Map reading skills of future officers

The article deals with the topics of orientation in the terrain and reading the map, as one of the basic skills of every soldier. The issue of determining the level of geographical literacy of military students of the University of Defence is discussed, in the form of repeated testing of basic skills. These skills are: reading grid and geographic coordinates, working with altitude, working with map scale and interpretation of information from a map. The results of testing are evaluated from the point of view of the particular faculty, year of study, and type of secondary school. The results are used for the analysis of gaps in students' knowledge and for modification of the content of the topographic training.