Signal Center offers hands-on learning of systems like JNN-Network

Army Communicator, Fall, 2006 by Josh Davidson

BG Ronald Bouchard recently illustrated the importance of hands-on training by comparing how he learns to use a DVD player; to his son's method for accomplishing the same task.

Bouchard said he learns to use the product by taking it out and reading the directions. His son, however, throws the directions aside and learns to use it on his own.

As simple as it may sound, this example also shows how training methods are changing throughout the Army and its Signal Center, in Fort Gordon, Ga., to accommodate today's generation of computer savvy Soldiers.

The LandWarNetwork-University was established at the Signal Center in February to further efforts to train Soldiers to operate mobile Internet Protocol networks. The Army earmarked $30 million to fund the LWN-U in order to update its training infrastructure and organization at the Signal Center.

The term LandWarNet refers to the Army's portion of the Global Information Grid. The GIG is a globally interconnected, end-to-end set of information capabilities and processes for collecting, processing, and managing information on demand to Warfighters, policymakers, and support personnel.

The concept of the LWN-U is to train and educate Soldiers better by synchronizing the Army's Schools and Centers, Battle Command Training Centers, and Centralized Training Support Facilities. A LWN-U objective is to change how Signal Soldiers are trained and updated in the skills for their Military Occupational Specialty. The LWN-U focuses on establishing a mindset where Soldiers think about the manner in which the Army works with other services in the realm of Joint Task Forces.

LWN trains Soldiers to operate mobile Internet Protocol networks such as the Joint Network Node-Network. The Signal Center partnered with General Dynamics to develop or modify 20 courses on the system and purchase training aides, Bouchard said. Still, 21 additional courses need to be developed or modified, he said.

Students begin their training at the General Dynamics JNN-N school by becoming familiar with the system's router.

Delda Rhoades, training manager at the Signal Center recently gave a tour of the school.

Each classroom is connected to a patch panel that provides access to all of the JNN-N equipment used during the training, she said. Many of the school's JNN-N are set up in open racks.

As they train on the JNN-N, Soldiers learn from various perspectives that will be beneficial when they use other systems, Rhoades said. Each class includes about 20 students. Many of the students receive their materials, such as technical manuals, on compact disc, she said.

"Hands-on training is the best way for Soldiers to learn a piece of equipment and a compliment to the lectures they receive," said MSG Stephon M. Sterns, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the JNN/ LWN-U Cell. Sterns estimates that about 50 to 75 percent of each JNN-N course, taught by General Dynamics, is comprised of hands-on learning. The percentage is lower than if there were more training resources.

"In a normal class, it is set up to provide the student information on the topic or piece of equipment being discussed," Sterns said. "Following the classroom portion of the class, there is a hands-on portion as appropriate. There will be a slide show and then the majority of the class will be hands-on. There are cases where the class is completely hands-on. Because much of the equipment we work on is either so complicated or so expensive, there is usually some explanation of the equipment prior to the hands-on portion of the class. There is no standard for how much lecture and how much hands-on is appropriate. Much of it depends on the topic and sometimes the size of the class plays a role."

At the General Dynamics JNN-N school, students learn to troubleshoot through the actual network problems which arise during their training, Rhodes said.

Even though the simulations are based on equipment from Spiral One of the JNN-Network, "We try to push the concept: if you understand one (version), you should understand the other," Rhoades said.

Simulators are used to lessen the amount of equipment needed for each student, Bouchard said. Using simulators saves the Army money by reducing the amount of time that a Soldier has to touch physical equipment, he said.

The Signal Center is looking at the possibility of using multi-player and geographically dispersed gaming as a training tool for systems like JNN-N, Bouchard said. During the game, the user could learn by playing their actual role as a Soldier, he said.

Today's Soldiers are used to computer gaming. "That's why it is important to get (Soldiers) the simulators and the equipment for them to train with," said Bouchard.

The Signal Center now provides a LWN eUniversity portal (LWN.army.mil) that can be accessed through Army Knowledge Online. Web-based training enables Soldiers to learn from remote locations.

The eUniversity is a new version of the Signal Center's Lifelong Learning Training portal. The version's look and feel have been expanded to encompass the five goals of the LandWarNet initiative which are training and educating Soldiers on LWN; developing and educating Leaders on LWN; providing LWN education for Lifelong Learning; providing LWN training to support the Warfighter and integrating Combat Development and research in training and education.