There is an increased understanding that training in virtual environments will play a key role in future force development (Department of Defense, 2010) - but there is still a need to better understand the interaction between classroom-based learning, virtual exercises to reinforce those skills and force-on-force field training. There is now a widening body of research on virtual environment performance as an effective preparation for force-on-force field training (Roman & Brown, 2009; De Leo, Sechrist, Radici, & Mastaglio, 2010). The question remains how to best use virtual environments to bridge classroom-based learning and the application of classroom acquired knowledge during tactical military execution.
An opportunity to explore virtual infantry training transfer came during Bold Quest 2011 (BQ11), a coalition combat identification event. Four infantry squads received five days of instructor-led Advanced Situational Awareness Training (ASAT) that focused on increasing their situational awareness and improving decision making; a fifth squad did not. Three of the squads who underwent ASAT training and the one squad that did not then conducted two days of virtual environment scenarios focused on training situational awareness and decision making skills in a combat identification environment. All five squads then performed two different, measured and observed force-on-force field scenarios. Our hypothesis was that initial practice in a virtual environment prior to the force on force scenarios would greatly enhance squad exhibition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) associated with the instructor-led ASAT class, as compared to those trainees who did not conduct the virtual missions. This paper is a follow on to Reitz and Reist, 2010, providing the results of the then proposed experiment. It will discuss squad performance throughout the BQ11 training event; provide the results of an analysis of the training transfer between classroom, virtual and field training environments; and propose broad requirements to improve the effectiveness of the virtual environment to support combat identification training.