By "Sergeant" Ryan Adams
You’re out in the middle of the woods...the enemy is all around you...you need to catch up with your squad which is at least 100 clicks away...you have no sense of direction because the impact from hitting the ground has scrambled your brain...what do you do? A hundred years ago you would have been dead from exposure or impaled on the bayonet of an opposing soldier, but today you can find your bunker mates with a handy little device called a GPS system.
GPS (or global positioning systems) rely on satellites to determine your location and guide you accordingly. There are a few different types and variations that have different strengths and weaknesses. When purchasing for different people, make sure to understand what they plan on using them for. There are three main categories, car drivers, hikers, and all around travelers.
Car Drivers: GPS does not have to be used only in battle, it can be used on the open roads of America (that are kept free by our men in uniform) to find your way to next civil war battle reenactment. Some of these little bad boys can even be found attached to high end automobiles allowing Bentley and Buffy Kennedy to get to their next gala event without even the prospect of getting lost. These can either be installed after market, or can be purchased as an option.
Hikers: These devices in their purest form can be used by hikers, backpackers and Army Rangers when in the wilderness in order to set waypoints, routes and base camps. They are simple hand-held devices that are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Although they are not usually very graphically impressive, they get the job done and can make sure that you are not ambushed by Russians, Vietnamese, or even Iraqis.
All Around Travelers: Another handheld version operate like the car models and show everything from city streets and maps, to specific directions that can guide you from destination to destination without ever having to open the glove compartment. These devices are usually able to download new maps for every city, allowing you to transport them from city to city, and never get lost along the way.
GPS navigation systems are the perfect gift for the soldiers in your life, ideal if you want them to never get lost or captured and placed in an interment camp. I remember back during my first year in the Vietnamese internment camp. My number was 3975 and everytime they screamed Iused to cringe, knowing that they would be coming for me with the bamboo shoots and the fire ants. I remember wishing that I wouldn't have gotten off track during that last mission. That I would have stayed with my Platoon and made it back to the states where all of my friends were eating corn dogs and laying in bed with their wives instead of going through their own personal hell! Why weren't GPS systems available back then! WHY! But I digress...just remember that you can find the best prices and reviews on all types of GPS systems at Newbie.
GPS Reviews: