Photo By Master Sgt. Tracy Korff | Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Tony Darden, a petroleum sergeant assigned to Headquarters...... read more read more
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - The thundering sounds of gunfire erupt and shatter the morning stillness. A hailstorm of bullets rip through the air dangerously close. A small armada of combat vehicles rumble across the battlefield, as a team of soldiers desperately search for cover and prepare to engage enemy combatants.
“Sgt. Allen look to your 12, do you see him?, do you see him?, you got him,” shouted Sgt. Michael Nobles, a motor transport operator assigned to the 362nd Quartermaster Battalion, 207th Regional Support Group, as he drove his vehicle across a simulated combat zone pointing out enemy combatants to his fellow soldiers.
Nobles, along with 12 other soldiers traveled to the Mission Training Complex in San Antonio, Texas, June 12, to participate in a virtually reality combat exercise as part of their annual training. The exercise is commonly referred to as a STAFFEX.
The MTC is specifically designed to train soldiers using simulation, virtual reality and Army battle command systems. Two of the systems the soldiers trained extensively on were Virtual Battle System 2 and the Dismounted Soldier Training System. Both of these virtual reality systems are similar to some of today’s most popular video games
“This is pretty much the same as Call of Duty,” said Sgt. Adam “A-Mo” Moore, operations noncommissioned officer and native of Warner Robins, Ga., assigned to the 362nd Qm Bn.
DSTS is a fully immersive virtual simulation training solution, which transfers soldiers natural movements to a virtual avatar within the system. A suit of wearable technology allows soldiers to see, hear, and communicate with members of their squad while using their entire body to perform complex maneuvers such as navigating an obstacle, low-crawling or using hand signals. The system operates in conjunction with VBS, allowing trainers to recreate a combat environment in realistic life-like detail.
“One of the biggest benefits of this system is the communication part of it,” said Jean Newman-O’Neill, a technical training professional from Computer Science Corporation, and a native of Jackson, N.J., “It gives soldiers the opportunity to develop their cognitive thinking skills.”
According to Moore, the training schedule for this AT was structured specifically to include these virtual reality systems as a way to also increase camaraderie among units.
“I wanted us to work on our communication and convoy skills,” said Moore. “I was familiar with VBS so I knew what to expect.”
Once realizing however that the DSTS system worked with VBS, Moore actively pursued this opportunity for the Soldiers in his unit to participate in this level of training.
“The VBS and DSTS systems provided our Soldiers with a realistic experience performing on the battlefield and reinforced the importance of rehearsing Troop Leading Procedures to ensure mission success,” said Master Sgt. Charles Norment, noncommissioned officer-in-charge, supply section, 362nd Qm Bn.
During their two-weeks of training at the MTC, the soldiers also trained on two additional systems: Command Post of the Future and Battle Command Support Sustainment System.
“They are asking the right questions,” said Jesus Partida, program analyst assigned to the MCT and a native of Acuña Coahuila. “They want to know how to use the training in their specific positions.”
Taking the knowledge they gained through the use of this technology will assist the soldiers in their environment through logistics or just remaining familiar with basic warrior training tasks.
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.19.2013 13:32 |
| Story ID: | 108887 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSON, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Hometown: | WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 353 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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