MAJ David Thompson describes the needle used in a chest decompression due to a tension pneumothorax (collapsed lung), a leading cause of battlefield deaths, at the Medical Simulation Training Center display at the PEO STRI Capitol Hill Soldier Trading Demonstration. (U.S. Army photo by Robert E. Coultas.)

The U.S. Army Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) hosted its 11th annual Capitol Hill Demonstration on Feb. 5 and 7, 2008, in Washington, DC. More than 600 people attended the two events, including congressional members and their staffs, media and guests. Visitors had the opportunity to experience interactive military simulations and training devices that prepare warfighters for their missions before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan.

“Often times we are below the radar from Congress and their staffers,” said COL Kevin Dietrick, PEO STRI Deputy Program Executive Officer. “So we think it’s critical that they hear about what’s going on, where the successes are, where we’re struggling a little bit, so they can make informed decisions when the budget comes to pass.” Dietrick said that PEO STRI is trying to build tools that can help Soldiers in an urban environment with “nonkinetic” effects. “Those are things that are not just about shooting and firing weapon systems, but interacting with the local population,” he said.

Effectively communicating with locals in a deployment region is critical to a successful mission. Here, Vcom3D® Inc. Operations Manager Ernie Bright demonstrates the Vcommunicator Mobile LC, which can assist warfighters with culturally appropriate behavior and mission-specific language. (U.S. Army photo by Robert E. Coultas.)

This year, PEO STRI exhibited more than a dozen devices including:

• The Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Training Device — a recognition and reaction trainer for ground troops that accurately and safely simulates the capabilities and characteristics of real IEDs.
• The Intelligence Electronic Warfare Tactical Proficiency Trainer Human Intelligence Control Cell — a tactical questioning trainer that offers intelligence units sustainment instruction in examination skills for situations when an interpreter is required.
• The Medical Simulation Training Center — a combat casualty care instruction facility designed to reduce the died-of-wounds rate on the battlefield by providing Soldiers with the skills to save wounded warfighters in combat.

U.S. Senators Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson and U.S. Representatives Ric Keller, Tom Feeney, Randy Forbes and Solomon Ortiz sponsored this year’s event.

(Editor’s note: portions of this article were provided by the Soldier Media Center.)