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Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th
Engineer Brigade, participated in virtual foot patrol training using
the Dismounted Soldier Training System recently at Fort Leonard
Wood.
The DSTS is a virtual reality training system that
uses the soldiers' movements. Soldiers use specialized gear
including a motion-tracking system and realistic weapons, said Spc.
Russ Fitzenrider, a combat engineer assigned to the 35th Engineer
Brigade.
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June 16, 2015 - Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, Missouri National Guard, wait in a
darkened room to start a virtual mission using the Dismounted
Soldier Training System at Fort Leonard Wood. TThe DSTS translates
soldiers' movements into a simulated training environment where
soldiers can conduct foot patrols and clear buildings. (U.S. Army
photo by Pfc. Samantha J. Whitehead)
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“It puts Soldiers in a virtual world,” said Fitzenrider.
“If they take a knee, their character takes a knee inside
the simulation.”
Other Soldiers monitor the
simulation on desktop workstations where soldiers appear as
virtual avatars, said Fitzenrider. Platoon leaders watch the
simulation while Soldiers practice breaching tactics, foot
patrols, and other skills.
“It was cool to put the
goggles down and get a glimpse at what a real mission is
like,” said Spc. Ethan Brauch, a combat engineer with the
unit. “You can hear bugs flying past you and gunfire. It
makes you feel like you're actually part of it.”
A
big advantage of the virtual system is the reduction in the
costs of training, said Fitzenrider.
“Training like
this is actually a big deal because of the reduction in
costs,” said Fitzenrider. “When we go out to the field we
have to worry about fuel and transportation and ammunition.
We don't have to worry about any of that with this system.”
Soldiers can complete several iterations in a day, said
Fitzenrider. Soldiers complete missions in gear that
simulates what they would wear on an actual mission.
“There's a 20-pound backpack which simulates a rucksack,
the mount on the helmet simulates night vision goggles, and
the weapons are actual size,” said Brauch. “It feels like
you're going around on a real mission. We got to go through
towns and clear buildings.”
The virtual training is a
controlled environment that can put Soldiers in situations
similar to what they would experience on a deployment.
“It gives people an understanding of how to react under
fire and understand orders from squad leaders and team
leaders,” said Brauch. “It helps you work as a team and get
a full grasp of a realistic situation.”
The DSTS
isn't just a video game for soldiers – it creates a
realistic atmosphere that trains soldiers how to react and
builds confidence and familiarity with the environment, said
Fitzenrider.
“They get their hands on realistic
gear,” said Fitzenrider. “They're building muscle memory by
not just being at a computer.”
Units like the HHC of
the 35th Engineer Brigade don't get to train on Soldier
skills as often as other units because of their support
tasks, said Fitzenrider.
“For our combat engineers
to do things like this is a good substitute and really
rounds out our Soldiers,” said Fitzenrider.
By U.S. Army Pfc. Samantha J. Whitehead
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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