meters
of the solution.
a. 95007479
b. 95407065
c. 90757925
d. 98506375
e. 83766163

6. Map sheet number 5461 II

Series number V734

7. a. Cemetery
b. Church
c. Potomac Mills
d. Road junction
e. Building

8. Answers should be within ±50m of the solution.

a. 98346515
b. 00357725
c. 98896450
d. 87747895
e. 83646540

16 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 2 Review Answers

1. Map sheet number 5461 II

Series number V734

2. a. Reid School
b. Cockpit Point
c. LZ Oriole

3. a. 953790
b. 015803
c. 035784
d. 895671
e. 869711

4. Map sheet number 5561 II

Series number V734

5. a. LZ Finch
b. Gray’s Pond
c. Gravel pit

6. a. 87126412
b. 87456395
c. 88606125

7. State: Maryland
County: Charles County

8. a. Power-transmission line junction

b. Gravel pit
c. Possum Nose

17 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Requirement 3 Review Answers

1. Map sheet number 5561 II

Series number V734

2. Questions requiring accuracy to the nearest 100 meters require a 6-digit grid
coordinate as an answer.
a. 877783
b. 954706
c. 924680
d. 954723

3. Map sheet number 5461 III

Series number V734

4. This requires an 8-digit grid coordinate. Each answer must be within 50 meters of
the solution.
a. 93857635
b. 95307065
c. 89486702
d. 76527473

5. a. Unimproved road and trail intersection

b. Little Union Church
c. LZ Owl

6. Map sheet number 5561 III

Series number V734

18 Basic Officer Course

B181936 Military Topographic Map I

Summary

This is your first period of instruction on land navigation. Knowing how to read a map
and understand the information presented on it is the first step to being able to use the
map and other navigation tools to navigate over terrain.

References

Reference Number or Reference Title

Author
FM 3-25.26 Map Reading and Land Navigation

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

Term or Acronym Definition or Identification

DMA Defense Mapping Agency
GS Grid square
M Meter
MGRS Military Grid Reference System
NIMA National Imagery Mapping Agency

Notes

19 Basic Officer Course