thedrifter
12-14-06, 05:25 AM
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Techdiv Marines show off gear
By 2nd Lt. Patrick Boyce
Press Officer
Marines from the Technology Division of Training and Education Command traveled to the 2006 Interservice⁄Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando, Fla., which lasted from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7.
At the conference, the TECOM Marines displayed several new modeling and simulation systems that should have a profound and positive effect on how vital training, especially as a deployable resource, will be conducted in the near future.
I⁄ITSEC is the largest simulation and modeling showcase and conference in the world, and since 1966 it has been the premier exhibition of new technologies aimed at increasing national security and providing realistic training systems to service members. Outside of NASA, the modeling and simulation industry is the nation’s largest employer of engineers and scientists.
The Marines from Techdiv met at I⁄ITSEC with Marine representatives from PM Training Systems, its acquisitions sponsor, and members of Cubic Defense Applications, the contractor that turned the requirements stemming from training gaps identified by Techdiv and Program Manager for Training Systems (PM TRASYS) into the actual software on display. This included Tactical Iraqi, a simulated training tool that allows Marines to hone language and cultural skills in dealing with Iraqi civilians.
Representatives from all branches of the armed forces, private industry, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and foreign nations, including Sweden, Australia and the U.K., unveiled their latest and greatest virtual training simulators throughout the immense conference floor, which allowed the many elements present to share ideas, establish connections and build off of one another’s successes.
‘‘We piggy-back with the Army on some of our items, and of course the Navy and even the Air Force,” said Lt. Col. Kevin O’Connor, a Marine representative from PM TRAYSIS, Techdiv’s acquisitions partner. ‘‘It’s definitely a shared environment.”
‘‘This is the one spot that everyone can show what they have to offer,” echoed Air Force 2nd Lt. Christopher Charest. ‘‘Instead of trying to build it ourselves we can see what others have to offer.”
The goals for the Marines at the conference were to showcase and demonstrate the Corp’s new technology capabilities, said Maj. Luis Velazquez, Techdiv.
‘‘This shows the Fleet Marine Force leadership and members of industry where the Marine Corps is at,” said Velazquez.
In particular the Marines wished to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Deployable Virtual Training Environment, a virtual simulator that allows Marines to practice training, including calling for fire, making small-unit tactical decisions, as well as providing close air support, training that could previously often only be done in the field, usually expending valuable time and resources.
‘‘It saves a lot of time, a lot of money, and a lot of personnel issues to be able to train this stuff,” said 1st Lt. Nathan Dmochowski, the Deployable Virtual Training Environment (DVTE) project officer for PM TRASYS. ‘‘The benefit is the deployable nature of this. Marines sit on a ship when they go for a float and they can’t really train call for fire, they can’t train their Standard Operating Procedures, they can’t train their communications piece. This really gives them a tool to do that.”
Like all the virtual training systems showcased by the Marines, DVTE was designed to be interoperable with U.S. Joint Forces Command according to agreed upon standards and protocols, which means it is not Marine Corps exclusive but can be used by all facets of the Armed Forces.
Representatives from all the Armed Forces stopped by the Marine kiosk to check out what the Corps had to offer this year and compare it to what they were also working on.
‘‘The Marine Corps is doing the closest thing to what we are trying to do,” said Vincent Taijeron, an instructor at the warfighting simulation center at the United States Military Academy at West Point, ‘‘so it is natural for me to come over here and find out what you guys are doing and we see what we could use. That’s the biggest benefit, seeing what others are doing.”
‘‘It’s good, it’s impressive,” said Navy Lt. JG. Ryan Rippeon, after seeing for himself what DVTE could do. ‘‘The physics of everything is included.”
DVTE and many of the other virtual trainers not only attracted members of the U.S. Armed Forces, but foreign officers as well, who are similarly training to face the threat of global terrorism.
‘‘(I came) to discover the companies with the other countries and maybe to share some experiences and some information, sometimes we have the same issue,” said Lt. Col. Philippe Susnajara of the French Marines. ‘‘It’s necessary to prepare our guys, especially for the smaller unit leaders to help make better decision making processes.”
‘‘It’s been a success, we’ve accomplished our mission,” said Edwin Conmy, a representative from Cubic Defense Applications, about how the Marines did in demonstrating the capabilities of the virtual training simulations, the impact of which will be felt as these new technologies become disseminated throughout the Corps.
However, I⁄ITSEC was more than just a demonstration of technological breakthroughs, but also a sterling example of cooperation among the U.S. Armed Forces and allied nations, exemplifying the one cause, one fight mentality.
For more information about the Interservice⁄Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, visit the web site at www.iitsec.org.
Ellie
Techdiv Marines show off gear
By 2nd Lt. Patrick Boyce
Press Officer
Marines from the Technology Division of Training and Education Command traveled to the 2006 Interservice⁄Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando, Fla., which lasted from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7.
At the conference, the TECOM Marines displayed several new modeling and simulation systems that should have a profound and positive effect on how vital training, especially as a deployable resource, will be conducted in the near future.
I⁄ITSEC is the largest simulation and modeling showcase and conference in the world, and since 1966 it has been the premier exhibition of new technologies aimed at increasing national security and providing realistic training systems to service members. Outside of NASA, the modeling and simulation industry is the nation’s largest employer of engineers and scientists.
The Marines from Techdiv met at I⁄ITSEC with Marine representatives from PM Training Systems, its acquisitions sponsor, and members of Cubic Defense Applications, the contractor that turned the requirements stemming from training gaps identified by Techdiv and Program Manager for Training Systems (PM TRASYS) into the actual software on display. This included Tactical Iraqi, a simulated training tool that allows Marines to hone language and cultural skills in dealing with Iraqi civilians.
Representatives from all branches of the armed forces, private industry, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and foreign nations, including Sweden, Australia and the U.K., unveiled their latest and greatest virtual training simulators throughout the immense conference floor, which allowed the many elements present to share ideas, establish connections and build off of one another’s successes.
‘‘We piggy-back with the Army on some of our items, and of course the Navy and even the Air Force,” said Lt. Col. Kevin O’Connor, a Marine representative from PM TRAYSIS, Techdiv’s acquisitions partner. ‘‘It’s definitely a shared environment.”
‘‘This is the one spot that everyone can show what they have to offer,” echoed Air Force 2nd Lt. Christopher Charest. ‘‘Instead of trying to build it ourselves we can see what others have to offer.”
The goals for the Marines at the conference were to showcase and demonstrate the Corp’s new technology capabilities, said Maj. Luis Velazquez, Techdiv.
‘‘This shows the Fleet Marine Force leadership and members of industry where the Marine Corps is at,” said Velazquez.
In particular the Marines wished to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Deployable Virtual Training Environment, a virtual simulator that allows Marines to practice training, including calling for fire, making small-unit tactical decisions, as well as providing close air support, training that could previously often only be done in the field, usually expending valuable time and resources.
‘‘It saves a lot of time, a lot of money, and a lot of personnel issues to be able to train this stuff,” said 1st Lt. Nathan Dmochowski, the Deployable Virtual Training Environment (DVTE) project officer for PM TRASYS. ‘‘The benefit is the deployable nature of this. Marines sit on a ship when they go for a float and they can’t really train call for fire, they can’t train their Standard Operating Procedures, they can’t train their communications piece. This really gives them a tool to do that.”
Like all the virtual training systems showcased by the Marines, DVTE was designed to be interoperable with U.S. Joint Forces Command according to agreed upon standards and protocols, which means it is not Marine Corps exclusive but can be used by all facets of the Armed Forces.
Representatives from all the Armed Forces stopped by the Marine kiosk to check out what the Corps had to offer this year and compare it to what they were also working on.
‘‘The Marine Corps is doing the closest thing to what we are trying to do,” said Vincent Taijeron, an instructor at the warfighting simulation center at the United States Military Academy at West Point, ‘‘so it is natural for me to come over here and find out what you guys are doing and we see what we could use. That’s the biggest benefit, seeing what others are doing.”
‘‘It’s good, it’s impressive,” said Navy Lt. JG. Ryan Rippeon, after seeing for himself what DVTE could do. ‘‘The physics of everything is included.”
DVTE and many of the other virtual trainers not only attracted members of the U.S. Armed Forces, but foreign officers as well, who are similarly training to face the threat of global terrorism.
‘‘(I came) to discover the companies with the other countries and maybe to share some experiences and some information, sometimes we have the same issue,” said Lt. Col. Philippe Susnajara of the French Marines. ‘‘It’s necessary to prepare our guys, especially for the smaller unit leaders to help make better decision making processes.”
‘‘It’s been a success, we’ve accomplished our mission,” said Edwin Conmy, a representative from Cubic Defense Applications, about how the Marines did in demonstrating the capabilities of the virtual training simulations, the impact of which will be felt as these new technologies become disseminated throughout the Corps.
However, I⁄ITSEC was more than just a demonstration of technological breakthroughs, but also a sterling example of cooperation among the U.S. Armed Forces and allied nations, exemplifying the one cause, one fight mentality.
For more information about the Interservice⁄Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, visit the web site at www.iitsec.org.
Ellie