Enable breadcrumbs token at /includes/pageheader.html.twig

The U.S. Army Releases a New Training Concept

MART works to address the institutional training gap.

Col. Michael Wacker explains the MART concept via Signal's TechNet Augusta webinar.

Col. Michael Wacker explains the MART concept via SIGNAL Media's TechNet Augusta webinar.

As the U.S. military continues to look for ways to incorporate new technologies quickly into its operations, the U.S. Army is working on training its forces to use and understand the complex innovations.

To help with this, the Army will educate and inform soldiers through the mobile advanced regiment training (MART) concept, an idea the Army unveiled during a SIGNAL Media TechNet Augusta webinar.

Officials with the Army, specifically with the Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE), identify MART as an operational system of systems training curricula that they hope will address the challenges of rapid technological change, unit innovation and high operational tempo.

“We are integrating new technologies, and those new technologies are not currently taught here at the schoolhouse, so we have to figure out how we train the operational force and get them spun up as the program managers field the equipment,” said Col. Michael Wacker, the strategic planner at the CCoE.

The Army will initially offer 13 lessons as part of the MART initiative, and those courses are categorized under four different sections: foundational signal training, collective training, data training and signal leader training. Col. Wacker said those options are subject to change as the Army integrates best practices and lessons learned.

Because of MART’s innovative nature and ability to adapt to the industry’s changing landscape, the concept fits in with the Army’s next generation of command and control (C2Next).

During the SIGNAL Media TechNet Augusta webinar, Col. Wacker gave a preview of what the training process will look like:

Phase 0: Training Development
- The MART curriculum is developed from several units, including the fielded kit, tactical standing operating procedure, C2 fixed assessment and combat training centers.
- MART officials conduct site surveys to ensure the curriculum is tailored to a specific unit.
Phase I: Foundational
- Students have four different track options: radio, tactical assemblage, network operations, and security center and services.
- Instructors teach the lessons in a classroom environment where students can participate in hands-on exercises.
- Students are tested to ensure they are up to speed.
Phase II: Integrate and Validate
- Instructors lead hands-on training that walks through critical integration tasks, like assured voice and trusted data source integration.
- Students then take their turn leading those hands-on activities to make sure they are familiar with the kit.
Phase III: Capstone
- Students are tested on the integration tasks.

Phases I-III are expected to take 10 days to complete.

The CCoE launched the first iteration of MART, called MART Version 1.0, at Fort Riley in Kansas with the 1st Infantry Division. According to the data presented by Col. Wacker, the training curriculum and exercises were extremely effective.

Students averaged a score of 26% on the written pretest. Those same students then averaged a score of 82% on the posttest.

Looking ahead, the CCoE will deploy at least two training workshops in the fiscal year 2025, including sessions with the 25th and 34th Infantry Divisions.

As aforementioned, officials might make changes to the curriculum and expand the number of tracks they offer.

“We still need to address more defensive cyber operations, electronic warfare and mission command information systems. How do we build that into MART as well, or is that a different proponent?” Col. Wacker said during the webinar.