Case Study

Published May 2008

Mission Safety: Virtual Learning Helps Protect U.S. Marines

Gabe Batstone

The Marine Corps is known as the “shoestring service” because of its ability to do a lot with a little. And now the organization is using virtual learning to help Marines figure out how to operate and repair weapons and save money while doing it.

Location: Iraq
Situation: Weapon jam jeopardizes the safety of a U.S. Marine in combat.
Solution: Quickly troubleshoot the problem using knowledge of the internal operation of the weapon obtained from a virtual 3-D weapon trainer.

The U.S. Marine Corps Detachment, located at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, provides training to Marines and related personnel on small weapons. With large numbers of Marines being deployed to Iraq, training on weapons has taken on increased importance. In addition to marksmanship training, Marines require development on preventative maintenance skills to ensure their weapons are in proper working condition at all times. To ensure their safety while on a mission, they also need to understand the internal operation of the weapon in order to troubleshoot it in case it jams in battle.

When learning how to repair equipment, nothing beats observing how the real thing works. But being able to see the internal operations of complex machinery is easier said than done. This was the challenge encountered by the Aberdeen Detachment, which was using a real mortar system to train entry-level students taking an introductory mortar weapon system repair course. Because students could not see the interaction between internal parts of the mortar, they often were destroying the threads on the firing mechanism when inserting them into the sear housing. This was leading to increased training time and costs.

To address this challenge, the U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command chose to enhance the existing learning environment with a virtual 3-D training aid that enables students to familiarize themselves with assembly procedures before working with the actual mortar. Through the use of simulation-based training, the Marines are better prepared to operate and maintain their weapons, which directly improves their safety during missions.

Costly Learning Curve
At the Aberdeen Detachment, the instructional process included the use of technical manuals, Microsoft PowerPoint slides with 2-D graphics and pictures and instructor-led demonstrations using the equipment to demonstrate the operations and maintenance of the weapons. While these training materials offered much-needed hands-on learning opportunities, they also presented the instructors with various challenges and limitations, including:

• The use of the actual physical weapons made it difficult to show the internal components of a weapon.
• The availability of some weapon types was limited, as combat units receive preference over training units for delivery of scarce equipment.
• The training was targeted at new soldiers with no prior knowledge or experience with the weapons, resulting in instructors spending the majority of their classroom time on basic concepts.
• The available training material was not suitable for self-study or distribution to remote locations as part of a distance learning program.

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