Posted on Aug 14, 2016
Do you think that the military should invest in Virtual Reality as a safe and cost efficient way to train troops?
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I've read a couple posts on here regarding VR, but none seem to focus on the safety and cost effectiveness of VR. With the advancement of VR technology, troops may be able to train in a very detailed and realistic scenario without breaking the bank. Weapons, enemy forces, environments, tactics and mission planning.. all from the safety of a training room. Can this be the way of the future?
Training
Weapons
Tactics
Technology
Budget
Posted >1 y ago
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Run two miles on a tread mill everyday for 30 days. On day 31, try running 1 mile on the road. The tread mill may help to prepare you but will never really give you a true feel of "real" running. VR might be good for a CRAWL or WALK phase but for a RUN it's likely to fall short.
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Negative. See how they're all fat and gross? That's because they aren't embracing the suck in the field. This is unnecessary and expensive. Draw your rifles, pack your rucks, and get your ass into the woods. It's good for you.
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For some areas it might be effective, like the crawl phase of training. But you train as you fight. Nothing is as good as going out to the woods and getting dirty doing your wartime mission. I always looked forward to going to the field.
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Maybe in some respects yes, in a complimentary way. But we need to train with real people, real weapons, environments where things go wrong, bad weather happens, equipment breaks. Make you improvise, adapt and overcome. Train how we fight, as real as possible.
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SGT Philip Roncari
Sounds like my training back in 1965 Fort Lewis WA.especially the bad weather part it never stopped raining there,and all the other factors you mentioned were present,up to and including raving mad NCOsthat knew they were going to Vietnam with us talk about motivational people,but have to say the rain in Vietnam was in a class by itself
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Personally, I have used one of those simulators that they are a good way to train effeciently but is not a substitue for real world situations. However, those simulators has their own limitations such as a limited battery pack, lack of simulated environments, over sufisticated controls also didnt I mention they cost 70-150k a pop?
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LTJG (Join to see)
As SN Greg Wright said, maybe in 10-20 years this will be a more viable option. Technology is advancing at an exponential rate. We will just need to wait and see.
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No. Combat is not a virtual reality game. You train hard because combat is hard and is no game.
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LTJG (Join to see)
Sgt (Join to see) I am in no way suggestion we should phase out training in the field or weapons familiarization etc. However, wouldn't you agree that being able to be virtually "sent" into the very town/warzone you plan on running an operation in, and virtually engaging with enemy forces with your team, could be very beneficially? Wouldn't it also help our troops when it comes to dealing with adrenaline while in a safe environment? I think real life training is crucial, but VR may also be very beneficial.
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Sgt (Join to see)
LTJG (Join to see) - No. Simulators have their place, but not for combat troops. Training has risk because it needs to be as realistic as possible. A safe environment is not how you train troops. War is not a safe environment. War is about carrying 80-100 pounds on your back, having bugs crawl all over you while set up in a night ambush, being scared and dog tired, hot-wet-pissed off, but pushing forward. Field training can not completely prepare you, but it is more realistic can VR.
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I would suggest it for the crawl, walk, run phases. It is dependent on the unit and the activity. As an example the M1 crews must shoot gunnery in a simulator to be certified for full up gunnery.
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Yes, I think it should be tested as a supplemental way to train troops. Lots of possibilities if done right.
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yes this is the best option we have drones and other un-manned equipment that can get the job done and take out more targets then humans can the future is gonna be fighting behind computers anyway conventional is dead if you think about it
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MAJ Javier Rivera
SPC (Join to see) I will attribute your opinion on your short military experience. It doesn't matter how much technology advances at the end of the day it takes hard trained soldiers, following the smell of gun powder, with fixed bayonets to capitulate the enemy. Combat is very hard and only realistic training can acclimate a soldier to execute such mission. But don't worry, as you raise thru the ranks you will learn first hand!
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