Pentagon Wants to Use Gaming to Keep Soldiers Alive

[Thirster]

"Currently, 80 percent of all casualties since World War II have been among the infantry, something the Pentagon is trying to reduce"

hmmmm simple way to reduce that, make the pilots training much worse, or the navies

I think they're trying to reduce is the overall number of infantry casualties, not the distribution among all the forces, lol.

Oh you could also try replacing the M1A2 Armour with cardboard, added bonus of the tanks being faster and cheaper!

 

[Boba Frag]

Currently, 80 percent of all casualties since World War II have been among the infantry, something the Pentagon is trying to reduce with this new program by developing simulations that will run troops through "as many tactical and ethical challenges as we can before they go into their first firefight," Mattis said.

The reason most casualties are among the infantry, is because the infantry are (usually) more exposed/vulnerable to attacks, and can't withdraw as quickly as other types of units. Sitting them down to play FPS or RTS during basic/combat training ain't gonna change diddly.

I agree... and what about before World War 2?

It's a sad but incontrovertible fact of war- the infantry will always suffer the most casualties, and very little can be done to change that.
Hopefully though, this programme will at least be a tool to reduce small but fatal errors of judgement.

 

[theultimateend]

If you really want to cut back on casualties in war. Stop going to war with everyone that so much as sneezes.

What's the point of having a complex political body if we are just going to kill everyone.

 

[Carlston]

Reflexes people. That and oddly when the shit hits the fan making you focus.

Odd I know, but it work in it's own small way. As in it's not gonna save everyone. But might increase a reaction time enough to duck...

 

[blarghblarghhhhh]

the brain masters things through repetition. obviously mastering a game wont help you master something in real life but it could help strengthen the neurological pathway between stimulus and response, which is the ultimate goal.

 

[Carlston]

Reflexes people. That and oddly when the shit hits the fan making you focus.

Odd I know, but it work in it's own small way. As in it's not gonna save everyone. But might increase a reaction time enough to duck...

When you consider the fact that 7.62x51mm travels at 840m/s... who can train to duck that? By the time the shot's been fired (like in an ambush, which usually takes place within 300m to the target) the round has already hit its target.

Like i said it's not a end all be all. But when the first round is fired reaction times, not panicing and things come into play. You can simulate these things on many levels. Your nitpicking for the sake of it. Like you can't prepare for a terrorist attack, it's a ambush. But you can respond to it better with practice....

Shit I was trained anti-terrorism in the halls of decommed Aircraft carrier, now when would I have to reclaim a decommed aircraft carrier? Well i wouldn't BUT it still trains to fight in narrow coridoors ect.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

Play Operation Flashpoint?

Real Warfare is probably easier.

I don't think this will work, I mean, really? Are they serious? There are so many flaws...

 

[Carlston]

Play Operation Flashpoint?

Real Warfare is probably easier.

I don't think this will work, I mean, really? Are they serious? There are so many flaws...

Nothing is all emcompassing, you need real maneuers, simulation.... all kinda of different training to come to a point to hone a soldier or sailor.

But you can't dismiss it, it's like saying "Why do they shoot a M-16 at a target all nice and peaceful?! That won't help in war...unless you shoot at them don't train at all!" Well yeah but you can't do that all the time...simunitions, lasers ect...got keep training.

 

[The Ultimate 2]

Quick suggestion if solders are being trained with video games screw all the run and gun bullshit and just put them through God of war or Bioshock and set em loose/

 

[Capt. Crankypants]

The reason most caualties are among the infantry is because THEIR THE FUCKING INFANTRY. Their exposed, their not very mobile compared to other units, and there are more of them. Throughout history caualty rates like this have been similar, it's the nature of the role. If they had giant power armor, the situation would be different.

THEY'RE! THEY'RE! you need to learn this!
Thats the grammar nazi in me coming out to play.

Back on to the article, the nice little note about UAV's got me thinking about the changing nature of war. I've been wondering, that if the continuous advancement in military hardware, especially unmanned weapons is not just a big mistake.

Take the SDI for example. It seems that, as long as several nations have the capability to destroy each other, then war is likely averted (the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction). Won't the same eventually apply to conventional armed forces if a technologically superior nation has a remote controlled armed forces so to speak?

By the way, I haven't made up my mind, it's just a thought. I might make a thread on this if not many people reply to this comment. I'm still thinking about the implications of it all, through the distribution of such technology and other little details like treaties and strategic arsenals.

 

[Treblaine]

While the Army already makes use of gaming for recruitment and training, opponents of the training method worry that the ability to simply reset the game after a failure will keep recruits from appreciating the price of failure.

Wait, who the hell said that? Can we get a source or acredited quote on that or will it just remain as weasel words an "off-the-record statement".

Regardless of whoever said it, it is an UTTERLY MORONIC objection. It's like opposing soldiers from using blank-firing rounds for manoeuvre training because "it will make them think guns are harmless". JEEEESUS Christ! These "opponents" are treating the highly trained soldiers of their country as if they are ill disciplined toddlers, it is illogical and patronising criticisms like this that just pisses me right off.

Please, name and shame these critics, but if they don't want their name attached to such moronic criticisms I can see why.

 

[Goro]

I think 'Video Game' should read 'Electronically generated scenario simulation' The troops aren't learning to snuggle up to chest high walls. The technology for this has been around for a while, I got to play with it, and it's not about weapon handling or reaction time, it's about situational awareness and tactical thinking. A town square is drawn, where are the points of cover and concealment for them? Where can you move that won't put you in a funnel? How do you deploy your troop?
That being said, infantry get hurt the most because they're the poor buggers in the front!
I'm glad I'm armored corp!

 

[Evilproduct]

Let's hope this new VR training doesn't crank out soldiers like Raiden (MGS2: Sons of Liberty) who think they're tough shit cause they've run over 300 VR ops. But end up having to take orders from men with REAL battle experience.

 

[Ultra_Caboose]

I wonder if they'll tell the trainees that grenades don't stick.

This just seems wierd. I know that games help with hand-eye coordination and might help with some degree of situational awareness, but using a game to teach soldiers to stay alive is just goofy. Seems to me that a rubber bullet on a training course leaves a much more memorable impact than...

"You were killed by a grenade. Watch out for the grenade danger indicator."

 

[PsykoDragon]

Some people can learn to stay calm in every situation, & games can help develop that skill, but the fact is that some will not be affected by this training, or perhaps even get worse.