FORT STEWART, Ga. -- Cavalry scouts mounted up and took training to a new level. Instead of putting their boots on ground, they put them in a virtual simulator.
Soldiers of Troop A, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conducted Reconfigurable Vehicle Simulator, or RVS, training Feb. 9, at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Simulators allow Soldiers to perform the same training they would in the field; however, it provides different options. The technicians who operate the RVS can create different layouts, scenarios and scenery. For instance, technicians can simulate Soldiers virtually on a map of Fort Irwin, California, to prepare for field missions, or Afghanistan to train for a deployment.
"I'm used to maneuvering in a column on a road," said 1st Lt. Joseph Berman, a platoon leader with Troop A. "This made it so we have to maneuver through desert and through mountain passes and that challenged me to think through those problem solving scenarios that I don't always have to think through."
Depending on the needs of the unit, technicians can coordinate a variety of training scenarios, such as convoy movements, route clearance operations and urban assault tactics.
This virtual training helps Soldiers familiarize with equipment and build team cohesion. Soldiers created synergy throughout the platoon by practicing communication, weapon control, positive identification of enemies and vehicle maneuvers.
"When we go out to the field, our movements and maneuvers are restricted to primarily road and tank trails," Berman said. "Using this simulator allowed us to get out into open terrain and spread our vehicles out."
This mission was a precursor for the squadron training event Mustang Focus, slated to occur this spring.
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