This report describes an investigation of the retention of Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) operator knowledge and skills. Infantry captains who attended a two-day training course participated in an end-ofcourse test followed by a retest eight weeks later. Participants answered questions about and performed tasks on FBCB2. Performance on the knowledge test showed no decay while performance on the hands-on test declined slightly (10%), but significantly. The majority of participants (72%) had used FBCB2 in combat. Interestingly, the best single predictor of performance on the hands-on test was a self-reported measure of general computer experience. In general, though, it was difficult to predict performance on the hands-on test. Multiple regression analyses using a variety of experience and knowledge measures accounted for only 25-30% of the variability in recall scores. Implications of these findings for trainers, training developers, and Army units are discussed.

No abstract

The U.S. Army is in the midst of an extensive, rapid, and ongoing transformation process, which is having a dramatic effect on tactical operations, doctrine and training program design. The focus on joint integration, the reorganization of brigade combat teams, and the Future Force Warrior (FFW)(formerly known as Objective Force Warrior) and Future Combat Systems (FCS) initiatives are all driving these changes down to the individual Soldier. At the Soldier's level, it is imperative that the capabilities of equipment, networked systems, and organization can be effectively trained and utilized. This report describes the design, organization, and capabilities of the Warfighting Experimentation Lab. In essence, the lab represents a "reach forward" concept in training research. Many of the FCS and FFW and associated initiatives remain on the drawing boards with their specific designs and utilities still developmental. The challenge was to be able to address these new developments as they begin to solidify and conduct applied research experiments using parallel surrogate technologies. The Warfighting Experimentation Lab was designed to provide a flexible environment allowing researchers to analyze the uses, at Soldier level, of a variety of evolving tactical technologies and innovations. Procedure: Though several potential vehicles were explored, the simulation environment that was selected offered a more comprehensive approach and could more accurately reflect actual new equipment and developmental features. It was decided the best approach would be to mirror the desktop systems already in use at the Fort Benning Simulation Center. This set up would allow easier coordination for collaborative research between ARI and the Simulation Center.

No abstract

The training products in this report bridge the gaps between training digital and non-digital forces. The new skills plans present ways to teach digital skills associated with new computer-based technologies, but also relate these skills to current procedures and techniques used without these technologies. Consequently, these products help Soldiers learn and retain the new digital skills, and also to retain the associated non-digital skills required to perform the same tasks. The two tasks selected to serve as the prototypes for these training plans are map functions and the conduct of a passage of lines as the stationary unit. Map functions involve a series of individual skills and tasks. The passage of lines as a stationary unit is an amalgam of individual skills and tasks, and collective tasks, and as such is a collective task. This particular collective task focuses at platoon level and below. Included in the plans are a series of increasingly difficult exercises as well as assessment procedures.