WORKLOAD CAPABILITY TRAINING IN AN INTERACTIVE SYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

After a substantial investment in simulated decision-making technologies in the form of the Tactical Decision Kit (TDK), the Marine Corps is struggling to capitalize on that investment in a fleet setting as well as a schoolhouse setting. The system neither entices leaders to train their Marines nor does it allow trainers to utilize the full potential of an interactive synthetic environment (ISE), especially in a way that trains Marines by challenging them to perform tasks that are expected of them in combat situations. In today's environment, small unit leaders are subjected to heavily task-saturated and high-workload environments. Creating a scenario using current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software available in the TDK will have the potential to train small unit leaders, specifically infantry squad leaders; would allow training to occur at increased intervals; and enable leaders to assess how well their small unit leaders are capable of making decisions in such an environment. This thesis will test the ability of ISE scenarios to train small unit leaders and how well they can be expanded with interoperability into legacy systems that the Marine Corps currently uses.