We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:05:59 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification As regular readers know, I'm at Fort Benning working on an Army experiment. We're taking concepts, existing technology, and nascent technology, melding them together, trying to get an idea of ways to dramatically enhance the light/medium infantry platoon's effectiveness. Just like a business, the Army wants higher productivity out of our soldiers, and we are trying to leverage technology to do that. We're also trying to do it faster than we did historically. So, we've got a platoon here, comprised of about 2/3's recent combat vets, under the command of a 2nd Lieutenant. We've got them instrumented with data-capture devices... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html Thu, 04 Nov 2004 07:39:06 -0600 Lessee, let's take 'em in order. Jim - thanks, and as for Rotary, I do make ups, like the recent district governor's visit, as well as build up a few local club visits, as well. I'm lucky here at Benning, as Columbus has a breakfast club, too, which I can make. Our club also has a lot of travelers in it, so we have fairly robust procedures for handling things like this - still within the rules - and KC isn't that far away with lots of clubs for make-ups. If I lived at Fort Riley, it might be more of a challenge. 11B guy - we'll talk in email. Damian - sorry, but if you've got the stuff, we've got jobs! Roark - excellent point. Which I can't answer. Suffice it to say, it's being examined, and it's a thorny issue. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8285 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8285 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 19:27:44 -0600 How will this be affected by an "EMP bomb". Just when we learn to rely on this hi tech does it leave us scattered and comm dead? Sometimes a pessimist, Roark http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8281 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8281 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 16:45:26 -0600 Any chance we can trade jobs, John? I commute over an hour one way to an office job in the insurance industry. It's more fun than it sounds...really it is...but can we trade anyhow? On a serious note, I'm glad to see you can take the fighter out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of the fighter. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8277 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8277 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 14:35:13 -0600 How does one get involved with developing gear for the military? veteran ground pounder http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8273 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8273 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:57:56 -0600 In terms of battery requirements, have you look at the lithium polymers. I believe they can shaped, which would present a lot more options. Also they are a whole lot lighter than the traditional batteries and are rechargeable. veteran ground pounder http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8272 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8272 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:53:43 -0600 PS: When you're away on these junkets do you make your Rotary meetings? I have a horrible attendance record for mine and it would be nice to know that I'm not the only one around with a 50% attendance rate. -jim. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8271 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8271 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:45:47 -0600 I really envy you. This kind of thing sounds like a lot of fun. I guess it comes down to making things as simple as possible (reliable, easy to operate etc.) without stripping out so many features that the darn thing isn't useful. The other danger is that the soldiers become so dependent on the technology that they become useless if something goes haywire. I seem to remember reading about the importance of having systems that fail gracefully...like I said...it sounds like a lot of fun. -jim http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8269 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/on_the_vagaries_of_experimentation.html#comment-8269 Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:43:36 -0600