Making relevant training available worldwide.

By Directorate of Training Staff

The Signal Center of Excellence Directorate of Training has made great strides in making relevant, cutting edge training available throughout the Armed Forces and Interagency partners at home and abroad.

The LandWarNet eUniversity has expanded its sphere of influence in the area of on-line training through a local platform whereby resident course students receive superior battle command training and a variety of virtual/PC-based simulators and simulations to assist with equipment operations training.

LandWarNet eUniversity

LWN eU is the Signal Regiment's on-line training capability that supports training for Soldiers anytime, anywhere. This premier on-line training resource provides training materials for the profession al development of Army personnel, Joint, Interagency and Multinational students. The web portal consists of two on-line resources: The LandWarNet Portal and the LandWarNet Blackboard Server.

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LandWarNet Portal and Blackboard Server

* The LandWarNet portal is the gateway for all LWN eU training resources.

* The LWN eU Blackboard learning content management system hosts Signal courseware and many other training resources

You can access the LWN eU Portal by going to http://lwn.army.mil and logging on with your Common Access Card or Army Knowledge Online User Login.

The LandWarNet Portal is the on-line training portal for Soldiers and leaders to access training, training support materials, simulations, reference material, forums, and news and information. The LWN eU Portal provides the following services to the total force:

* Central home for the Army to access on-line Signal training.

* Information and links to what's new in Signal digitized training.

* Access to Simulation, CBTs and IMI downloadable training materials.

* Access to Technical Forums for collaborative discussion with peers and subject matter experts.

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LWN eU Blackboard contains 90% of all LWN eU training including: MOS producing training, individual sustainment training, unit specific training and commercial and government Information technology training. You can access this training from the LWN eU Portal main menu.

The LWNeU "Training for Individual Soldiers Area" is available for any Soldier or DA Civilian to use. The training area contains Signal MOS training, Signal equipment training, commercial and government Information technology training, and new equipment training for Signal mission support.

The training contained in the Individual Soldier Training material is categorized by equipment assemblage and subject topic. Currently, there are 24 main categories of training for you to access. New training is added or updated within these categories every week.

LWNeU creates on-line Unit Universities for units which contain requested courses and training products that are tailored to each unit's training requirements. LWN eU currently has over 500 Unit Universities, supporting signal and NEC activities across the world.

* Unit Universities contain Signal MOS sustainment, information technology, communications equipment and Battle Command System training.

* Your Unit training staff has full control of their University and can also load training created by their Unit onto their University.

* Incorporated into every Unit University are tools for leaders to manage and monitor the progress of their unit's training.

* Click on Training for Units to access your Unit's training page.

It only takes two days for the LWNeU staff to create a Unit University and fully populate it with training for your unit. If your unit does not have a training page--call the LWNeU staff.

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Battle Command Training

Implementing Battle Command Training at the SIGCoE and Fort Gordon Signal Soldiers and Officers who come to the Signal Center of Excellence for training now receive more hands-on equipment instruction than ever before. This instruction is led by experienced, combat-tested, instructors featuring equipment currently being fielded to operational units in tactically-oriented, strenuous environments that replicate conditions found in the field.

The success of this venture at Fort Gordon can be attributed to the partnerships that have been nurtured among the SIGCoE training departments and the creation of a System of Systems Battle Command Training Facility.

As a result of the local training departments and training support organizations working together and sharing valuable talent and information, the training programs at the SIGCoE have become more realistic, tactical and technologically challenging for the Signal Soldiers in our armed services.

Over the last two years the Program Managers for Battle Command Equipment and the relationship between the Fort Gordon Training Department and Tactical Battle Command Representatives support has created not only the training requirements, but also a learning environment with the latest go to war equipment and simulations.

The 15th Signal Brigade is the lead for junior enlisted Soldier training. All MOS's receive Battle Command equipment training such as Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below. The 25B Soldiers install and configure operating systems, servers, routers and switches necessary to operate in a modern tactical operations center.

During the Modern Matrix Module phase of training, Soldiers integrate Army Battle Command Systems from the ground up in a classroom environment. Soldiers in the 25U MOS receive over 40 hours of training on Battle Command equipment and enabling Battle Command for the units they will support upon completion of training. Soldiers receive training in classrooms for their individual training on systems, such as FBCB2 and Maneuver Control System. Soldiers validate their training during a Capstone exercise called Mercury Fusion at one of the three FOB's that provide Soldiers with all the tactical communications equipment that they will see in their future assignments. Soldiers install, operate and sustain these systems in an environment similar to those found in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Regimental Noncommissioned Officer Academy leads the senior enlisted training with realistic, battle-focused training on specific Battle Command systems and the integration of these systems within the Standardized Integrated Command Post Systems, which was recently provided by PM Command Post and Systems Integration. Senior leaders going through the Advanced Leader Course or Senior Leader Course receive the most advanced training available on Battle Command Systems that are currently fielded to Army units worldwide. This enables our senior enlisted leaders to step directly from training here at Fort Gordon, into an operational unit with minimal equipment training time.

The Leader College for Information Technology has also incorporated realistic Battle Command Systems training into Officer professional development and functional courses. Both departments at the LCIT (442nd Signal Battalion and School of Information Technology) utilize the System of Systems Training Facility to integrate cutting-edge Battle Command training scenarios in resident course instruction. The 442nd Signal Battalion trains initial entry Officers in a newly redesigned Basic Officer Leaders Course, providing them with invaluable training that they can immediately use upon arrival at their first unit of assignment. Training provided includes FBCB2, Harris Radio and the Standardized Integrated Command Post System. The Signal Captains Career Course and S-6 Officers are provided advanced training on Army Battle Command Systems, in a virtualized environment along with an end of course CAPSTONE exercise, featuring the use of green box systems.

The S-6 training is conducted in a classroom, where instruction is provided to students on systems that are virtualized on servers. Machine images of Command Post of the Future, MCS, and FBCB2 are virtualized to provide students with an efficient "white box" system training opportunity. The SIT provides Digital Tactical Operations Center training for Warrant Officers, NCOs and Functional Area 53 and 24 Officers with training on the integration of ABCS.

Training starts with the Military Decision Making Process, a review of the system architecture and signal flow. Students then receive hands-on training on each piece of ABCS equipment in the DTOC, which is followed by the setup and integration of all the systems in the DTOC, from the Battle Command Common Services, to the VOIP phone located in the TOC.

The Soldier's training is validated with the complete setup and functionality of all the ABCS systems and incorporation of scenario-based outages for the students to troubleshoot.

Fort Gordon training organizations are also able to tie together their training venues through the Fort Gordon Signal Training Network. The STN is currently a closed training network composed of realistic communications links utilizing VLAN's, STT's, EPLRS, Harris radios and Secure Wireless LAN. The network connects the various training areas/classrooms/DTOCs to provide students with a realistic Multi-echelon TOC Centric training environment.

The SIGCoE has also recently worked with PM NETOPS to develop the first Center of Excellence Lightweight Data Interchange Format and Data Products. The creation of an LDIF allows the SIGCoE Training Departments to utilize existing ABCS training assets to connect to war fighters training in the field via the Network Service Center--Training. This will bring the SIGCoE Training Departments one step closer to connecting with units training at the Joint Readiness Training Center, or the National Training Center; making a live, virtual and constructive integrated training environment a reality.

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With the realistic environments created here at Fort Gordon's SIGCoE's training programs, Signal Soldiers and Officers are receiving instruction by experienced instructors on the latest equipment that ensures complete readiness for their future assignments.

Virtual/PC-Based Simulators and Simulations

Interactive multimedia instruction greatly enhances and standardizes instruction for Active Component and Reserve Component units throughout the Force when self-development, sustainment, refresher and remedial training are conducted.

The following Virtual/PC-based simulators are available via the LWN-eU (https://lwn.army.mil) web portal to facilitate communications equipment operations training:

Fielded Simulations

1. WIN-T INC 2

Fielded: JUN 09

Target Audience: 25N10

2. SSS (v3) Transit Cases

Fielded: MAR 09

Target Audience: 25N10, 25F10

3. WIN-T INC 1

Fielded: DEC 08

Target Audience: 25N10, 25F10

4. SSS (v3)

Fielded: JUN 08

Target Audience: 25N10, 25F10

5. Phoenix Upgrades (Alpha Version)

Fielded: JAN 08

Target Audience: 25S10

6. Phoenix Upgrades (Bravo Version)

Fielded: JAN 08

Target Audience: 25S10

7. JNN Upgrades v2 (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25N10

8. STT Upgrades JNN-N v2 (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25Q10, 25S10

9. CPN Upgrades JNN-N v2 (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25B10

10. Baseband Upgrades (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25N10

11. JNN-N v3 Upgrade Lot 9 (Spiral 8)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25N10, 25B10

12. CPN Upgrades Lot 9 (Spiral 8)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25B10

13. JNN-N v3 Baseband Upgrades Lot

9 (Spiral 8)

Fielded: DEC 07

Target Audience: 25N10

14. AN/TSC- 85/93

Fielded: MAY 07

Target Audience: 25S10

15. Phoenix (Version A)

Fielded: APR 07

Target Audience: 25S10

16. LAN/WAN

Fielded: APR 07

Target Audience: 25B30 TATS-C, C, F,

L, P, Q, S, U,

W, 250N, 251A, 53A, 25A LT/CPT

17. SATCOM Hub Upgrades (S 5-7)

Fielded: MAR 07

Target Audience: 25S10

18. JNTC-S- INC 2

Fielded: FEB 06

Target Audience: 25N10, 25B10

19. JNN (S 1)

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25N10

20. JNN-1 (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25B10

21. JNN-1 (Spiral 5-7)

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25Q10

22. DTOC

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25B10

23. TIMS (ISYSCON)

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25B10

24. HCLOS

Fielded: OCT 05

Target Audience: 25Q10

25. GSC-52

Fielded: JAN 04

Target Audience: 25S10

26. BSN

Fielded: OCT 04

Target Audience: 25F10, Q10, P10

27. FBCB2

Fielded: OCT 03

Target Audience: 25U

28. TRC-173

Fielded: NOV 01

Target Audience: 25P10, Q10

29. S6 Staff Simulation

Fielded: : AUG 09

Target Audience: 25A, FA53, 254A, 250N, 25U50

30. Nodal Network Simulation

Fielded: APR 10

Target Audience: 25B, 25N, 25Q, 25S

For more information on the status of virtual/PC-based simulator training products, contact Mr. Patrick Baker, chief, Digital Training Division, DOT at DSN 780-0221 or commercial at (706) 791-0221.

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Acronym QuickScan

BSN--Brigade Subscriber Node

BCCS--Battle Command Common Services

BVTC--Battlefield Video-Teleconferencing Center

CAC-T--Combined Arms Center--Training

CBT--Computer Based Training

CPOF--Command Post of the Future

COMSEC--Communications Security

CPN--Command Post Node

DTOC--Division Tactical Operations Center

FBCB2--Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below

GSC--Ground Station Control

HCLOS--High Capacity Line of Site

IA--Information Assurance

IMI--Interactive Multimedia Instruction

JNN--Joint Network Node

JNN-N--Joint Network Node-Network

JNTC-S--Joint Network Transport Capability Spiral

LAN/WAN--Local Area Network/Wide Area Network

LLC--Lifelong Learning Center

LWN eU--LandWarNet eUniversity

MCS--Maneuver Control System

MOS--Military Occupation Skill

NEC--Network Enterprise Center

SATCOM Hub--Satellite Communications Hub

SIM--Simulator/Simulation

SSS--Single Shelter Switch

STT--Satellite Transportable Terminal

TIMS (ISYSCON)- Tactical Internet Management System

TRC--Tactical Radio Communications

VOIP--Voice Over Internet Protocol

WIN-T--Warfighter Information Network- Tactical

Article Details

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Title Annotation:	Directorate of Training Update
Publication:	Army Communicator
Date:	Sep 22, 2010
Words:	2018
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