Field Research-Interview
>
> Research Question:
> How are virtual reality and simulator programs changing the way
> we are trained and educated for the working environment?
>
> Interviewee: LT. Josh Bean
>
> Interview Questions:
> 1. Tell me a little about your background (education/training) and
> current position in the military?
I have 9 1/2 years in the PA Guard with my first 5 yrs as an enlisted soldier. I am currently a 1st LT in B Btry 1/107FA and acting as the executive officer, 1PLT LDR and Btry FDO with several other extra duties. I have completed a 16month deployment, 12months of which were spent in Ramadi Iraq as a Fire Support Officer and 6months of pre-deployment training in Camp Shelby Mississippi. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Gannon University. I have completed airborne school, Paladin Commanders Course, Bradley Fire Support Team Commanders Course, and several war fighters and other operator level courses.
> 2. What kinds of simulator programs do you have experience with And what was there purpose?
War fighters which are primarily used at levels above BDE to simulate scenarios for high level commanders to deal with in a controlled environment. The soldiers are simulated with computers so it does not take the entire BDE or DIV assets to complete these scenarios. It would be way too expensive for these to happen with all of the soldiers present.
TEWT (Tactical Exercise Without Troops) this is extremely beneficial to battle staff officers to understand the actual lay of the land and how it affects their mission planning process. It is used at BN level and above and usually for staff officers only, they actually get to go out on the battlefield without their soldiers or an enemy.
Paint Ball, sub munitions and MILES Gear (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) , all are used to simulate real world scenarios at levels of BN and lower by simulating real time injuries/death.
VCOTT (Vehicle Convoy Operations Tactical Trainer) is used to simulate a convey of 4 vehicles which gives individual soldiers the practice they need to command and control convoys.
STX (Squad Tactical Exercises) are designed for individual squads to focus solely on individual soldier tasks.
3D gamming such as HALO, Quake and several others are used to develop team work and communication between soldiers in a non-lethal laid back environment.
> 3. Do you feel simulator programs accurately portray real life
> scenarios?
Yes. They are a great tool used to simulate scenarios and can easily simulate the fear or emotional stress that is usually associated with real life combat operations. They force soldiers and commanders to develop themselves from thinking about there actions to simply reacting. This allows leaders at all levels to command and control the overall situation at their level rather than directing individual soldiers.
> 4. With your experience, do you feel simulators are beneficial to
> training? If so, how?
They are extremely beneficial not only to training but as assessment tools for commanders to determine the preparedness of their units. There is absolutely no way to prepare a soldier 100% for what they will face on the battlefield. Simulators force soldiers to go from an assessing, thinking, doing role to a fast violent rapid reaction role. Placing soldiers into unknown scenarios that are less than lethal will allow them to become more accustomed to the massive amounts of information they must process in a very short time period. Doing these scenarios over and over forces their body to memorize unnatural movements as life saving skills. For example, most civilians will panic and run away when being shot at; soldiers on the other hand take cover, identify the threat and eliminate it. This is not something you can simply cover in a classroom environment because it defies all logic of self preservation. These actions do not mean a soldier wants to die, it simply means they want to eliminate the threat ensuring their survival.
> 5. Do you think virtual reality and simulator programs take away
> the serious aspect of training? People’s mentality of “It’s just a
> game”.
This is an excellent question, and my answer is no. It allows a soldier to mentally separate his emotions from his physical actions. During virtual simulations you will never here anybody say “Kill Him” or “Destroy the people” but you will hear, “target acquired, target eliminated, threat eliminated.” Soldiers have enough of a burden completing their basic tasks; they do not need an emotional connection to the enemy. It is much easier to think of the enemy simply as a target in a game rather than a live human being even though they want to take your life. Simulators are designed to be game like for this very reason, a good leader can always make it more challenging if required. You can deprive your soldiers of sleep and food, use simulated grenades, smoke, tear gas and many other types of simulators to stimulate the physical dangers of a real life mission in the “game” environment.
6. How do you think military training has changed with the
> vast improvements in technology? (what was it like before compared
> to now?)
When I first got into the Army simulations were literally simulated, there was no real aspect to the training. You would have an (OC) observer controller controlling every aspect of the training. They would blow a whistle for incoming artillery or say “you have been shot in the leg” or “ambush left, ambush right”. Today this is all done with an interactive computer that can adjust to what the soldiers are doing and force them to adapt to a changing enemy. As technology increases so will the complexity and effectiveness of our simulators ability to stimulate the actual five senses on a human.
> 7. What do you think would improve the effectiveness of virtual
> reality and simulator programs?
> Making it cost effective so it can be used all the time, as it stands now most of the technology is so expensive it is reserved for those deploying into an active combat zone. During my 6 months of pre-mobilization training is when I was privileged to use advanced simulators. It would have been much more effective if I had been using them on a regular basis to prepare myself for combat. Another improvement would be a way to stimulate the senses of soldiers with sight, sound, smell, feel and the physical aspect of a combat environment.
Follow up questions.
1. Approximately how much does m-16 ammunition cost?
$42.00 for 1,000 m-16 rounds
2. Approximately how much does a 155mm round cost?
$1,000 for 1 155mm HE round