Electronic Publications

[Schmedlap]

early in the thread, the idea of inserting videos and animation was to allow a soldier to follow the video in the execution of his duties. Sounds like a great idea if we were training the local Jiffy Lube attendent. The problem is we are not.

A TM is not a training document. It is a reference document and it is to be referenced when doing PMCS, no matter how proficient or competent and no matter how many times you've done PMCS.

We need soldiers, regardless of thier job in the army to be capable of solving problems and adapting to unique situations. That is what will save lives in combat and ensure we are meeting the national interests in the current operations we are facing.

No disagreements there, but I don't think anyone is proposing that we create doctrinal publications on the assumption that Soldiers will be "reading along" as they fight. And much of what we've discussed pertains to technical manuals, which are technical references that we expect and demand that Soldier refer to even while deployed (but while in secure areas).

Much like emersive language training, the way to do that is to force problem solving and actual thought in everything that we do. Instead of giving a video of what to DO, i would insert a video or animation of HOW it works, and then show what could go wrong. that would actually educate the soldier and allow him to then solve the problems and THINK. Skills that he will need once that vehicle is rolling.

That sounds like the practical exercise that we do after reading the doctrinal publications.

It is nice to think of making life easier in the motorpool, but that same mechanic will need to have that same skill under a moonlite night in some dark desert where the light from his KINDLE screen will attract attention from the nearest enemy force. lets not forget why we are training them in the first place.

I don't see why we have to choose one or the other. In those conditions, I wouldn't have my Soldiers filling out their 5988E or flipping through the pages of the TM, either. They would be doing field-expedient quick fixes and/or improvising until the vehicle can be moved to a secure area or until the area where the vehicle is at can be secured. The e-pub idea is a garrison and secure area idea to streamline technical tasks and make the process of interacting with the supply system easier and faster - to reduce the amount of time Soldiers spend on those tasks and reduce the amount of attention that leaders pay to technical work rather than hands-on leadership.

I still believe that animation and technology intensive references won't equate to better material. A concise, relevant and applicable piece of doctrine or tactical note wouldn't need animation to explain itself - a diagram of room-clearing or tactical movement would be a 'nice to have' but without considerations and the reasons behind the drills explained in text it would be nugatory.

I suspect that many made similar points about adding graphics to publications when that technology was first available. Heck, Socrates was opposed to writing!

I don't think anyone is suggesting substituting videos and eyewashes in lieu of ideas and concepts. I think we're just finally realizing that technological advances could help to make some things clearer. In other words, they are, as you put it, "nice to have." And since implementing them would be of negligible costs, in the long run, why not do it? After all, it's nice to have.