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FORT STEWART, Ga. - Soldiers from Fort Stewart and Hunter
Army Airfield, GA participated in a training event on Dec.
16-19, 2013 which fielded the Live, Virtual,
Constructive-Integrating Architecture.
LVC-IA is
part of the Army's Integrated Training Environment, and was
integrated along with the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical
Trainer (AVCATT), the Close Combat Tactical Trainer and the
Mission Training Complex to provide the virtual environment
for “Operation Boar”.
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Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment,
participate in the fielding of the Live, Virtual,
Constructive-Integrating Architecture at the Close Combat Tactical
Trainer at Evans Army Airfield outside of Fort Stewart, GA on Dec.
18, 2013. (Photo by Sgt. William Begley, 3rd CAB Public Affairs)
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The fruits of all three assets
were combined, and provided leaders with the ability to
deliver virtual training to aviators, boots on the ground
infantry soldiers using the Homestation Instrumentation
Training System and tankers. The training gave the soldiers
the opportunity to test their mental agility, versatility,
and adaptability in a safe environment.
Maj. John
Culpepper, simulations operations officer, 3rd CAB, was
excited about fielding the training on Fort Stewart/HAAF.
“We'll now have the capability here at Fort Stewart to
incorporate training that involves live soldiers wearing
HITS gear, it provides the location of the soldier, so that
the soldier's location can be translated into the virtual
world,” said Culpepper. “So now those operators that are
operating tanks or helicopters in a virtual environment can
see that live soldier moving around. Until now all you could
see in the AVCATT was other aircraft. We now have the
capability to link together these two virtual systems where
you will have live soldiers flying aircraft, and live
soldiers on the ground operating armored vehicles and they
can begin to coordinate and work together.”
While
Culpepper believes that live training is always preferred,
there are advantages to virtual training; advantages like
saving on the cost of training and being able to have the
virtual equivalent of a live fire exercise, but in a much
safer and controlled environment.
“Not only is it
safer, now we are not limited by the live environment. We
are not affected by weather,” continued Culpepper. “Virtual
has a number of advantages that allow it to be used not only
in a fiscally strained environment, but also just in routine
training. Specifically, the ability to record what's going
on for After Action Review purposes. You have video and
audio playback so the commander can hear how the crews are
commanding and controlling their elements.”
Chief
Warrant Officer 2 Jesse Olmstead, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot
with Company A, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment
commented on the training he received in the AVCATT.
“I think it's great, it's a good way to incorporate everyone
working together as a team,” said Olmstead. “It's a really
good integration tool. It's definitely valuable training in
my opinion. It's something we don't get to do on a regular
basis here at home in garrison.”
Imagine the cost,
the logistical nightmare, and the risk assessment involved
in having every type of aircraft in the brigade all flying
at the same time loaded with personnel and Hellfire missiles
and other munitions supporting soldiers on the ground in M1
Abrams tanks, Bradleys, and other wheeled vehicles
supporting a dismounted infantry battalion. With the LVC-IA,
it is now possible to do this in a virtual environment
almost as often as the commander would like. Only now
instead of worrying about budgeting for fuel, bullets and
missiles, the commander can now just budget for time. But
some may wonder about how realistic the training can really
be.
According to Maj. Jon Meredith, training officer,
1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, it's very realistic.
Meredith played the role of the tactical commander at the
CCTT. His team had a unique experience in the virtual
training environment.
“That eight kilometer Hellfire
shot from the Apache the first day was awesome,” said
Meredith excitedly. “As the helicopter was firing, the guys
in the tanks in the CCTT were reporting that the helicopter
had just fired right above them. You could hear a little bit
of strain in the pilot's voices on the radio as they were
maneuvering around. It was very realistic.”
How
successful was the training? Meredith summed it up.
“It's like going to the field without having to go to the
field,” Meredith said.
By U.S. Army Sgt. William Begley
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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