Safely training soldiers to handle real-world combat scenarios can be difficult. However, troops at Kansas' Fort Leavenworth recently began using an innovative training method that can safely provide them with the skills necessary to be successful in the battlefield, The Associated Press reports.
The troops recently began using the Dismounted Soldier Training System, which provides them with a virtual reality in a helmet-mounted screen. The technology puts soldiers face-to-face with a variety of situations and allows trainees to communicate with each other on the battlefield. The training is unique in that it is one of the first that allows soldiers to use virtual reality training while on foot. The more realistic program can help troops in the long run, experts say.
"You don't want to fly on a commercial airliner where your pilot hasn't logged thousands of hours on a flight simulator," Dan Miller, a virtual training expert and military analyst, told the AP.
The new training system underscores the evolving role that technology is playing for both active duty troops and veterans. For instance, a 2011 study found that one video game in particular – Snow World – helped ease the pain in wounded troops, according to NBC News.