Military Training

• 2020-10-12
• Kostas Tsiakalos
• 3

We can divide military training in two major categories:

• Operational military training
• Technical and supportive military training

Both these categories are treated from military training experts in the same way. The true meaning of this is that more or less training methodology has the same major steps and, of course, there is always an evaluation process through which trainers and operational officers estimate the results of training in order to ensure that military personnel gets the needed capabilities for their working environment.

Military training, both operational and technical, use simulation for achieving certain targets. The most important is to train personnel in realistic environments and real systems that cannot be described or used in reality, or it is a matter of cost to train personnel in the real systems.

The actual concept of simulation used for training purposes is that environments that cannot be represented and be studied differently are constructed via simulation models and managed in terms of timing and actions like in reality. The outcome of simulation is not always realistic but it provides a significant value of information which injects personnel to broaden the horizon of knowledge and experience without operating in a real situation.

In other words, the use of simulation in military training is supporting military personnel in managing in a secure way situations and get a glance of experience without being in the real field, system or using the real weapon.

But is this use of simulation is not a part of a methodological plan, then simulation by itself becomes a game. This is a great danger and in a way it is defined as “negative training”.

So far simulation in military training was always given in a methodological manner. The issue is to optimize the methods and set the right objectives. Computer Assisted Exercises (CAX) methodology is a pretty good example of how a methodological use of simulation encourages training audience to understand the vulnerabilities and strong points of their activities.

On the other hand even with Command Post Exercises (CPX) there is always the chance to improve possible inconvenient approaches of trainees. The main difference is that the capability of understanding a certain situation via a visual and interactive environment is multiplied when simulation is used.