A CBS 21 News exclusive as the National Guard's pre-deployment training unit takes us inside the high-tech world of virtual training.
It is the only place where the military can put a soldier's life on the line without risking it.
Virtual training brings them to the battle field without danger and without the high-cost of using real ammunition and destroying expensive equipment.
“This is the only way the U.S. military can, or would, intentionally put the life of a soldier on the line, in the name of training,” explained one of the trainers.
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the invisible killer of U.S. soldiers. A soldier and his weapon, trained to kill. A military on the move, playing strategic cat and mouse with the enemy.
Fort Indiantown Gap is home to the most sophisticated training devices in the state and possibly the nation.
Soldiers put their lives on the line without risking injury or death through virtual training. Far from home video games, the machines create life-like stress, both physical and mental.
The National Guard gave us full access to its virtual training.
Operating a military vehicle in a war zone is dangerous. Lives of those on board the vehicle are in the hands of the crew.
A single simulator replicates the handling characteristics, instrumentation and speed of more than ten different vehicles.
Life-like radio transmissions, including static interference, provided directions. The trainer put Robb through several scenarios such as IEDs going off, tires blowing out, rain, fog, snow and off-road hazards.
But in the end the simulator won and Robb learned a lesson, without costing the military the loss of a million dollar vehicle.
On to the shooting range, which is a marvel of military technology. Weapons kick, sound and react like the real thing, because they are. The only exception is they use computer bullets instead of real ammunition.
In the end, we shot thousands of rounds of expensive ammo but never fired a bullet. That all adds up to a huge savings for the military.
And every shot was recorded for pin-point training, something that cannot be done on a conventional range
Strategic troop movement planning can be carefully worked out using computer-generated vehicles and scenarios. It as close to the real thing as you can get in the comfort of being indoors.
Some virtual training is physical too. Soldiers experience the mind-jarring, body-slamming feeling of a humvee roll-over. Robb suited up with them, strapped into the vehicle and the churning began.
Robb volunteered for the turret position, the most dangerous seat because the gunner's head is exposed and unless his fellow soldiers pull him into the vehicle in time he can be crushed...or worse.
As a fake rubber tire iron tumbles around, rubber replicas of tools, ammo boxes and other weapons were scattered inside the humvee. In the real world, they would be heavy metal, dangerous objects.
This training is proving invaluable to the military as they prepare themselves for the danger they may face overseas.
It is the only place where the military can put a soldier's life on the line without risking it.
Virtual training brings them to the battle field without danger and without the high-cost of using real ammunition and destroying expensive equipment.
“This is the only way the U.S. military can, or would, intentionally put the life of a soldier on the line, in the name of training,” explained one of the trainers.
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the invisible killer of U.S. soldiers. A soldier and his weapon, trained to kill. A military on the move, playing strategic cat and mouse with the enemy.
Fort Indiantown Gap is home to the most sophisticated training devices in the state and possibly the nation.
Soldiers put their lives on the line without risking injury or death through virtual training. Far from home video games, the machines create life-like stress, both physical and mental.
The National Guard gave us full access to its virtual training.
Operating a military vehicle in a war zone is dangerous. Lives of those on board the vehicle are in the hands of the crew.
A single simulator replicates the handling characteristics, instrumentation and speed of more than ten different vehicles.
Life-like radio transmissions, including static interference, provided directions. The trainer put Robb through several scenarios such as IEDs going off, tires blowing out, rain, fog, snow and off-road hazards.
But in the end the simulator won and Robb learned a lesson, without costing the military the loss of a million dollar vehicle.
On to the shooting range, which is a marvel of military technology. Weapons kick, sound and react like the real thing, because they are. The only exception is they use computer bullets instead of real ammunition.
In the end, we shot thousands of rounds of expensive ammo but never fired a bullet. That all adds up to a huge savings for the military.
And every shot was recorded for pin-point training, something that cannot be done on a conventional range
Strategic troop movement planning can be carefully worked out using computer-generated vehicles and scenarios. It as close to the real thing as you can get in the comfort of being indoors.
Some virtual training is physical too. Soldiers experience the mind-jarring, body-slamming feeling of a humvee roll-over. Robb suited up with them, strapped into the vehicle and the churning began.
Robb volunteered for the turret position, the most dangerous seat because the gunner's head is exposed and unless his fellow soldiers pull him into the vehicle in time he can be crushed...or worse.
As a fake rubber tire iron tumbles around, rubber replicas of tools, ammo boxes and other weapons were scattered inside the humvee. In the real world, they would be heavy metal, dangerous objects.
This training is proving invaluable to the military as they prepare themselves for the danger they may face overseas.