Six M-CCTT outfi ts exist in the USAR. As commander of the 3rd Bn, reer guardmember who’s been with
U.S. M-CCTT facilitators travel 397th Rgt, 3rd Bde, 98th Div (Initial the M-CCTT since the Tennessee
across a state — and often across the Entry Training) in Kentucky, Nalls mobile units were established in
country — to set up intensive week- says the opportunity to exercise 2000, Webb says the benefi ts of the
ends of training on Bradley Fight- command-and-control functions M-CCTT “are enormous,” allowing
ing Vehicle or M-1 tank simulators. necessary for basic combat missions units to train virtually anywhere in
Training for as much as 28 hours is just one of the myriad advantages the world — including Europe, the
during the course of a day and a virtual training offers. National Training Center, and even
half, platoons operate in a simulated “For a reservist, whether it’s the Baghdad, Iraq — without leaving
combat environment, facing a virtual M-CCTT or anything that allows the their armory. He adds, “It’s one of
enemy. While it might sound like a citizen-soldier to get in and rehearse the most effective tools a unit can
video game, M-CCTT is anything for battle, it’s a huge asset,” Nalls says. use at [its] home station.”
but. The Bradley and tank simula- These simulators also are proving
tors’ interior controls, fi repower, and effective in the wake of the Army’s Cost-benefit equation
close quarters replicate the fi ghting major restructuring. When Ten- Although the equipment alone costs
vehicles to near perfection. nessee Army National Guard Capt. more than $1.5 million a trailer — six
Prior to entering a simulated Paul Shannon returned from Iraq trailers house the Bradley simulator,
hostile environment, a vehicle’s var- in 2005, his unit transitioned from while fi ve house the tank simulator
ious ammunitions must be loaded, a combination of M-1 tanks and — the virtual training is cost-effi cient
with fuel tanks at capacity, engines Bradleys to a Bradley unit. He says compared to the same training in the
started, and weapons checks per- the M-CCTTs were “a huge asset “real world.”
formed. Radio transmissions keep to cross-training my tank crews The cost to run a Bradley is $525
platoons in touch with a command- in Bradley tactics and operations” an hour, or $75 a mile in training,
and-control trailer, relaying situa- without having to leave the state. not including the cost of ammuni-
tions and current locations on the “With the use of the M-CCTT, tion. At $20 for each live 25mm
virtual battlefi eld. Once troops we are able to get them vital expo- round, crews typically are restricted
begin to move through the system’s sure to components and operating to fi ring fewer than 100 rounds in a
expansive virtual terrain, they face parameters that signifi cantly cut live-fi re scenario. But crews using
an environment of civilians, im- down on safety issues as well as the M-CCTT can fi re several hun-
provised explosive devices (IEDs), the high costs of operating the real dred rounds at a fraction of the cost.
enemy troops armed with rocket- thing,” Shannon says. The opportunity to live-fi re a tube-
propelled grenades and small arms, Webb and the fi ve-person team launched, optically-tracked, wire-
and a force of Soviet-era weaponry. of trainers who accompany the M- guided antitank missile — with a
CCTT act as higher headquarters $12,000 price tag — is a luxury with
Full dress rehearsal during the training, overseeing which few soldiers are familiar. The
The ability to rehearse prior to the missions as they unfold and M-CCTT makes it possible.
deployment is an “invaluable re- troubleshooting any equipment or Other factors, such as travel time,
source,” says Lt. Col. Don Nalls, electronic problems. A retired ca- lodging, and environmental effects
“With the use of the M-CCTT, we are able to get
[tank crews] vital exposure to components and
operating parameters that signifi cantly cut down
on safety issues ... ” —Capt. Paul Shannon, ANG
58 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2008
AAug_guard
training.indd 58ug_guard
training.indd 58 77/7/08 7:46:43 PM/7/08 7:46:43 PM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84