Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic wrapped up production on a set of technical training video programs designed for Sailors on how to perform network troubleshooting and maintenance in the fleet.
In response to fleet training requirements, The Navy’s Tactical Networks Program Office (PMW 160) tasked NIWC Atlantic to produce technical training videos in support of Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES).
The CANES Tech Tube videos are designed to provide shipboard CANES administrators with readily accessible training on how to perform system level maintenance and network troubleshooting without risk to the operational environment. The videos center on both common and complex tasks CANES administrators will encounter in their day-to-day duties, and come without the expense of travel and training equipment.
“The videos focus on performing step-by-step procedures for removing or replacing hardware components, conducting software systems administration, configuration, and provides technical notes and safety tips,” said Chuck Mitchell, a NIWC Atlantic CANES project manager. “Availability of the videos better supports day-to-day operations with a ready source for onboard self-training.”
Sailors can access these video teaching aids from the widely used Navy C4I SAILOR website, and download them to local shipboard workstations for ready reference and onboard training. The videos have been and will continue to be integrated into other training venues in the fleet and in the schoolhouse..
Two NIWC Atlantic personnel, two contractor production staffers and three support subject matter experts from the Network Integration Engineering Facility (NIEF) Atlantic and NIWC In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA), provided assistance to the video production team in the forms of actors and on-screen assistants.
“We applied the knowledge, experience and lessons learned from the first set of [Tech Tube] training videos we did for CANES, in an effort to make these current videos more efficient and effective for the fleet Sailor,” said Brian Douglass, CANES Tech Tube video producer and director.
The initial Tech Tube video effort was well-received by the fleet and the technical community has requested additional video products that can be incorporated into other CANES technical documentation, such as an interactive electronic technical manual.
According to Douglass, the design, development, production and programming activities are segmented into five phases using a local “Create CANES Training Video Process” that takes approximately 150 days to create and deliver 12 training videos.
“There is a real sense of job satisfaction and professional fulfillment among our development team knowing we are producing helpful training aids that will directly benefit the shipboard Sailors,” said Esther Cushman, NIWC Atlantic CANES training lead.
According to Cushman, the unique synergy between NIWC Atlantic, NIEF Atlantic, ISEA, fleet Sailors and experienced contractors creates a truly cross-functional effort, and allows her team to respond quickly with quality training products in a rapid deployment environment.
“Today’s young professionals are well acquainted and very comfortable with interactive video learning,” said Cushman. “Social media and commercial internet browser platforms are the knowledge repositories of today’s youth and the Navy recognizes this trend and is moving in that direction where appropriate.”
As a part of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.