WAR GAMES - YES, THIS IS A CONTROVERSIAL HEADLINE

WAR IS NO GAME, GRANTED. 

HOWEVER, HAVE YOU SEEN THE RECENT DEBATE ABOUT VIDEO GAMES AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD INCLUDE LIFE-LIKE BATTLES IN PLACES LIKE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN?

ANY THOUGHTS?

WELL, ILLINOIS SOLDIERS ARE USING SOPHISTICATED VIRTUAL REALITY GAMES TO PREPARE FOR WAR.  THAT IS NO GAME.

THE FOLLOWING PICTURES AND ARTICLE WERE SUBMITTED BY ARMY CADETS CALE FULTON AND ALANNA CASEY.

SIMULATOR PROVIDES TROOPS WITH COMBAT CONVOY EXPERIENCE

By Cadet Cale Fulton, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MARSEILLES – There are not many jobs where you can play a sophisticated virtual reality video game and get paid for it, but Illinois Soldiers had that opportunity June 7 during its annual training.

The 232nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, based in Springfield, trained on the Virtual Convoy Operator Trainer (VCOT) at the Illinois Army National Guard’s Marseilles Training Center.  The 232nd includes the 1344th Transportation Company based in East St. Louis and the 1544th Transportation Company based in Paris, as well as maintenance units in North Riverside and Springfield.

The VCOT is a tool that allows up to 10 Soldiers to participate in a simulated convoy mission.  The convoy consists of four humvees and includes drivers, turret gunners and a convoy commander.  Soldiers don head monitoring devices that allow them to see 360 degrees in the virtual environment.

“The VCOT has more than 300 adaptable scenarios and operators can change variables each ‘mission,’ making for a unique experience each go-around,” said Ed Voss, the Illinois Guard’s Training Aids, Devices Simulations and Simulators Facilitator.

Gunners are immersed into the experience of a combat convoy mission through a helmet that shows what they would see all around them during a patrol. The stations for drivers include all the truck’s controls. The station for gunners includes any number of weapons a truck gunner might have, including machine guns or automatic grenade launchers.

“It gives you the ability to get into a virtual simulation and trains you to react to a hostile situation,” said Capt. Bradley Roach, of Bloomington, commander of East St. Louis’ 1344th Transportation Company.

Sgt. Joshua Hayes of Edwardsville said the training as very realistic.  “Even though it was a simulated task, I wanted to perform as though I was in country,” said Hayes, also of the 1344th Transportation Company.

“Not only is it excellent training, but the troops get a kick out of it,” said Lt. Col. Drew Dukett, of Roodhouse, the 232nd commander. “The troops get to do something fun and different than the usual training.” 

During their two weeks of annual training, May 31 through June 12, the battalion is also slated to do a 12-mile road march, an obstacle course, an Army Physical Fitness Test, convoy training on the roads, and urban warfare training with paintball guns.

 
Photo by U.S. Army Cadet Alanna Casey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Spc. Phillip J. Bryan of Desota fights it out with the enemy as a gunner in the Virtual Convoy Operator Trainer at Marseilles Training Center. Bryan is a Soldier with the 1344th Transportation Company in East St. Louis.

Photo by U.S. Army Cadet Alanna Casey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/  Pvt. Brenda Turner of St. Louis prepares to mow down the enemy with a machine gun while Sgt. Chayla Washington of Cakonia drives through hostile territory as they team up on the Virtual Convoy Operations Trainer at Marseilles Training Center. Both Soldiers are with the Illinois Army National Guard’s 1344th Transportation Company based in East St. Louis.

Comments

[Eve Accounts]

Well said...war is no game and as it is in real life also in the cyber world it needs to be learnt and mastered and the strategies understood.

[Everquest Accounts]

Yes not a bad strategy though...because when the strategies are chalked out it is easier to win a game.