Canada Exploring Small Inf Team Thinking

Just spotted this in the MERX public contracting web page (.pdf permalink):

COGNITIVE TASK ANALYSIS OF SMALL TEAM INFANTRY TASKS

Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto ON has a requirement for Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) of small team infantry and ground-base operations. Specific information is required as to how these small teams make and execute decisions during short, high-tempo, high-risk, and high-stress operations, especially in the urban environment. A previous R & D effort examined the decision making process of small police teams taking part in a simulated hostage situation and house clearing task. Additional CTA and decision making analysis is required of Candian Forces infantry personnel involved in specific military type tasks.

Tasks:

a) Undertake a CTA analysis of simulated small-unit operations involving CF personnel at CFB Gagetown and/or CFB Petawawa.

b) Undertake a analysis of the naturalistic decision making process used during the simulated small-unit operations.

The Bidder must have demonstrated capability and have a proven track (as shown by contract reports, peer review papers, or patent applications) in the theory and application of Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) and Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) analysis.

The work will be performed during the period from date of award to 31 July 2008 ....

A few similar studies have been performed over the past decade up to Combat Team level. While this is a step in the right direction, $40,000 is a pittance, and will likely end up compromising the analysis results somewhat just as it did for other infantry studies performed in the past couple years or so. Do it right, not on the cheap.

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"...Do it right, not on the cheap."

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You know that is not the North American way. :o

I think it's something in the water...

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Originally Posted by Ken White

You know that is not the North American way.

I think it's something in the water...

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It's those with Scottish (NOT Scots-Irish) cultural backgrounds - on both sides of the 49th - or the Great Lakes...after all, these were the same bunch that invented Haggis:eek:, and then had to invent Scotch:cool: in order to wash it down. Penny-foolish, pound-wise?;):confused:

I was involved with one of these on the edges for aircrew taskings. No money few results.

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Originally Posted by Norfolk

It's those with Scottish (NOT Scots-Irish) cultural backgrounds - on both sides of the 49th - or the Great Lakes...after all, these were the same bunch that invented Haggis, and then had to invent Scotch in order to wash it down. Penny-foolish, pound-wise?;):confused:

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I firmly believe money was made to spend and my kids will get no inheritance if I can manage it... :D

I'll also take Canadian Bacon and bourbon in preference to Haggis and that muddy water (noting in passing that the good single malt stuff is now cured in old bourbon barrels so it may be better than it used to be).

All of which means you're, as usual, probably right... ;)

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Originally Posted by Ken White

I'll also take Canadian Bacon and bourbon in preference to Haggis and that muddy water (noting in passing that the good single malt stuff is now cured in old bourbon barrels so it may be better than it used to be).

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If you add more salt to that Canadian Bacon it might pass for country ham. :wry:

After generations of trial and error in Ulster they finally began to get it right when they learned to put corn in the makings. ;) Of course, that was after they landed at ports in Pennsylvania and South Carolina and moved inland to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

Legend says it acquired some more refinement when folks in central Kentucky started filling oak barrels full of white lighting for the trip by flat boat down the Ohio River to New Orleans.

Man, are we off the original subject, or what?

this Infantryman's small brain think. Right?

Personally, I'm not too surprised at a desire to do it on the cheap, even if that comes at cost of quality. Although there have been alot of big-ticket purchases in the CF as of late, with more high-profile equipment deals such as new UAV's being publicized in the Canadian media there is only so much money available, even with the influx of cash that was poured into the CF as a result of 9/11 and our intervention in Afghanistan. I would also argue that the cuts of the 80's and 90's made those in charge of the purse strings pretty tight-fisted and purchases that aren't 'flashy' such as new aircraft or mobile gun platforms are going to get the short end of the stick due to their low visibility in the public eye.

By way of example, the Canadian army's EOD and forensic capability is non-existent due to such cuts and the RCN has dispatched clearance divers to handle all ordinance disposal and post IED-forensic work. The Ottawa Citizen profiled their work here:

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...37348f311a&p=1

LTCDR Leyte is one helluva guy. He was my father's XO at FDU Atlantic during the 1990's where they trained most of the guy's who are now doing this in Afghanistan. I'm glad they got some of the recognition that's been owed them for a long time.

$40,000 would last a Rifle Platoon a day or two whilst undergoing a study on the cognitive performance enhancing effects of alcohol-based hydration-techniques...errr, somethin' like that.:D

That may be much more useful information than what Defence R&D is likely to get for the same money in its proposed course of investigation - its last study of Rifle Platoon Structures was likewise done on the cheap, and a study that needed to last about 3 months was only funded for 12 days.:wry:

Billy, at the rate things are going, practically all the Navy's Clearance Divers are going to have some Afghan time; I'm wondering if they're starting to feel some strain themselves, because the Army just keeps asking for more of them.

Now back on-topic: One of the main points of such a study should be to determine what sorts of whiskys best support enhanced cognitive function. Might I be so bold as to propose some candidates for the purposes of the study (The Daily Dozen for Peak Cognitive Fitness so to speak):

1. Wiser's Reserve Canadian Whisky
2. Maker's Mark Bourbon Whisky
3. Johnny Walker Green Label Scotch Whisky
4. Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whisky
5. Canadian Club Reserve Canadian Whisky
6. Dalwhinnie Highland Single-Malt Scotch Whisky
7. Old Weller Bourbon Whisky
8. Forty Creek Barrel Select Canadian Whisky
9. Glenfiddich Solara Reserve Speyside Single-Malt Scotch Whisky
10.Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Whisky
11.Alberta Premium Rye Whisky
12.Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single-Malt Whisky

Lest anyone entertain doubts about the proposed course of study, note that the Olympics ban the use of alcohol as a performance enhancing substance - especially for the Biathlon, where the alcohol helps improve one's breath control and hence marksmanship. Moreover, scientific studies suggest that alcohol may not only prevent the onset of Alzheimer's, but indeed may act as a sort of "Defrag" for the brain, clearing out the old cobwebs and streamlining the neural pathways. As such, there are few more comprehensive ways to evaluate Small-Unit Infantry cognition tasks and performance than through the above proposed course of study...;)