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cost. In addition, the types of the tasks to be accomplished by today's military are expanding. For example, the changing nature of military missions (e.g., peacekeep; ing, drug interdiction, disaster relief, counter-terrorism) often
may require rapid, ad hoc preparations for unusual and unforeseen contingencies. Furthermore, although military units typically are dispersed geographically, most operations require rapid constitution and preparation of forces.
These requirements, combined with efforts to downsize the military, mean that we are less able to afford the time and resources needed to assemble people in a single location, at the same time, to provide basic and sustaining education or train. ing. We must make learning environments easily accessible. To meet these challenges, we are looking for ways to capitalize on current and emerging technological opportunities to transcend time and location to deliver education and training at any time and any place.
Importantly, the widespread use of technology at home and in the workplace today provides us with a new kind of student, one who is not only familiar with technology but expects to use it in a broad range of applications. Indeed, the Department of Defense has gained considerable experience with learning technologies. This experience has demonstrated that learning technologies can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of individual education and training. As a result of their early efforts, a number of Services and Defense activities have committed to make the initial investments required to develop and implement distance learning and other technology-based capabilities on a broader scale. Others are in the process of identifying requirements and evaluating potential investments and payoffs.
The Department of Defense's objective is to exploit the full potential of learning technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of individual military training by:
• Changing the classroom paradigm such that instruction can be delivered anywhere and at any time; • Designing and implementing innovative and cost-effective learning programs that tailor instruction to the specific needs of individual learners; and • Streamlining the training infrastructure to provide increased flexibility
and efficiency while reducing administrative overhead. The Department also has under way a number of other initiatives, many of which are technology-based, to improve the way we train.
• Outsourcing and privatization: Using the private sector to provide training should allow the services to free up military personnel to focus on responsibilities more directly related to military core competencies. • Embedded training and advanced simulation: Using embedded training and simulators should allow the services to conduct more training on the weapon system or at the operational unit, rather than having to send people to the schoolhouse. • Joint simulation: Using simulation and communications technologies to train joint and combined battle staffs will be critical to our ability to con
duct joint and coalition operations effectively in the future. Providing high-quality, rigorous, and realistic training-to individuals and units of the Total Force, across all phases of military operations, for all types of missions-remains a formidable challenge. In response to that challenge, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and the Services are working hard to develop and implement initiatives, and to coordinate their efforts to continue to provide the best training available in today's dynamic fiscal and strategic environments.
We have also established the Total Force Simulations and Training Devices Action Team Executive Committee to examine the Reserve components' use of training technologies. This initiative seeks to ensure that Reserve component requirements are incorporated into DOD training and education initiatives. Cost-effective training to promote effective Reserve component integration into Total Force missions means increasing opportunities for joint training missions with the Active forces and making good use of all the tools available, especially technology.
The Increased Use Program, initiated in 1995, identifies training opportunities that simultaneously enhance Reserve component unit readiness and use Guard and Reserve components to relieve active component operating tempo (OPTEMPO) and personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO). The Services and CINCs provide approximately equal matching funds to offset the incremental costs of the Reserve unit participation. During the coming year, we will continue to identify training opportunities to involve Reserve components in more peacetime operational missions and to promote innovative training opportunities in U.S. communities.
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cost. In addition, the types of the tasks to be accomplished by today's military are expanding. For example, the changing nature of military missions (e.g., peacekeep; ing, drug interdiction, disaster relief, counter-terrorism) often
may require rapid, ad hoc preparations for unusual and unforeseen contingencies. Furthermore, although military units typically are dispersed geographically, most operations require rapid constitution and preparation of forces.
These requirements, combined with efforts to downsize the military, mean that we are less able to afford the time and resources needed to assemble people in a single location, at the same time, to provide basic and sustaining education or train. ing. We must make learning environments easily accessible. To meet these challenges, we are looking for ways to capitalize on current and emerging technological opportunities to transcend time and location to deliver education and training at any time and any place.
Importantly, the widespread use of technology at home and in the workplace today provides us with a new kind of student, one who is not only familiar with technology but expects to use it in a broad range of applications. Indeed, the Department of Defense has gained considerable experience with learning technologies. This experience has demonstrated that learning technologies can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of individual education and training. As a result of their early efforts, a number of Services and Defense activities have committed to make the initial investments required to develop and implement distance learning and other technology-based capabilities on a broader scale. Others are in the process of identifying requirements and evaluating potential investments and payoffs.
The Department of Defense's objective is to exploit the full potential of learning technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of individual military training by:
• Changing the classroom paradigm such that instruction can be delivered anywhere and at any time; • Designing and implementing innovative and cost-effective learning programs that tailor instruction to the specific needs of individual learners; and • Streamlining the training infrastructure to provide increased flexibility
and efficiency while reducing administrative overhead. The Department also has under way a number of other initiatives, many of which are technology-based, to improve the way we train.
• Outsourcing and privatization: Using the private sector to provide training should allow the services to free up military personnel to focus on responsibilities more directly related to military core competencies. • Embedded training and advanced simulation: Using embedded training and simulators should allow the services to conduct more training on the weapon system or at the operational unit, rather than having to send people to the schoolhouse. • Joint simulation: Using simulation and communications technologies to train joint and combined battle staffs will be critical to our ability to con
duct joint and coalition operations effectively in the future. Providing high-quality, rigorous, and realistic training-to individuals and units of the Total Force, across all phases of military operations, for all types of missions-remains a formidable challenge. In response to that challenge, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and the Services are working hard to develop and implement initiatives, and to coordinate their efforts to continue to provide the best training available in today's dynamic fiscal and strategic environments.
We have also established the Total Force Simulations and Training Devices Action Team Executive Committee to examine the Reserve components' use of training technologies. This initiative seeks to ensure that Reserve component requirements are incorporated into DOD training and education initiatives. Cost-effective training to promote effective Reserve component integration into Total Force missions means increasing opportunities for joint training missions with the Active forces and making good use of all the tools available, especially technology.
The Increased Use Program, initiated in 1995, identifies training opportunities that simultaneously enhance Reserve component unit readiness and use Guard and Reserve components to relieve active component operating tempo (OPTEMPO) and personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO). The Services and CINCs provide approximately equal matching funds to offset the incremental costs of the Reserve unit participation. During the coming year, we will continue to identify training opportunities to involve Reserve components in more peacetime operational missions and to promote innovative training opportunities in U.S. communities.