Re: [OT]Infantry computer training - Rant the Seques into something on-topic.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeremy Sadler" <webmaster@stargrunt.com>
> To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
> Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 3:13 AM
> Subject: RE: [OT]Infantry computer training
> 
> 
> > > > > (BTW, it's believed that "desensitization training"--in
essence,
> first
> > > > > person shooter video games--will train riflemen to be much
less
> > > > > reluctant to shoot people.  Of course, if they played DOOM
growing
> up,
> > > > > they may not need the Army's version....).

I'm a bit late in popping off about this, but I find the
"desensitization" concept citing computer games as a tool for same to be
ludicrous.  

I've pulled the trigger while deployed and I've played the games...
there is no comparison, no way to relate the two.  Anyone who thinks
that video games contributed to Columbine or that it's going to make for
good combat soldiers is foolish.  It would be like claiming that playing
Mario Bros. is going to make you a good plumber or that Playing Rainbow6
will make you a good candidate for Delta-Force.

One possible use I can see is to use the graphics engines to
"demonstrate" the techniques and/or to show the theory behind assault
tactics and planning.  I fail to see how it will help the individual
troop decide to actually pull the trigger and put bullets into another
human being.  That's a stretch without a level of VR realism that
current technology just can't approach today.

I'll stop ranting now.

Something I have considered for a Sci-Fi setting though, is completely
immersive VR Basic Training.  The soldiers are put into VR pods which
are basically sensory deprivation tanks with life-support, monitoring
and VR gear built into them.

Recruits are sedated, hooked up, and when they come to, they go through
training.  Part of the training includes "graduation" and assignment to
a "live" hotspot.  To the 'cruits perception, they fight, lose virtual
comrades and sustain injuries that are as real as they can be to their
minds.	The monitoring equipment checks brain-waves to guage the stress
the troop is under and what kind of "crapstorms" his personality can
weather.  Partly to test the troops, to see how he can perform in "real"
environments, but also to make sure that the system doesn't "break" a
troop before they need him/her to do the job in the real world.  In this
way, troops that excel "under fire" can be funneled to SPECFOR or elite
units during training.

Physical conditioning can be done using isometric exercises combined
with normal excercises after spending the time "in tank".  Some
real-world training would have to occur as well, because expecting a
troop to march with uncalloused feet would turn his feet to hamburger,
and some of the actions that the troop did "in tank" might not have
developed the "body memory" that so many automatic reactions require to
be performed while under stress... 

Opinions?

--Flak

> > http://www.americasarmy.com
> >
> > The perfect recruiting tool.
> >
> > JS
> >
> >
> 
-- 

--Flak Magnet
Hive Fleet Jaegernaught