FORT BLISS, TEXAS (April 4, 2014) -- Proper communication and having the most advanced network technology can prove vital for Soldiers in combat. Ensuring Soldiers worldwide have the best and most advanced communication begins at Fort Bliss.
Here, strenuous testing is administered to configure and establish the future Army network at the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE). The semi-annual NIE is used to validate and integrate the Army's network capabilities through Soldier-led testing of the new equipment. Before the NIE can begin, all of the equipment needs to go through a Validation Exercise (VALEX), which is currently taking place and continues through April.
Throughout VALEX, over 300 Soldiers assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and civilians from Project Manager (PM) Current, have four crucial, labor-intensive weeks to ensure that all systems are online and operational before testing begins during NIE. The intricacies of these exercises are immense and are directed by Lt. Col. Keith Taylor, product manager capabilities package and integration for system of systems integration, who has the job of ensuring the network is validated and prepared for the unit's upcoming evaluation.
"During VALEX, there are so many competing demands, so many moving parts -- it is schedule driven with detailed plans, but at the same time, it is very intense … issues stack up," said Taylor. "We have to ensure that everyone gets the same message and moves in a common direction."
For the duration of VALEX, PM Current maintains operational control of the network and it is CPI who must orchestrate bringing the network online by ensuring the equipment is loaded, established, integrated and validated -- an ambitious task to take on in a short amount of time.
"We are going through all of this to ensure that NIE equipment will work in support of the tactical network, so then we can inform Army leaderships decision to field, continue to develop, shows potential and continue to test or not," explained Taylor.
The magnitude of VALEX is staggering with about 2,500 systems being connected and more than 700 people working at the Integrated Motor Pool on any given day. It also involves 400 checkout tasks being conducted, more than 300 vehicles being networked and five determined SoSI Trail Boss Teams facing the pressure of making their equipment operational. The equipment includes a wide array of items such as vehicles, hand held radios and their systems, satellite connections, command post tents, laptops and anything that is integrated onto the vehicles.
"What determines success is completing in excess of 500 pre-combat checks, transitioning the network to the brigade and gaining their trust in this equipment in order for them to employ it in the field," said Taylor.
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