Q&A: Dr. James T. Blake
TRAINING TECHNOLOGY LEADER:
Ensuring Warfighters Maintain Their
Prominence as a World-Class Force
Dr. James T. Blake
Program Executive Officer
Ensuring Warfighters Maintain Their
Prominence as a World-Class Force
Dr. James T. Blake
Program Executive Officer
U.S. Army PEO STRI
Dr. James T. Blake serves as the program executive officer for U.S. Army PEO STRI and head of contracting activity for Army simulation, training and instrumentation. He is responsible for providing materiel solutions and services in modeling, simulation, training and test instrumentation to support the warfighter.
Blake retired as an Army colonel after a distinguished military career. In his last assignment, Blake was the Army’s senior uniformed scientist. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Systems Management College and the U.S. Army War College. He has a Ph.D. in computer science from Duke University.
Following his military career, Blake held several technical and executive positions in industry before joining academia where he served as a senior research scientist at Texas A&M University. While at Texas A&M, Blake joined the Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command as the program manager for the Institute for Creative Technologies.
In March 2003, he became a member of the Senior Executive Service. From March 2003 until June 2005, Blake served as the deputy program executive officer for PEO STRI.
Q: During the last year we have watched PEO STRI rapidly respond to meet MRAP and other training requirements from the warfighters. Briefly describe the recent servicelevel policy changes that provide your command with this increased agility.
A: The U.S. Army Policy for the Acquisition of System Training Devices issued December 2006 encourages other program executive offices and program managers to consult with PEO STRI for the life cycle acquisition of training aids, devices and simulators. As a direct result of the ongoing implementation of the policy, we have become a key partner with other Army organizations on several new training requirements.
For example, the Army recently validated and approved recommendations for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Joint Program Office to resource several capabilities for the MRAP program. These capabilities include multiple training systems for which PEO STRI has been identified as the materiel developer. We are engaged with both Army headquarters and the MRAP Joint Project Office to develop the required documentation in order to move MRAP training forward. This relationship can be attributed to ongoing efforts to institutionalize the policy across the Army. Additionally, with our new head of contracting activity authority, we are now better positioned to respond to the more traditional training requirements established by the Department of Army Director of Training and associated Training and Doctrine Command combat developers.
Q: As irregular warfare capabilities remain a DoD priority, how is PEO STRI enabling soldiers to more effectively train for this mission and obtain non-kinetic skills?
A: The Future Immersive Training Environment [FITE] Joint Capability Technology Demonstration [JCTD] is PEO STRI’s most recent undertaking to improve the combat readiness of U.S. forces operating in irregular warfare environments.
As a team member in the new U.S. Joint Forces Commandled FITE JCTD effort, PEO STRI will help create realistic, fully immersive training environments that prepare warfighters for irregular warfare-oriented tasks. The FITE JCTD will spin off capabilities that can potentially enhance existing service programs. One of these is our Dismounted Soldier virtual train ing system, which will prepare warfighters for full-spectrum operations in the contemporary operating environment.
The system will allow Army leaders to choose from a wide selection of terrain databases and train their troops in complex urban environments. Soldiers can dismount from vehicles or aircraft and train for full-spectrum operations, including tasks that are complex or high risk in a live environment. A dismounted soldier can engage targets with doctrinally assigned weapons, move in doctrinally correct formations and communicate with unit personnel.
Dismounted Soldier is a future capability, but PEO STRI is already doing much in the way of training our forces for irregular warfare. One example is DARWARS Ambush!, a PCbased gaming system that provides soldiers with a platform for training cognitive skills in tactical decision-making and communication. Originally created as a networked convoy trainer, DARWARS has been modified to train non-kinetic skills to include cultural awareness.
Q: How is the Army progressing with respect to establishing a training capability across the live, virtual and constructive domains?
A: Establishing a fully integrated live, virtual and constructive training environment is a long-term goal. We have made great strides to achieve this end by accomplishing a number of short-term objectives.
For instance, we have looked across our existing training portfolio of both system and non-system programs and began to institutionalize the capabilities within those programs that comply with the integrated Live, Virtual and Constructive Integrating Architecture.
We also chartered an Integration and Interoperability Advisory Board, known as the I2AB, to facilitate and support the integration of capabilities across the live, virtual and constructive domains. In one instance, we established an “integrated cell” of program developers to ensure the interoperability of the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, One Semi-Automated Forces and the Homestation Instrumentation Training System was done in a systematic way rather than a quick fix to complete the exercise.
The I2AB also focuses on program synchronization and common products. Program synchronization is an effort to look across the entire simulation and testing portfolio and identify dependencies. For example, once virtual simulations utilize a common semi-automated force, interoperability is greatly enhanced, but also a dependency is created. This means that changes to OneSAF will affect every system that uses it.
In the realm of common components, we are focused on the systematic reuse of our existing capabilities and those planned as part of future fieldings. We find great benefits in systematic reuse because the cost is reduced and the warfighter gets a better product. Lastly, from a sustainment perspective, our efforts in awarding the Warfighter Field Operations Customer Support contract ensures that there are no more stovepiped live, virtual and constructive contract boundaries.
Q: Where is the Army on using games for training?
A: The U.S. Army established a Games for Training program of record and named the Training and Doctrine Command the capabilities manager to jumpstart the program. PEO STRI is making progress on an acquisition strategy to support this new requirement with both short- and long-term program objectives. Having the new contracting authority in PEO STRI has facilitated our effort to respond rapidly to the training needs of the millennial generation using governmentoff- the-shelf and commercial-off-the-shelf game technology.
Furthermore, we recently opened a Games for Training Laboratory in our organization to evaluate commercial products for possible government use, establish interoperability, make use of Web 2.0 and create long-haul capabilities. Most importantly, however, the lab space will be used to test and field the best game-based training devices to the warfighter.
Q: Now that the Army has fielded a medical simulation training capability, is it making a difference?
A: The current died-of-wounds rate—a number that reflects how many soldiers pass away after medical treatment is first available after an injury occurs—is the lowest in history. To put it in perspective, the rate has been reduced from 7.4 percent in 2006 to 3 percent in 2008.
The reduction of the died-of-wounds rate has been attributed to two factors: 1) the improvement in body armor, and 2) the capabilities of combat medicine.
We, the Army, have transformed our approach to combat medical training. First, we have recognized the importance of medical treatment within the first 10 minutes after a soldier is wounded. Next, the Army now requires that medical training is consistent across the service. And finally, we are fielding standardized training platforms to accomplish the training.
Our Medical Simulation Training Center [MSTC] program has fielded 18 systems worldwide and has trained more than 80,000 soldiers in order to meet this revolutionary training process.
While it is impossible to attribute battlefield success to the MSTC program, it is clear to the warfighter that medical training is making a difference. I say this based on three principal facts. First, the commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command has directed that all soldiers attain the combat lifesaver certification. Second, requests for training at an MSTC ranks second only to our Engagement Skills Trainer. Lastly, other military services, while addressing their unique needs, are using our medical simulation program as the example.
Q: Describe the Army’s progress in fielding simulations that are interoperable, network-centric and operational with C4ISR systems.
A: We created the Digital Integration Lab [DIL] in 2001 to establish a centralized integration capability within PEO STRI for the purpose of gaining efficiencies in how our programs integrate with the Army Battle Command Systems [ABCS].
As a formal extension of the Central Technical Support Facility [CTSF] at Fort Hood, Texas, the DIL manages and supports the distribution of ABCS software across PEO STRI, provides first-line ABCS technical support, supports ABCS integration within PEO STRI, and provides a validated and distributed Army Interoperability Certification capability.
The DIL’s processes and organization are modeled after the CTSF. For instance, the DIL maintains an ABCS equipment-set that represents the current baseline on the CTSF main test floor. When the CTSF migrates to a new hardware and software baseline, the DIL follows suit.
As an extension of the CTSF, the DIL supports software development, integration and testing in a stand-alone mode or connected to the CTSF test floor via a high-speed Defense Research and Engineering Network connection. This unique relationship provides CTSF customers a potential alternate location to conduct ABCS integration and testing prior to formal AIC certification.
In another effort to ensure the Army is fielding simulations that are interoperable, network-centric and operational with C4ISR systems, we have taken the lead role in the Army’s Simulation-to-C4I Interoperability [SIMCI] Overarching Integrated Product Team [OIPT]. The SIMCI OIPT is focused on improving interoperability between the modeling and simulation domain and the C4ISR domain.
Q: Discuss PEO STRI’s industry outreach efforts and in particular the command’s 2009 industry events.
A: Our most significant industry outreach effort, the Training and Simulation Industry Symposium, or TSIS as we call it, will take place June 11 and 12, 2009, in Orlando, Fla.
We also interact with industry at numerous events throughout the year. In 2009, we plan to support the Army Aviation Association of America conference, the Association of the United States Army exposition, the National Guard Association of the United States symposium and the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference.
Q: Where can industry focus its efforts to better help PEO STRI meet its mission?
A: While the U.S. military will always prepare for high-intensity conflict, there has been an increased emphasis on humanitarian assistance and irregular warfare operations. This provides a wider range of opportunities for industry to provide products and services to support our national goals and objectives.
Furthermore, we are seeing big ticket programs being replaced with short duration tasks that leverage commercialoff- the-shelf products that can be quickly adapted to satisfy military requirements.
Q: What do you see is the future direction for Army training?
A: I believe that we have taken the first step toward the next quantum leap in Army training with the One Semi-Automated Forces program. OneSAF is a major part of the embedded training solution for the Army’s Future Combat System. Eventually, the software will become part of all manned systems, which means that soldiers will train in their actual vehicle, for example.
Currently, OneSAF is on the cusp of linking the virtual and constructive aspects of training simulations and making it almost a seamless process. Although we do those linkages today with other simulations, it is anything but routine.
With the Synthetic Environment Core program, we are integrating OneSAF into the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, which will be the first solid proof that this assimilation is doable. By integrating OneSAF into CCTT, the simulator can be rapidly improved, thus ensuring a consistently up-to-date training experience for the warfighter.
The success of this integration will open the door for other system program managers to come on board and use OneSAF as their underlying simulation. This will save the Department of Defense a lot of money over the long haul and will allow interoperability like we have never seen before.
One thing that makes OneSAF unique for training is the level of automation that we can achieve. This should allow for a significant reduction in the number of operators required to support the training events, which can be a considerable expense in simulated training.
Furthermore, the OneSAF business model is unlike any other training simulation in the Army. Our open source model allows others to make changes to the code and then pass that code back into the system for all to share. This model will allow OneSAF to mature at a much faster rate than typical constructive training models as investments will occur in the underlying system well above and beyond the Army funding. It will only have to be done once as all the users will benefit from that code.
To date, more than 200 government agencies and contractors are already using this software that models everything from individual soldiers, tanks and weapon platforms to opposing enemy forces.
Q: What is the future of PEO STRI and how will it support the Army’s training readiness mission?
A: PEO STRI has, and will continue to, ensure our warfighters maintain their prominence as the strongest force in the world by equipping them with unsurpassed modeling, simulation, testing and training devices.
Over the past few years, the war has changed the way in which we train and equip our troops. As a result, it has greatly affected the work that we do and how we do it— everything from adopting a rapid acquisition approach to fielding training devices in direct response to what soldiers are experiencing in the current operational environment.
Blake retired as an Army colonel after a distinguished military career. In his last assignment, Blake was the Army’s senior uniformed scientist. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Systems Management College and the U.S. Army War College. He has a Ph.D. in computer science from Duke University.
Following his military career, Blake held several technical and executive positions in industry before joining academia where he served as a senior research scientist at Texas A&M University. While at Texas A&M, Blake joined the Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command as the program manager for the Institute for Creative Technologies.
In March 2003, he became a member of the Senior Executive Service. From March 2003 until June 2005, Blake served as the deputy program executive officer for PEO STRI.
Q: During the last year we have watched PEO STRI rapidly respond to meet MRAP and other training requirements from the warfighters. Briefly describe the recent servicelevel policy changes that provide your command with this increased agility.
A: The U.S. Army Policy for the Acquisition of System Training Devices issued December 2006 encourages other program executive offices and program managers to consult with PEO STRI for the life cycle acquisition of training aids, devices and simulators. As a direct result of the ongoing implementation of the policy, we have become a key partner with other Army organizations on several new training requirements.
For example, the Army recently validated and approved recommendations for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle Joint Program Office to resource several capabilities for the MRAP program. These capabilities include multiple training systems for which PEO STRI has been identified as the materiel developer. We are engaged with both Army headquarters and the MRAP Joint Project Office to develop the required documentation in order to move MRAP training forward. This relationship can be attributed to ongoing efforts to institutionalize the policy across the Army. Additionally, with our new head of contracting activity authority, we are now better positioned to respond to the more traditional training requirements established by the Department of Army Director of Training and associated Training and Doctrine Command combat developers.
Q: As irregular warfare capabilities remain a DoD priority, how is PEO STRI enabling soldiers to more effectively train for this mission and obtain non-kinetic skills?
A: The Future Immersive Training Environment [FITE] Joint Capability Technology Demonstration [JCTD] is PEO STRI’s most recent undertaking to improve the combat readiness of U.S. forces operating in irregular warfare environments.
As a team member in the new U.S. Joint Forces Commandled FITE JCTD effort, PEO STRI will help create realistic, fully immersive training environments that prepare warfighters for irregular warfare-oriented tasks. The FITE JCTD will spin off capabilities that can potentially enhance existing service programs. One of these is our Dismounted Soldier virtual train ing system, which will prepare warfighters for full-spectrum operations in the contemporary operating environment.
The system will allow Army leaders to choose from a wide selection of terrain databases and train their troops in complex urban environments. Soldiers can dismount from vehicles or aircraft and train for full-spectrum operations, including tasks that are complex or high risk in a live environment. A dismounted soldier can engage targets with doctrinally assigned weapons, move in doctrinally correct formations and communicate with unit personnel.
Dismounted Soldier is a future capability, but PEO STRI is already doing much in the way of training our forces for irregular warfare. One example is DARWARS Ambush!, a PCbased gaming system that provides soldiers with a platform for training cognitive skills in tactical decision-making and communication. Originally created as a networked convoy trainer, DARWARS has been modified to train non-kinetic skills to include cultural awareness.
Q: How is the Army progressing with respect to establishing a training capability across the live, virtual and constructive domains?
A: Establishing a fully integrated live, virtual and constructive training environment is a long-term goal. We have made great strides to achieve this end by accomplishing a number of short-term objectives.
For instance, we have looked across our existing training portfolio of both system and non-system programs and began to institutionalize the capabilities within those programs that comply with the integrated Live, Virtual and Constructive Integrating Architecture.
We also chartered an Integration and Interoperability Advisory Board, known as the I2AB, to facilitate and support the integration of capabilities across the live, virtual and constructive domains. In one instance, we established an “integrated cell” of program developers to ensure the interoperability of the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, One Semi-Automated Forces and the Homestation Instrumentation Training System was done in a systematic way rather than a quick fix to complete the exercise.
The I2AB also focuses on program synchronization and common products. Program synchronization is an effort to look across the entire simulation and testing portfolio and identify dependencies. For example, once virtual simulations utilize a common semi-automated force, interoperability is greatly enhanced, but also a dependency is created. This means that changes to OneSAF will affect every system that uses it.
In the realm of common components, we are focused on the systematic reuse of our existing capabilities and those planned as part of future fieldings. We find great benefits in systematic reuse because the cost is reduced and the warfighter gets a better product. Lastly, from a sustainment perspective, our efforts in awarding the Warfighter Field Operations Customer Support contract ensures that there are no more stovepiped live, virtual and constructive contract boundaries.
Q: Where is the Army on using games for training?
A: The U.S. Army established a Games for Training program of record and named the Training and Doctrine Command the capabilities manager to jumpstart the program. PEO STRI is making progress on an acquisition strategy to support this new requirement with both short- and long-term program objectives. Having the new contracting authority in PEO STRI has facilitated our effort to respond rapidly to the training needs of the millennial generation using governmentoff- the-shelf and commercial-off-the-shelf game technology.
Furthermore, we recently opened a Games for Training Laboratory in our organization to evaluate commercial products for possible government use, establish interoperability, make use of Web 2.0 and create long-haul capabilities. Most importantly, however, the lab space will be used to test and field the best game-based training devices to the warfighter.
Q: Now that the Army has fielded a medical simulation training capability, is it making a difference?
A: The current died-of-wounds rate—a number that reflects how many soldiers pass away after medical treatment is first available after an injury occurs—is the lowest in history. To put it in perspective, the rate has been reduced from 7.4 percent in 2006 to 3 percent in 2008.
The reduction of the died-of-wounds rate has been attributed to two factors: 1) the improvement in body armor, and 2) the capabilities of combat medicine.
We, the Army, have transformed our approach to combat medical training. First, we have recognized the importance of medical treatment within the first 10 minutes after a soldier is wounded. Next, the Army now requires that medical training is consistent across the service. And finally, we are fielding standardized training platforms to accomplish the training.
Our Medical Simulation Training Center [MSTC] program has fielded 18 systems worldwide and has trained more than 80,000 soldiers in order to meet this revolutionary training process.
While it is impossible to attribute battlefield success to the MSTC program, it is clear to the warfighter that medical training is making a difference. I say this based on three principal facts. First, the commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command has directed that all soldiers attain the combat lifesaver certification. Second, requests for training at an MSTC ranks second only to our Engagement Skills Trainer. Lastly, other military services, while addressing their unique needs, are using our medical simulation program as the example.
Q: Describe the Army’s progress in fielding simulations that are interoperable, network-centric and operational with C4ISR systems.
A: We created the Digital Integration Lab [DIL] in 2001 to establish a centralized integration capability within PEO STRI for the purpose of gaining efficiencies in how our programs integrate with the Army Battle Command Systems [ABCS].
As a formal extension of the Central Technical Support Facility [CTSF] at Fort Hood, Texas, the DIL manages and supports the distribution of ABCS software across PEO STRI, provides first-line ABCS technical support, supports ABCS integration within PEO STRI, and provides a validated and distributed Army Interoperability Certification capability.
The DIL’s processes and organization are modeled after the CTSF. For instance, the DIL maintains an ABCS equipment-set that represents the current baseline on the CTSF main test floor. When the CTSF migrates to a new hardware and software baseline, the DIL follows suit.
As an extension of the CTSF, the DIL supports software development, integration and testing in a stand-alone mode or connected to the CTSF test floor via a high-speed Defense Research and Engineering Network connection. This unique relationship provides CTSF customers a potential alternate location to conduct ABCS integration and testing prior to formal AIC certification.
In another effort to ensure the Army is fielding simulations that are interoperable, network-centric and operational with C4ISR systems, we have taken the lead role in the Army’s Simulation-to-C4I Interoperability [SIMCI] Overarching Integrated Product Team [OIPT]. The SIMCI OIPT is focused on improving interoperability between the modeling and simulation domain and the C4ISR domain.
Q: Discuss PEO STRI’s industry outreach efforts and in particular the command’s 2009 industry events.
A: Our most significant industry outreach effort, the Training and Simulation Industry Symposium, or TSIS as we call it, will take place June 11 and 12, 2009, in Orlando, Fla.
We also interact with industry at numerous events throughout the year. In 2009, we plan to support the Army Aviation Association of America conference, the Association of the United States Army exposition, the National Guard Association of the United States symposium and the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference.
Q: Where can industry focus its efforts to better help PEO STRI meet its mission?
A: While the U.S. military will always prepare for high-intensity conflict, there has been an increased emphasis on humanitarian assistance and irregular warfare operations. This provides a wider range of opportunities for industry to provide products and services to support our national goals and objectives.
Furthermore, we are seeing big ticket programs being replaced with short duration tasks that leverage commercialoff- the-shelf products that can be quickly adapted to satisfy military requirements.
Q: What do you see is the future direction for Army training?
A: I believe that we have taken the first step toward the next quantum leap in Army training with the One Semi-Automated Forces program. OneSAF is a major part of the embedded training solution for the Army’s Future Combat System. Eventually, the software will become part of all manned systems, which means that soldiers will train in their actual vehicle, for example.
Currently, OneSAF is on the cusp of linking the virtual and constructive aspects of training simulations and making it almost a seamless process. Although we do those linkages today with other simulations, it is anything but routine.
With the Synthetic Environment Core program, we are integrating OneSAF into the Close Combat Tactical Trainer, which will be the first solid proof that this assimilation is doable. By integrating OneSAF into CCTT, the simulator can be rapidly improved, thus ensuring a consistently up-to-date training experience for the warfighter.
The success of this integration will open the door for other system program managers to come on board and use OneSAF as their underlying simulation. This will save the Department of Defense a lot of money over the long haul and will allow interoperability like we have never seen before.
One thing that makes OneSAF unique for training is the level of automation that we can achieve. This should allow for a significant reduction in the number of operators required to support the training events, which can be a considerable expense in simulated training.
Furthermore, the OneSAF business model is unlike any other training simulation in the Army. Our open source model allows others to make changes to the code and then pass that code back into the system for all to share. This model will allow OneSAF to mature at a much faster rate than typical constructive training models as investments will occur in the underlying system well above and beyond the Army funding. It will only have to be done once as all the users will benefit from that code.
To date, more than 200 government agencies and contractors are already using this software that models everything from individual soldiers, tanks and weapon platforms to opposing enemy forces.
Q: What is the future of PEO STRI and how will it support the Army’s training readiness mission?
A: PEO STRI has, and will continue to, ensure our warfighters maintain their prominence as the strongest force in the world by equipping them with unsurpassed modeling, simulation, testing and training devices.
Over the past few years, the war has changed the way in which we train and equip our troops. As a result, it has greatly affected the work that we do and how we do it— everything from adopting a rapid acquisition approach to fielding training devices in direct response to what soldiers are experiencing in the current operational environment.
For instance, the adversary employed IEDs against our troops; we turned around and instituted a training program in an effort to ensure that no soldier deploys without knowing how to detect and defeat these homemade bombs. In another instance, the Army recognized that the three most preventable combat deaths were attributed to a collapsed lung, a compromised airway and hemorrhaging. We responded by standing up the Army’s only program of record for medical training.
PEO STRI’s future, just like our past, will be charted by the training needs of the U.S. soldier. ♦