Simulation Operations Professional Course #08-001 Completes Training at US Army Topographic Engineering Center
Richard Mackey
Richard Mackey is an Alion Science and Technology senior military analyst supporting the Simulation Proponent Division

Eighteen government and contract staff from the national capital region and other agencies across the country completed the Simulation Operations Professional Course (SOPC) at the US Army Topographic Engineering Center (TEC), Alexandria, VA during the period 25 February – 7 March 2008. The SOPC is sponsored and presented by the Simulation Proponent Division, Modeling and Simulation Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff G3/5/7, Headquarters, Department of the Army as part of its civilian modeling and simulation (M&S) professional development and education program. This tailored variation of the SOPC was comprised of two one-week training modules consisting of forty-hours of instruction each. The SOPC is offered to Department of Defense military and civilian personnel who work in or indicate an interest in the area of modeling and simulation (M&S) with a primary focus on government M&S professionals within the Career Program 36 (CP36). The two-week course, hosted by Dr. J. David Lashlee, Associate Technical Director of the Topographic Engineering Center, provided the participants an opportunity to receive the latest M&S instruction and provided them information on the various simulation and stimulation tools that are available and being used to support operational requirements.

The US Army Topographic Engineer Center (TEC) is one of seven subordinate laboratories and activities of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), US Army Corps of Engineers. The TEC’s mission is to provide warfighters with superior knowledge of the battlefield and to support the nation’s civil and environmental initiatives through research, development, and the application of expertise in the topographic and related geospatial sciences. Their primary focus is in the areas of imagery and remote sensing, geospatial information and services, network-centric warfare, and joint geospatial enterprise services (J-GES) to support the warfighter and the demands of the contemporary operational environment. One of the highlights of the SOPC was a tour of TEC’s facilities and the opportunity to observe some of the M&S initiatives and tools TEC is using to support their research, development, and acquisition decisions.

Members of the SOPC #08-001 pose for their SOPC completion photo.  Mr. Roger Samuels, (far left), Chief of the Simulation Proponent Division, presented the course completion certificates to the assembled group.

The SOPC #08-001, normally composed of 10-15 students, had sixteen government service civilian employees and two civilian government contractors. Besides six members of TEC’s staff, personnel from the Modeling and Simulation Directorate, US Army Forces Command, US Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the National Geospatial and Intelligence Agency participated. Two features of the SOPC that make it appealing to offer on site at local commands are its portability and flexibility. The instructors deploy to the hosting organization’s location and present it at the time they designate. Designed as a three-week block of instruction, the SOPC content is organized into one-week modules (Week #1: Fundamentals of Modeling and Simulation, Week #2: Technical Aspects of Simulations, and Week #3: Employing Simulations) that can be tailored to meet the training needs of the hosting organization’s personnel. The course can be offered in three consecutive weeks or in one-week increments based upon the organization’s requirements and operational tempo.

The requesting agency is required to fund the travel, per diem, and lodging costs for the instructors. The number of students in the course determines the number of instructors required; one instructor is required per 10-15 students.

To schedule a SOPC at your organization:

1. Determine the M&S training requirements in your organization and the number of personnel who need the training.
2. Decide how you want the training presented (e.g. three consecutive weeks or a variation).
3. Determine if your organization can fund the costs associated with hosting the training (e.g. travel, per diem and lodging costs for instructors), and identify a training site.
4. Determine when you want the training offered.
5. Coordinate scheduling of the SOPC at CP36@hqda.army.mil, or (703) 604-0257/59.