Using Simulators To Train For War

The Improvised Explosive Device Battle Drill simulator after being hit by a simulated I.E.D. attack during an exercise at Fort Eustis, Va. Luke Sharrett/The New York Times

Simulators Prepare Soldiers For Explosions Of War -- New York Times

FORT EUSTIS, Va. — A Humvee bumps along a dirt road fringed by mountains, their snowy peaks glinting in the sun. Rifle shots crackle from a rocky bluff, signaling a Taliban ambush. Suddenly an explosion rocks the vehicle, tossing it from side to side before it bounces to an uneasy stop, smoke billowing into the cab.

This is a roadside bombing, Hollywood style. But this is no film set. The Humvee is part of an elaborate simulator that prepares soldiers for one of the most hazardous jobs in Afghanistan today — driving.

Training to defend against the Taliban’s most lethal weapon, the improvised explosive device, or I.E.D., can feel a bit like taking a ride at Disney World these days. Or watching a 3-D movie. Or playing an interactive computer game.

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My Comment: This type of training is something that would not have even been thought of 10 years ago.