The Conference at ITEC

Meeting Current and Future Operational Needs sees international military and industry leaders join forces discussing how their nations plan to implement Joint Operational Needs through training. Highlights within this stream included an examination of Joint Strategic Vision moderated by Dr. Jim Blake PEO STRI with Frank DiGiovanni, Director, Training Readiness and Strategy, OSD USA; Mike Brennan, Director General Simulation, DOD, AUS and Lt.Gen. Karlheinz Viereck (German Air Force), Deputy Chief of Staff, Joint Force Trainer, Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation (ACT), NATO. Following on from this and led by Lt.Gen. Thomas L. Baptiste, USAF (Ret), President/Executive Director, National Center for Simulation; Cpt. Kevin Oakes, US Navy, Director, Learning and Development, Naval Education Training Command and Col. Dennis Thompson, USMC (Ret) Director, MAGTF Training Simulations Division/TECOM, discussion of Implementing Strategic Vision focused on the application of training strategies to enhance cooperation during joint operations.

Also within the Futures stream, Wayne Buck, Training and Simulation analyst, NATO Allied Command Transformation chaired a revealing session on Simulation as a NATO Capability Development Enabler. This in-depth discussion featured high level contribution from Lt. Gen. Karlheinz Viereck; Major General J Berger, Commander, Joint Warfare Centre; Maj.Gen. P Macko, Commander, Joint Force Training Centre; Brig.Gen. G Fungo, Assistant Chief of Staff Capability Engineering, HQ SACT; E Gough, Chief Scientist, NATO Undersea Research Centre and Col. F Mastrorosa, Director, M&S Centre of Excellence.

This stream offered delegates influential discussions on topics highly relevant in today’s mission environment, such as Human Behaviour Modelling and the applicability of Modelling and Simulation Beyond Training.
Additionally, the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organisation’s ‘SISO-Day’ featured a host of prominent speakers from across the SISO community, including an update on the Organisation’s contribution to the US DoD’s Live, Virtual, Constructive Architecture Roadmap (LVCAR) programme.

A broad spectrum of cost-effective training initiatives was analysed by speakers addressing Designing and Acquiring the Best Training Solutions. Focal points within this stream included Prof. John Huddlestone, Cranfield University, who tackled Solving Complex Training Problems in five steps and Dr. Lewis Johnson from Alelo with The Effectiveness of Mobile Learning in Culture and Language Training. Providing the military perspective, Maj. Rebecca Harrison, British Army, revealed the results from a recent pilot project evaluating Mobile Learning in a Military Setting.