FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Nov. 30, 2015) -- Modeling and Simulation (M&S) is recognized as an essential enabler by Army leaders at all levels, to include the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, who received an M&S capability portfolio review from leaders at the U.S. Army Modeling and Simulation Office (AMSO) this morning. AMSO, located on Fort Belvoir, VA, is the Army's Enterprise-level organization for modeling and simulation policy, coordination, and workforce management. A directorate under the Center for Army Analysis, AMSO operates to enable the Army to effectively and efficiently employ M&S personnel, capabilities, and tools within and across all Army organizations, in support of both the Operating and Generating Forces. AMSO strives to get the most from the M&S enterprise to ensure the Army remains ready as the world's premier combat force.
AMSO has a four part mission: to develop the strategy and policy for Army M&S enterprise; to execute effective governance and resource management through leadership and synchronization; to lead the coordination of the Army M&S enterprise and cross-community areas to include Joint, Intergovernmental, Interagency, and Multinational environments; and finally, to train, educate, and manage the M&S Workforce, including the Army's Simulation Operations Officer and civilian analysis, modeling and simulation careerists programs.
AMSO partners with academia to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. They also perform cooperative research and development agreements, participate in allies' modeling and simulation events, and leverage partnering opportunities with both government and industry to share the message about the M&S capabilities and opportunities available. AMSO will attend the International and Inter-Service Training, Simulation, and Education Conference 2015 in Orlando to tell the Army M&S story to DoD, academic, and industry partners.
Modeling and Simulation is used throughout the Army and other Joint Forces. Intelligence and Acquisition scenarios, cyber and medical applications, testing and evaluation, training and education, are all fields that have been influenced and improved by M&S.
Many training scenarios use virtual training, such as Virtual Battlefield 3 or the Dismounted Soldier Training System. For example, the Squad Overmatch Study which was the top ranked study for the Army Study Program in both FY13 and FY14, and ranked within the top 20 for FY15. The study operates based on virtual scenarios and simulations to train Soldiers to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder before it takes place. A multitude of virtual training exists for Soldiers which saves both time and resources. Finite funding has placed a greater emphasis on simulation, virtual environments, and shared platforms for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in helping prepare soldiers for the next war. Simulations enhance real world training, covering areas outside the envelope and safety of real world systems. Simulations are routinely being used to train our future warfighters, and to leverage these tools properly the Army needs a trained and educated M&S workforce.
The Army Modeling and Simulation School (AMSS), part of AMSO, provides targeted education, training, qualification, and certification to ensure the Army M&S workforce--both Functional Area 57 (military) and Career Program 36 (civilian)--is well trained in the use and application of the Army's Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation capabilities. AMSS uses a modern, networked digital classroom to provide students with hands on experience and training on simulations, gaming tools, models, and networks. Students also learn to conduct Knowledge Management operations using the latest Army Mission Command Information Systems. AMSS offers resident, mobile training team, and distance learning courses to provide multiple options for M&S training and education to the Army.
AMSO manages the Army's M&S workforce of approximately 3,000 personnel, both military and civilian. For the uniformed side, Functional Area 57 (FA57) - Simulation Operations officers provide the Total Army with a technically educated and tactically grounded cadre of officers specializing in the core areas of Modeling and Simulation Operations, Mission Command Systems Integration, and Operational Knowledge Management. FA57 officers possess the unique skill set required to carry out the Army Training Strategy directives, incorporate the Integrated Training Environment (ITE), and the U.S. Army Learning Concept. FA57 officers integrate Army Mission Command Systems to invigorate home station training and optimize resources to confront an increasingly complex environment and uncertain future. FA57 officers assist commanders to accomplish diverse training objectives by leveraging virtual and constructive capabilities to produce operationally ready and adaptable leaders and forces.
The Career Program 36 (CP36) is the Department of Army's civilian Analysis, Modeling and Simulation career program for training, educating, and developing civilian human capital in a systematic fashion. The CP36 was approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs, (ASAM&RA)) on 15 February 2005. Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation is pervasive throughout the Army and is found in the Acquisition, Analysis, Operations, Testing, Training, Experimentation, and Intelligence communities. CP36 assists the commands with ensuring they have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place. A comprehensive view of CP-36 is available on the Army M&S web site (http://www.ms.army.mil/sp-div/).
AMSO developed the Army Modeling and Simulation Competency Development Website (www.ams.army.mil), that enables users of the site to search for training and education courses matched to 24 M&S competencies, 27 Operations Research Systems Analysis (ORSA) competencies, 10 M&S communities, job roles, job series, and keyword. This site contains over 2,800 courses from government, academia, and industry that support analysis, modeling, and simulation career development, certification and technical analysis, modeling, and simulation training.
AMSO is committed to ensuring the Army gets it right with modeling and simulation. Every Soldier who deploys goes through some type of M&S training to acquire critical Warfighting skills. Simulations help our Soldiers hone their skills, gain familiarity with an environment, rehearse their missions, and finally return safely to their families when their missions are complete. Simulations play an enormous role in attaining these skills and bringing our Soldiers home.
For more information about AMSO and the Army Modeling and Simulation School, visit www.ms.army.mil.
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