|
 Command
profiles modeling and simulation usage at MODSIM
World Conference and Expo 2007
U.S.
Joint Forces Command helped lead a panel on homeland
defense and modeling and simulation as the Virginia Beach
Convention Center hosted the MODSIM World Conference and
Expo 2007. The event features the latest in
modeling and simulation technology and discussions about
the future of modeling and simulation for use in homeland
defense.
By
Army Spc. Andrew Orillion
USJFCOM Public Affairs
(VIRGINIA
BEACH, Va. - Sept. 12, 2007) - U.S. Joint Forces Command
(USJFCOM) and several of its partners were on hand
as modeling and
simulation (M&S) took center stage this
week at the MODSIM World Conference and Expo 2007 at
the Virginia
Beach Convention Center.
Sponsored by the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance,
Hampton Roads Partnership and Old Dominion University,
the event focused on the future of modeling and simulation
technology in the armed forces as well as the Hampton Roads
area.
Organizers used the event to illustrate the growth of
modeling and simulation technology in the Hampton Roads
area, and to illustrate the partnerships that the area
has with the Department of Defense as well as academia
and industry.
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| (VIRGINIA
BEACH, Va.) – Rep. J. Randy Forbes
(R-Va.), founder and chairman of the Congressional
Modeling & Simulation Caucus, speaks to attendees
of the MODSIM World Conference and Expo being held
at the Virginia Beach Conference Center Sept. 11-13,
2007. (Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Axtell)(Released) |
Chairman of the Congressional Modeling and Simulation
Caucus, Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) spoke about the increased
need for modeling and simulation and how far the technology
has come since its early days.
"There was a time when modeling and simulation was
kind of pegged as being only for national defense," said
Forbes. "But as all of us know, modeling and simulation
touches so many areas."
Forbes likened modeling and simulation technology, which
at his request the U.S. Congress recently declared a national
critical technology, to a blank chalk board that USJFCOM
and other organizations are using to write the future.
"What you are doing is far more important than just
the economic benefits, what you do is absolutely critical
to the national security of our country and that's why
it is an honor for me just to thank you and also to encourage
you," said Forbes.
Among
the many conference attendees who were looking for what
M&S can do for them was Army Col. Michael P. Armstrong,
chief of the joint training technology division at USJFCOM's
Joint Warfighting
Center (JWFC). In addition to spreading
the word about the JWFC mission, Armstrong was looking
for ways to improve joint training through the use of modeling
and simulation.
"What we're really trying to do is get the message
of how we're using modeling and simulation, and let the
community know about the advances we're making," said
Armstrong. "We're also looking at how it is we can
start doing a little more testing with in our training
exercises so that we can bring the analytical community
into our exercises."
Armstrong said behavior modeling is a new frontier in
modeling and simulation. He said that the kinetic fight,
the actual battle, is slowly becoming only part of a much
larger picture and that PMESII pieces (Political, Military,
Economic, Social, Infrastructure, and Information) are
becoming more important.
"Our ability to model the kinetic fight is very good.
We trained that way for 30 years. Now we're working into
the non-kinetic fight in which we start talking about behaviors
that aren't just shot it kill it," said Armstrong.
Armstrong said that future models and simulation would
try to take PMESII pieces, into account in order to better
train personnel in how to win and keep local allies.
The
conference part of the event featured tracks on four
different areas of modeling and simulation technology;
medical, transportation, educational/training and the homeland
security/defense area which USJFCOM helped oversee.
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| Air Force Col. Stan Vanderwerf, who is the chief
of the Analysis Division at U.S. Northern Command,
strolls through the Virginia Beach Conference Center
Sept. 11, 2007, prior to speaking to attendees. Vanderwerf
was one of five panel members who spoke about using
modeling and simulation in homeland security and the
Department of Defense. Leaders in Modeling and Simulation
gathered at for the MODSIM World Conference and Expo
being held Sept. 11-13, 2007. (Photo by Air Force Staff
Sgt. Bryan D. Axtell)(Released) |
The homeland security/defense panel featured both local and international panelists.
The panelists discussed the various applications of modeling
and simulation technology when it comes to homeland defense
and related areas.
Robert Crouch, special assistant for commonwealth preparedness
to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, talked about the increased
use of modeling and simulation technology in emergency
management, especially for the Hampton Roads area with
its several ports and beaches.
"This is the most vulnerable part of Virginia for
hurricanes," said Crouch. "Our evacuation planning
is very robust and an integral part of that evacuation
plan, that our department of transportation and department
of emergency management rely, on is modeling and simulation.
It is being employed each year and becoming more and more
sophisticated."
Andrew Vallerand, director of the Canadian Public Security
Technical Program, brought an international view to the
homeland defense panel by talking about the Canadian perspective
on modeling and simulation.
Vallerand said that Canadian homeland defense effort is
only one year old and combines 21 different agencies. He
said that since the program is still in it infancy, it
focuses mostly on identifying the deficiencies of its own
systems as well as those of its partners.
"This is how we feel we can have the greatest impact," said
Vallerand. "At the same time we are still aiming to
prepare and prevent, and to support the recovery and response
aspects of homeland security and defense."
Vallerand added that the future of modeling and simulation
isn't just better graphics and more interactivity. He said
future systems will put a greater emphasis on behavior
modeling to help identify homegrown terrorists and prevent
potential attacks
Dr. Anreas Tolk, who teaches engineering management and
systems engineering, at Old Dominion University, represented
the academic side of modeling and simulation for the panel.
For Tolk the future of modeling and simulation is not
simply better technology, but better access to simulations
by soldiers on the ground and first responders. Tolk used
the example of the attacks on 9/11 to demonstrate his point.
"When the towers went down, the police department
was very well aware of the fact that the towers were going
to go down," said Tolk. "A simulation already
predicted that the skeleton of the towers was not able
to hold together under those constraints, for more than
three hours."
According to Tolk, having access to that information and
knowing how to use it in a crisis could help save lives
in the future.
"What I want to achieve with this research is that
if we are in a similar situation, I want the operational
person on the ground to be able to directly access the
modeling and simulation systems," said Tolk. "Modeling
and simulation is no longer only a tool; modeling and simulation
becomes an operational service."
The conference didn't just attract the attention of industry
professionals; students from Grafton High School in Yorktown,
Va., paid a visit to the event. The students were part
of teacher Paul Haigh's information technology introduction
course. Haigh had previously taken students to the modeling
and simulation facilities at Old Dominion University. He
hoped that a tour of the conference might spark the student's
interest in modeling and simulation technology.
"I thought lets go see what this is all about and
stimulate some interest and see if the kids get excited
about this," said Haigh. "Everything in information
technologies is discussable in the class and this is about
as cutting edge as you can get, so I wanted to bring the
kids here to experience some cutting edge technology and
see if it doesn't make them decide 'hey this is really
cool I want to know more about it.'"
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