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View from the Hill
Written by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)
Uncertainty and ambiguity characterize the chaotic battlefield environment for our servicemembers operating in Afghanistan and Iraq today. And yet, many similarities can be drawn with the economic and political situation surrounding the Pentagon’s defense budget this year. However, a remaining constant amid these uncertain times is the critical need for modeling and simulation (M&S) military technologies to enhance training and readiness for our armed forces.
We find ourselves in a unique transitional period as the economy continues to be strained, the new administration determines its funding priorities, Congress works to complete the defense authorization and appropriation bills, and the Pentagon refines its national defense strategy through the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). Despite these circumstances, it is vital that Congress and the Pentagon work together to fully fund essential M&S military training technologies this year and beyond.
Twenty-two members strong and expanding each year, the Congressional M&S Caucus is instrumental in building M&S awareness on Capitol Hill. During the last Congress, the M&S Caucus was successful in getting House Resolution 487 passed, which formally recognizes the contribution of M&S for our nation’s economic prosperity and national security. This year, the caucus, in partnership with the National Training and Simulation Association, hosted the Fourth Annual M&S Leadership Summit in February and the Fourth Annual M&S Expo in July. We are thrilled to see an increase in caucus membership and M&S awareness with each summit and expo.
The return on investment for M&S is invaluable, particularly in a constrained fiscal environment. Throughout this year, the caucus will work with the defense oversight committees to ensure DoD-related M&S budgets are given suitable consideration and are adequately funded. This funding is necessary across the broad spectrum of M&S programs and capabilities, to include specific DoD M&Srelated budget lines, the military services’ M&S efforts, and U.S. Joint Forces Command training and experimentation programs.
Collaboration among DoD entities is essential for M&S technologies to remain affordable. The House Armed Services Committee Report for the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Authorization Bill commends the value of M&S and also encourages more effective DoD M&S enterprise management, common standards, and identification and validation of potentially duplicative efforts. The M&S Caucus looks forward to working with DoD, industry and Congress on constructive solutions.
While I am a strong advocate of the value of M&S technologies, I remain adamant that technology is a supplement, not a substitute for hands-on military training. M&S is a force multiplier, but cannot replace the realities and complexities of human interaction and “boots on the ground” training. When live training may not be feasible, other solutions can prove to be extremely valuable. For example, when training joint task forces, USJFCOM provides a highly effective alternative with models and simulation across a live, virtual, constructive (LVC) training environment, which makes available a training architecture for joint, service, multinational, agency and combatant command training.
Looking to the future, Congress eagerly awaits the Pentagon’s QDR to better facilitate long-term policy and funding decisions. Early glimpses of the QDR appear to indicate more of an emphasis on “hybrid warfare” models than on conventional models. This shift would validate the crucial need to develop and refine complex M&S capabilities to supplement irregular warfare training. Furthermore, our military forces must be able to train and react to multiple scenarios across the full range of military operations. M&S technologies can greatly assist in training and developing our leaders to be prepared for these vastly different spheres of influence.
As a reader of this publication or a citizen interested in M&S training technologies, you may be asking: “What can I do to support national M&S advocacy?” Servicemembers and constituents can contribute to these enduring M&S partnerships by contacting their representatives and urging them to join the M&S Caucus. Furthermore, if you or your organization is affiliated with military M&S training, you can continue to guarantee the dependability and authentication of the models and training enhancements you are developing that support our servicemembers going into harm’s way.
Congress will have a full agenda as we work to wrap up legislative business during the rest of the year, particularly the completion of the defense bills to ensure our military receives timely support and funding. With uncertain defense budget levels on the horizon and our troops engaged around the world, the M&S Caucus will continue to advocate for M&S military training technology funding in order to provide cost-effective, relevant and focused training capabilities for the warfighter. ♦
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Editor’s note: Rep. Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, and he serves on the Readiness and the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces subcommittees. He is also a member of the Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucus and the co-chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus.