U.S. Army Operational Test Command Department of the Army civilian employees received hands-on experience with the M1A1 Abrams Battle Tank and the M2 Bradley Fighting vehicle last week at the Close Combat Tactical Trainers at the Fort Hood Warrior Skills Training Center.

This event is the third in a series of professional development training opportunities coordinated by OTC’s senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Graham.

“My intent is to build camaraderie, expand professional knowledge and bring a military perspective to DACs who conduct operational testing on equipment and systems undergoing acquisition,” Graham said. “These OPDs allow them to realize the fruits of their labor.”

Brian Miscavage, a military test plans analyst with OTC’s Mission Command Test Directorate, called the experience enlightening.

“First, I was amazed at how easy, yet complicated, the controls were,” said Miscavage, a veteran with 14 years military service and 22.5 years civilian service, 26.5 years at OTC. “Our Soldiers obviously have to go through some pretty thorough training to become skilled users; plus, I’m sure maintaining that level of training is probably challenging.

“Second, I was surprised at the realism the simulator provided,” he said. “While the graphics weren’t as realistic as current video games, it was still realistic enough to support the training goals.”

And third, according to Miscavage, the DACs were able to go from individual training to team training and simulate a minor battle.

“I quickly realized these tactical trainers were a cost-efficient tool available to small-unit leaders to train their Soldiers, crews and units before going to the field or ranges,” he said.

For electronics engineer Pratap Assar, Test Technology Directorate, the simulator experience was the first time he had engaged in simulation training during his 30-year career with OTC.

“Simulators save the Army millions of dollars,” Assar said. “The experience certainly benefitted me and will help me in my job of testing new equipment and systems.

“After the noncommissioned officer-in-charge instructed us on the roles of the tank commander and the gunner,” he said, “we were able to find our targets and kill them. We had an 80-percent success rate, which, from an Army perspective, is not good enough.”

Assar said the experience gave him a good perspective on what Soldiers go through on the battlefield and makes him even more determined to ensure warfighters get the best possible weapons as quickly as possible.

TTD electronics engineer Chris Almaguer agreed the OPD was time well spent.

“This was a good learning tool for us about the battlespace in a simulated environment,” he said. “It would be interesting to compare live versus simulated to understand the delta.”

Miscavage, Assar and Almaguer all said they hoped OTC leadership would continue to arrange professional development opportunities because of the invaluable information and experience to be gained.

OTC, a subordinate command of the Army Test and Evaluation Command, has four test directorates located at Fort Hood and three located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and Fort Bliss. The Army’s only independent operational tester, OTC tests and assesses systems in a realistic operational environment using typical Soldiers to determine whether these systems are suitable, survivable and effective.