The U.S. military and its contractors are developing digitized command and control systems to provide military units with information dominance over the enemy. Ironically, these digital systems have created training control and feedback challenges for exercise Observer/Controllers (OCs) in all simulation environments. OCs have the responsibility to assess and mentor exercise players on the effective use of digital systems. In addition, OCs must control the exercise. To do this, OCs need the capability to monitor and store all player digital traffic, inject digital messages and display digital information for post-exercise collective learning or after action reviews (AARs). However, today's OC may be unable to monitor player digital communications of key players or may be deluged by information and unable to identify those digital actions or inactions that most affected the training event's tactical outcome.

Under the sponsorship of the Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) and the Army Research Institute (ARI), we are developing a prototype training support system to overcome control and feedback problems associated with digitized units. We call the system the C4I Training Analysis and Feedback System (CTAFS). We are developing the CTAFS under our Intelligent-Decision Aids and Training Assistance (I-DATA) concept. We designed the CTAFS prototype to support digitized company team virtual simulation exercises. The first CTAFS prototype monitors tactical digital communications on a LAN and permits the OC to role-play notional units and inject control events into the exercise. Using an expert system, the second CTAFS prototype will alert the OC to significant digital activities and disparities in situational awareness among the players. CTAFS will automate the production and presentation management of C4I AAR products linking AAR displays to established doctrine and standards. In addition, CTAFS will provide the OC with discussion guides to facilitate AAR discussions on what happened, why it happened and how to improve performance.

This paper addresses the challenges of C4I digital training and presents information and lessons learned during our research and development of CTAFS and its AAR capabilities for the C4I portions of virtual simulation exercises. Additionally, the paper explores the role of C4I AAR systems in future C4I training environments.