Virtual Battle Space 3

 

 

 

Virtual Battlespace 3, or VBS3, is the Army’s flagship training game. It is a tactical training and mission rehearsal, three-dimensional, first-person military training simulation program. Facilitated by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Combined Arms Center-Training, VBS3 provides an immersive, visually rich gaming environment with flexible scenario and terrain options and includes more realistic graphics than previous versions. VBS3 has been accredited to support more than 102 combined arms training tasks, from the individual Soldier level to company collective. Below are some of the tasks units and leaders can perform in VBS3:

Watch:  Gaming is serious business:  TRADOC Now!

• — Integrate indirect fire support
• — Conduct an attack
• — Conduct a defense
• — Establish an observation post
• — Enter and clear a building
• — Breach an obstacle
• — Conduct route reconnaissance
• — Conduct convoy security
• — Conduct a roadblock and checkpoint
• — Conduct an artillery raid
• — Perform tactical air movement missions

What has the Army done?

VBS3 is the latest version of Virtual Battlespace, the Army’s premier first-person simulation game. VBS3 has increased capabilities that reflect the transition of the Army toward decisive action operations and an expeditionary mindset. Previous versions reflected the operational environments in Iraq and Afghanistan with a counterinsurgency focus. VBS3 retains this counterinsurgency capability and provides higher-fidelity combined arms scenarios. The training support packages that are available with VBS3 are being updated to reflect the Decisive Action Training Environment.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The Army is adopting the VBS3 game engine in several simulators to include the Dismounted Soldier Training System and the Close Combat Tactical Trainer. Using a common game engine to provide the image generation simplifies integration of simulators and facilitates larger exercises using multiple simulations.

Why is this important to the Army?

VBS3 facilitates less expensive, more efficient live-training events by allowing Soldiers and leaders to exercise on a variety of tasks at the “crawl” and “walk” levels of proficiency. VBS3 enables Soldiers and leaders to enter their training event at a higher level of readiness, reducing the resources required to achieve proficiency. The software is free to authorized users under an Army enterprise license and can be downloaded off of the MilGaming website. The site requires a common access card and explains the minimum computer system requirements needed to download VBS3.

Resources:

• Combined Arms Center-Training
• U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
• Army Training Network 
• MILGAMING – Supporting Games for Training
• Milsuite
• Related STAND-TO!:  Army Training Network
• Related article: Latest ‘Virtual Battle Space’ release adds realism to scenarios, avatars
• Related video: U.S. Army Dismounted Soldier Training System
• Social Media: Army Training Network on Facebook

The U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School

 

 

 

U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School, as part of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, is one of the most recognizable courses in the Army. This year marks the school’s 50th anniversary.

Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who graduate from the school are considered consummate professionals and the epitome of Soldiers. The iconic campaign hats, along with the distinctive Drill Sergeant Badge, are recognized by service members and civilians as the symbols of high standards.

Drill sergeants are responsible for coaching, counseling and mentoring thousands of trainees as they transform from civilians to a combat-ready Soldiers.

Watch:  50th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School

What has the Army done?

The creation of drill sergeant schools marked the beginning of a new concept to improve the caliber of NCOs assigned to training centers and the quality of instruction provided to new recruits.

The first school was established at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in September 1964. Regional drill sergeant schools were developed under the headquarters of the Continental Army Command. Women were included into the drill sergeant program in February 1972 when six NCOs from the Women’s Army Corps enrolled in the course at Fort Jackson, S.C. Female drill sergeant graduates proudly wear the distinctive bush hat, developed for women in 1971.

All drill sergeant schools consolidated at Fort Jackson in October 2007, and the new U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School opened in February 2011. Course graduates are assigned duty as a drill sergeant in initial entry training units.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

On May 6, South Carolina, home of the Drill Sergeant School, adopted a resolution to honor and commend drill sergeants for their outstanding service, congratulate the program on its 50th anniversary and declare Sept.10, 2014, as Army Drill Sergeant Recognition Day.

The U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training (USACIMT) is recognizing the vast accomplishments and professionalism of the drill sergeant through a ceremony honoring past, present and future drill sergeants Sept. 12, 2014, at Fort Jackson. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Drill Sergeant of the Year (DSOY) and Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sergeant of the Year (PSOY) competition. USACIMT will continue to host the annual ceremony every September at Fort Jackson in conjunction with the DSOY/PSOY competition to pay tribute to qualified drill sergeants.

Why is this important to the Army?

Drill Sergeant School can have a profound effect on an NCO’s career. Duty as a drill sergeant is personally and professionally rewarding. A drill sergeant is a symbol of excellence in initial entry training, is an expert in all warrior tasks and battle drills, lives the Army Values, exemplifies the Warrior Ethos, and most importantly, is the epitome of the Army Profession.

Resources:

• U.S. Army Drill Sergeant
• Fort Jackson, S.C.
• U.S. Army Drill Sergeant on Facebook
• The U.S. Army Values website
• Related STAND-TO!:  – Instructor Development and Recognition Program
• – Army Values
• – America’s Army – Our Profession
• – The Army Profession
• Related Documents:  – TRADOC Regulation 350: Enlisted Initial Entry Training Policies And Administration
• – Department of the Army Form 4187 – (Request course attendance through Human Resources Command)

 

First Soldiers awarded the Army Instructor Badge

 

 

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (July 25, 2014) — Seven Soldiers made Army history when they became the first instructors to receive the Army Instructor Badge during a recognition ceremony in Alexandria, July 17.

The instructors were recognized by the Army chief of staff and sergeant major of the Army for their participation in U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Instructor Development and Recognition Program.

The purpose of the IDRP, designed by TRADOC’s Institute for Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development, is to coach, mentor and train instructors who teach at non-commissioned officer academies throughout the Army.

“Our Soldiers are the best at what they do because of the training they receive from world-class instructors,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, TRADOC’s command sergeant major and narrator for the IDRP ceremony. “These first seven Army Instructor Badge recipients represent the thousands of dedicated professionals in our Army who teach, coach and mentor tomorrow’s future leaders.”

In addition to recognizing the first Soldiers to participate in the IDRP, the ceremony served as a foundation on which the Army can promote instructor achievement through personal and professional growth, inspiring others to do the same, said Master Sgt. Elsi Inoa-Santos, IDRP manager.

“This award codifies and recognizes hard work,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brian Ditzler, an Army Instructor Badge recipient from the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Ditzler, who currently has 16 years of service with two years as an instructor at the Henry Caro NCO Academy, said the badge is more than the individual recognition; it symbolizes the team effort of developing the backbone of America’s Army.

“This is not just for me, but for my team and all the hard work they have been putting in to develop NCOs who come through the NCO academy,” he said.

The first seven instructors to receive the Army Instructor badge are:

– Sgt. 1st Class Michael Brown, U.S. Army Quarter Master Corps, Fort Lee, Virginia

– Sgt. 1st Class Brian Ditzler, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Georgia

– Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Johnson, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Fort Eustis, Virginia

– Staff Sgt. Justin Scott Ross, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, National Guard, Starke, Florida

– Sgt. 1st Class Jacqueline Sauve, U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, Fort Huachuca, Arizona

– Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Villareal, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

– Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Vann, U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence Fort Gordon, Georgia

Army Reserve needs Drill Sergeants: TRADOC Now!

Do you have the desire and discipline to be a drill sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve?  A new initiative is looking to recruit talented sergeants through sergeants first class and select E-4’s to become the next trainers, coaches and mentors in the Army Reserve.

Army needs tough, realistic training

Lt. Gen. Robert B. Brown said training and educating Soldiers will be the keys to the Army’s future.

Brown, commanding general of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, delivered the keynote speech at the Training and Education 2025 and Beyond Industry Forum. The forum was held Wednesday and Thursday, here.

The forum provided industry representatives with an opportunity to understand the Army’s future needs so industry can provide the Army with the right tools to train and educate Soldiers. The event was hosted by the Combined Arms Center-Training, Fort Leavenworth.

Brown contrasted how the Army benefited in Desert Storm from the fielding of the Bradley, Abrams and Apache with the qualities the Army will need in 2025 and beyond.

“The majority of that (Desert Storm) effort was a revolution in big-ticket items,” Brown said. He acknowledged that development of network and cyber systems will be important, but not as critical as past materiel programs.

“They will not lead us,” he said. “What will lead us is the human dimension: how we train Soldiers, how we educate Soldiers and how we assess Soldiers to really optimize the human performance. Those areas will be absolutely keys for our revolution in the future.”

Yet some imperatives will remain constant.

“We need tough, realistic training,” Brown said. “That’s what saves lives.”

To prepare Soldiers, the Army is improving home station training through exercises that combine live, virtual and constructive training, Brown said. Panelists at the forum discussed how the Army is moving to enhance this type of training.

He said the Army must learn how to deliver training and educational materials at the point of need, which means making them accessible on mobile devices.

Brown compared how he learned as a young Soldier with how young Soldiers learn today. Brown said he relied on reading doctrine and field manuals.

To train and develop the next generation of Army leaders, the force has to use videos, podcasts, simulations, gaming and other innovations, he said.

At the forum, panelists discussed the Army’s efforts to deliver materials to Soldiers when and wherever they need them.

Brown urged industry representatives to design new systems that are easy to learn and easy to operate, which will allow Soldiers to focus on accomplishing the mission. This issue of trainability was the subject of another forum panel.

“If we work together,” Brown told the industry representatives. “We will get the right training and educational tools to remain the best Army in the world.”

50th Anniversary of the Drill Sergeant School

U.S. Army Drill Sergeant, as part of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, is one of the most recognizable courses in the Army. This year marks the school’s 50th anniversary.

What is it?

U.S. Army Drill Sergeant, as part of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, is one of the most recognizable courses in the Army. This year marks the school’s 50th anniversary.

Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) who graduate from the school are considered consummate professionals and the epitome of Soldiers. The iconic campaign hats, along with the distinctive Drill Sergeant Badge, are recognized by service members and civilians as the symbols of high standards.

Drill sergeants are responsible for coaching, counseling and mentoring thousands of trainees as they transform from civilians to a combat-ready Soldiers.

What has the Army done?

The creation of drill sergeant schools marked the beginning of a new concept to improve the caliber of NCOs assigned to training centers and the quality of instruction provided to new recruits.

The first school was established at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in September 1964. Regional drill sergeant schools were developed under the headquarters of the Continental Army Command. Women were included into the drill sergeant program in February 1972 when six NCOs from the Women’s Army Corps enrolled in the course at Fort Jackson, S.C. Female drill sergeant graduates proudly wear the distinctive bush hat, developed for women in 1971.

All drill sergeant schools consolidated at Fort Jackson in October 2007, and the new U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School opened in February 2011. Course graduates are assigned duty as a drill sergeant in initial entry training units.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

On May 6, South Carolina, home of the Drill Sergeant School, adopted a resolution to honor and commend drill sergeants for their outstanding service, congratulate the program on its 50th anniversary and declare Sept.10, 2014, as Army Drill Sergeant Recognition Day.

The U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training (USACIMT) is recognizing the vast accomplishments and professionalism of the drill sergeant through a ceremony honoring past, present and future drill sergeants Sept. 12, 2014, at Fort Jackson. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Drill Sergeant of the Year (DSOY) and Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sergeant of the Year (PSOY) competition. USACIMT will continue to host the annual ceremony every September at Fort Jackson in conjunction with the DSOY/PSOY competition to pay tribute to qualified drill sergeants.

Why is this important to the Army?

Drill Sergeant School can have a profound effect on an NCO’s career. Duty as a drill sergeant is personally and professionally rewarding. A drill sergeant is a symbol of excellence in initial entry training, is an expert in all warrior tasks and battle drills, lives the Army Values, exemplifies the Warrior Ethos, and most importantly, is the epitome of the Army Profession.

50th Anniversary of Drill Sergeant School

2014 is the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant School.  The school, conducted by TRADOC, is one of the most recognizable courses in the Army.  First established in 1964, the school is now located at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Graduates are responsible for training coaching, counseling, and mentoring thousands of soldiers each year.

 

55 year-old completes BCT, now Army Strong

BY MELISSA BUCKLEY

Sgt. 1st Class John Taffe stands with fellow Soldiers before entering Baker Theater for BCT graduation May 29.
Photo credit: Mrs. Melissa K Buckley (Leonard Wood)

 

Most people probably picture a person in their late teens or early 20s when one hears of a Soldier completing Basic Combat Training.

A 55-year-old has shattered that image on Fort Leonard Wood.

Sgt. 1st Class John Taffe, a former Sailor, walked across the Baker Theater stage, officially beginning his Army career, May 29.

“I’m ready to get started being a Soldier,” Taffe said. “I feel like I’m a jack-of-all-trades now. I’m ready to put that to work for the Army.”

His Family made the trip from Alameda, Calif., to support him in the start of a new chapter in his life.

Even though it was their 16th wedding anniversary, his wife Courtney Shepler, said she was proud to spend it watching her husband graduate from BCT.

“Life with John has always been an adventure. When I married him, I was cautiously prepared for whatever that was,” Shepler said.

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