We did the same thing aboard ship... wrap a boot up in aluminum foil and have him sprint up and down the pier to calibrate the radar. Go look for a bucket of steam or propwash, or the keys to the sea chest, or go get a BM1 punch from Bos'uns Mate First Class Soandso, find me 10 meters of gigline or 30 meters of shoreline, etc., etc.
Did the same kinda thing in Army Basic course. Send the newbie 2d Lts back to the deuce and a half to get the correct box of grid squares for the map field exercise....