Tracking Resources-Atlantic Coast

The  Joel Hardin Professional Tracking Services (JHPTS) Tracking Program

The JHPTS program is the result of thirty-plus years of tracking mission and training experience built by Joel Hardin.  You can learn more about JHPTS by visiting Joel’s website at:

https://www.jhardin-inc.com/web/

 “Professional trackers must employ numerous factors apart from the physical action of seeing sign to be fully successful.  A complete training program must therefore provide all essential elements to enable students to achieve success.  In addition to field training, program curriculum will include, but not be limited to the following;  obtaining mission-critical information, understanding proper SAR and ICS management functions and operations,  note taking and report writing to properly document mission activity and participation, team building, tracking tactics and techniques, etc.”                                      Joel C. Hardin



JHPTS CERTIFICATOIN LEVELS:

NOVICE:

AN INTRODUCTION TO JHPTS

THE TRACKING TRAINING PROGRAM

JHPTS acknowledges that the JHPTS program identifies each student new to the training program as a Novice student.  The Novice learning level acquaints each student with the JHPTS concept of professional tracking and how that differs from the usual understanding. Many experienced trackers enter the JHPTS training program as a Novice.  They may have extensive tracking experience, but are listed as Novices due to the unfamiliarity with the tenets and methods of the JHPTS Program.

However, the JHPTS program presumes that every Novice student comes to their first JHPTS sanctioned or In House introduction class with little or no knowledge of what we do, how we do it, or what they will be able to achieve through training in the program.



BASIC LEVEL TRACKER:

The First learning stage: 

LEARNING TO SEE SIGN

This Basic training stage encompasses all persons interests, objectives, and purposes. This is the first stage of learning to see and recognize the physical evidence of the presence or passage of humans.  Students learn to see that which others look at, but do not see, to recognize what human sign is, and to believe that wherever anyone walks they create sign.

This level of training expands the tracker’s awareness to learn about and deal with inter-personal team member issues, elements of sign cutting, sign recognition components, the beginnings of more complex aging of sign, what sign maker characteristics are and how they tell the story.

APPRENTICE LEVEL TRACKER:

The Second learning stage: 

LEARNING TO USE TRACKING TECHNIQUES

The Apprentice Tracker training is well known and respected as the longest, most in-depth section of training of the four certifications,  Students requesting entry into this three level mentored training stage acknowledge the fundamental beliefs necessary to develop tracking knowledge and skills. Students understand and accept that tracking knowledge and skills are the product of long-term training, mentoring, and supervised practice techniques applications

Apprentice training is primarily the process of ensuring that the basic JHPTS tracking information, history, methodology, practices and principles are so well cemented in the students mind that response as such is sub-conscious, full and complete. Advanced formal training begins in learning and understanding when, where, and how to apply which tracking techniques are proper to a particular event.  These advanced tracking practices, techniques and tactics each have hundreds of possible variations which must be  personally experienced by the student tracker in order to be recognized and know.  More complex sign aging issues and situations become a regular part of training.



JOURNEYMAN LEVEL TRACKER:

The third learning stage: 

ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL TRACKING SUCCESS

The Journeyman Tracker learns how to put together all the training that he has received up to this point.  This learning stage encompasses the broad spectrum of in-depth education to sufficiently equip the tracker to reason and professionally affect successful solutions to most tracking situations.  He must exhibit and demonstrate leadership competence and full confidence in his knowledge and skill applications.

SIGNCUTTER:

“Sign Cutter” is the historical U.S. Border Patrol term and title denoting those persons having reached the level of knowledge, a broad spectrum of tactical experience, and peer level recognition of superior tracking skill equating to a Master Tracker.  The term “master” has many definitions; exceptionally gifted or skilled in an art, craft or science; one who has achieved the status of a highly skilled workman or craftsman qualified to follow their trade independently and usually to supervise the work of others; a teacher, instructor, supervisor, an expert, one possessing great executive ability; one who is vigorously bold or authoritative in conduct, decision, and manner. All of these definitions are appropriate to describe those awarded the JHPTS Maser Tracker, Sign Cutter certification.