Capturing Insights from Firefights to Improve Training

Despite continuous improvements in military tactics and technology, casualties still remain. Phase I examined the idea of the “first five firefights” to identify if Soldiers have an increased likelihood of becoming a casualty during the initial days of their tour. Research consisted of gathering and compiling Soldier fatality data, conducting interviews (individual and group) with Soldiers and Marines, and building and evaluating human performance models of typical fatality scenarios. We have identified that a Soldier has three particularly vulnerable periods for becoming a combat casualty: 1) within the first two months, 2) during the middle of the tour, and 3) during the last month. Even with current training methods, the Soldiers we interviewed in Phase I expressed concern that training is not sufficiently current or realistic, and there is a strong need for just-in-time training and more up-to-date information to combat ever-changing enemy tactics. This proposal discusses our concept for improving the methods in which Soldiers are informed of changing enemy tactics, Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), Rules of Engagement (ROEs), as well as current day Soldier training through the use of software and hardware collaboration technologies. The result of this work will aim to increase Soldier survivability during conflict.