New Technology Reacts to Decisions Made in "Combat"

Over the past several years, a lot of equipment has been purchased that has made the Marine Corps a safer, more efficient and, in some cases, a more comfortable place to be. Thanks to advances in new technology, today's Marine is better equipped and better trained than ever before.

Small unit leaders are now being placed in combat-type situations, and they are coming out without a scratch. The Combat Decision Range is a unique result of cooperation between the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, Gama Corporation and the New York City Fire Department.

Captain Mark Sullo, the MCWL's project officer for the Combat Decision Range said the new training system is "a facilitated multimedia training system for junior combat leaders."

The CDR projects a video image onto a large screen on which scenarios are played out for the Marine using the system. As the situations develop, the Marine is required to make decisions about how to handle them. He announces his decision over a radio. to which the operators and facilitators react accordingly.

"The idea is to push decision-making down to the small unit [squad and fire team] level," Sullo said.

Best described as a computer-based training tool, the idea for the CDR was conceived when the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab was offered a look at the simulations developed by the New York City Fire Department, who had developed them to train prospective fire chiefs. It seemed that the upper leadership had become less experienced as building codes came up to standards which had resulted in fewer fires to fight. The simulator was developed to supplement the experience of those firefighters being considered for a chief’s position.

The system can be run with only two people--one operator and one facilitator, but it is preferable to use at least four. The operator controls all computer functions while facilitators simulate communications traffic of Marines leading elements internally, such as team leaders, and externally, such as adjacent units, aircraft or higher headquarters.

Sullo said that this is done, "to put him as close to a combat scenario as we possibly can in a training environment."

The facilitators have the luxury of determine how difficult the scenario will be, and they can make decisions on the spot to react to what the squad leader does in the mission.

For instance, if a squad leader orders his squad to break contact and back away from the enemy, the facilitator acting as a team leader in front of the squad can say that he is pinned by gunfire and is unable to withdraw. This forces the squad leader to stay and finish the battle.

The squad leaders and other Marines who go through the simulations can have any number of infantry-related skills tested in many ways. The scenarios offer employment of mortars, artillery, naval gunfire, helicopters (gunships or medevac), attack planes and a variety of small arms that can be employed during the fight.

By applying the use of these skills to the simulations, leaders can become comfortable using them.

"During the entire running of the scenario, we do not interrupt, no matter what goes wrong. When a squad leader makes an incorrect decision, we don't say a word," Sullo said.

However, upon completion of the scenario, the Marine is able to sit down in a relaxed environment where the facilitators provide a detailed critique of the Marine's performance. This is done so that he can focus his attention on learning from his mistakes and/or successes, thereby hopefully avoiding the same mistakes on a live battlefield.

Sergeant Ricky Roseberry, of the Marine Corps University, said that he learned a lot from the scenario and enjoyed using it. "It gives infantry leaders confidence in their decisions," he said.

In another scenario, after having destroyed a building from which he had been taking sniper fire, Roseberry was chastised on the radio by a simulated superior officer because the building he had blown up was a power plant. What are you doing? We've lost all our power," was the terse radio message.

Despite the stressful moments, most Marines look at the CDR as a challenge. "You're going to play the way you practice," Roseberry said. "I can't wait to see more scenarios. "

Gama Corp said those new scenarios are already in the making. Currently five scenarios are available for the system with three more in development. Scenarios include a night ambush, a sniper threat, humanitarian relief and riot control.

Gama plans to add another four to that number in the near future but wants to get feedback from the operating forces first. They want to be able to take real-world tactical situations and simulate them with the CDR so that other Marines will have an idea of what to expect.

"Gama Corporation is looking at developing scenarios based on the way we are going to fight in the future, not how we have fought in the past," Sullo said,

Current scenarios already employ that idea. One of them involves a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter that crashed in an urban environment in Somalia, while another deals with the recent Bosnian sniper threat from buildings.

A wireless speaker system gives the users flexibility when space is limited, and it provides realistic sound effects.

Four Kenwood hand-held radios are distributed with each system and add another touch of reality to the action by requiring proper radio communication procedures. In addition, a navigation element is added with two Global Positioning System units that can be added to the scenario gear list.

Two CD-ROM discs make up a set, and two sets are distributed with each system. In the event of a computer crash, a CDR operator can contact a Gama representative who can advise him how to get his system back in service using the discs.

A facilitator's guide, developed by Gama in conjunction with the MCWL, is designed so that "anyone can pick it up, and having read through it, can operate the system on their own," Sullo said.

A scenario and debrief system can he used as a reference when relevant and annexes provide formats for various infantry procedures, such as "call for fire," or a "nine-line" call for close air support.

Sullo said the CDR will probably be very useful for troops in Marine Expeditionary Units who are aboard ships for six months at a time. "Those Marines have plenty of time, but not a lot of space for training," he said.

Gama is currently in the process of delivering the system to every regiment in the Marine Corps. They are spending time with these units to "train the trainers" and to make sure that the system is working correctly.