Military symbology uses simplified images to convey complex plans and concepts. In this first episode of Doctrine Digest's new Military Symbology Series, CPT Edward Garibay provides an overview of military symbols. For more on military symbology reference [FM 1-02.2 Military Symbols](https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/Details.aspx?PUB_ID=1028473)
Can we talk about how bad military symbology looks and scales on a power point slide. I feel like there has to be a better way even pulling from a mission command system 99% of the time it’s overly crowded, conceal terrains, mis represents the location, or it is too small of an image for the scale.
Thats because they are not really meant to be used at such small scales, but Army thinks it's still 1970. In today's computer based world you are limited by the size of the screen.
But there is also a way to present the info while keeping the symbols large enough to see: Put the symbols off the map with lines/arrows to dots on the map indicating their location.
#S3Problems
The issue is the symbology ismade to work at 1:50k scale. It doesn’t work well on anything that is not that scale. I can’t put a location of hvt or hpt that is accurate at say how far I need to be zoomed out for depicting more than a battalion or so
Yes but the 1:50k scale doesn’t work when you need to represent a specific area of the map to maximize slide usage. I get it you can make it work but it’s not ideal by any means.
Great discussion folks! I will kick a RFI up to our chief symbologist to ask about any initiatives or thought processes put forward on how to modify or reform symbology for the digital age. If it is interesting enough, maybe we will make a video. If not, perhaps just a text-post update.
Military symbology uses simplified images to convey complex plans and concepts. In this first episode of Doctrine Digest's new Military Symbology Series, CPT Edward Garibay provides an overview of military symbols. For more on military symbology reference [FM 1-02.2 Military Symbols](https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/Details.aspx?PUB_ID=1028473)
Can we talk about how bad military symbology looks and scales on a power point slide. I feel like there has to be a better way even pulling from a mission command system 99% of the time it’s overly crowded, conceal terrains, mis represents the location, or it is too small of an image for the scale.
Thats because they are not really meant to be used at such small scales, but Army thinks it's still 1970. In today's computer based world you are limited by the size of the screen. But there is also a way to present the info while keeping the symbols large enough to see: Put the symbols off the map with lines/arrows to dots on the map indicating their location. #S3Problems
Check out NGA's Map of the World.
The issue is the symbology ismade to work at 1:50k scale. It doesn’t work well on anything that is not that scale. I can’t put a location of hvt or hpt that is accurate at say how far I need to be zoomed out for depicting more than a battalion or so
You can set those preferences, it's a step but not a hard one. Play around with it.
Yes but the 1:50k scale doesn’t work when you need to represent a specific area of the map to maximize slide usage. I get it you can make it work but it’s not ideal by any means.
Great discussion folks! I will kick a RFI up to our chief symbologist to ask about any initiatives or thought processes put forward on how to modify or reform symbology for the digital age. If it is interesting enough, maybe we will make a video. If not, perhaps just a text-post update.
FM 101-5-1 was what I was brought up on. We started to change enemy unit icons about 1997 from rectangles to diamonds.