Get Certified

The Operational Tracker Evaluation - Next one TBD - or by request

Get Certified in three full days in the field with professional human tracker and trainer, Rob Speiden. Rob’s approach is highly interactive, with testing stations starting right away. This style takes a little getting used to at first, but it is an excellent way to receive immediate feedback on your human tracking skills. The goal of this event is to conduct and complete evaluation stations that can lead to one of three levels of Operational Tracker certification* (Operational Tracker, Tracking Technician, Tracking Specialist).

The Operational Tracker Evaluation (O.T.E.) is based strictly on the standards used to evaluate and certify Search and Rescue Trackers by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management Search and Rescue program. It is conducted by instructors, practitioners and evaluators from the internationally renowned Natural Awareness Tracking School, LLC that provides tracking training, response and certification services. This is the most objective, comprehensive and difficult evaluation and certification standard for professional and amateur certification in the field of human tracking (a.k.a. man-tracking or signcutting). Based on evaluation results, a certificate may be awarded at one of three certification levels*. The whole experience is challenging and rewarding. The evaluation begins at 9am on Firday and ends at 4pm on Sunday.

Participants who are beginners may want to study lightly and/or read a tracking guidebook, such as Rob’s “Foundations for Awareness, Signcutting and Tracking”. Lodging and food are on your own but we can give you suggestions if that would be helpful. The O.T.E. is limited to 6 people, two people for each of the three phases and associated costs as follows:

1. Phase 1 ($195) – Open to two trackers that anticipate being evaluated for higher levels (Tracking Technician and Tracking Specialist). This phase requires some eval stations be completed at night.
2. Phase 2 ($195) – Open to two trackers that anticipate being evaluated for Operational Tracker (no night stations required).
3. Phase 3 ($95) – Open to two trackers that do not anticipate completing all evaluation stations, but want to try some of the evaluation stations.

Speiden, author of Foundations for Awareness, Signcutting and Tracking andTracker Training, is the lead tracking instructor and lead evaluator for the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Search and Rescue program. He is certified as a VDEM Type I Tracker - Tracking Specialist, and also as a Cybertracker Senior Tracker. He is a professional volunteer searcher and a member of 5 SAR groups with more than 24 years of experience teaching and practicing tracking.

 *Note - purchase of a space in the evaluation does not guarantee certification (sufficient demonstration of skills warrants certification), but it does guarantee a challenging and rewarding learning process.

PDF Evaluation Flyer