During annual training at Smoky Hill Air Force Range, Missouri National Guard Soldiers traveled around the world, completing exercises on the Simulated Network, or, SimNet.

Salina, KS - infoZine - When Company A of the 35th Special Troops Battalion joined with the rest of the 35th Infantry Division for a two-week training exercise, completing convoy training was high on their list. Instead of loading into Humvees and hitting the open road, the 62 Citizen-Soldiers headed to the classroom and into tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

"In the SimNet, I can put all the vehicles into one major exercise," explained SimNet operator Will Maldonaldo. "We teach the Soldiers how to move, shoot, and communicate without leaving this building."

The classroom is filled with four tank simulators and four Bradley simulators all upgraded this past year. Maldonaldo, of Manhattan, Kan., explained that each unit that comes into the training center is given scenarios specific to the skills being evaluated.

"I can program basic missions or can create one-of-a-kind scenarios with input from the unit leadership," Maldonaldo said. "The units themselves can have as much say in the mission as they want."

Maldonaldo has created a number of scenarios including vehicle rescue, route clearance and basic travel. Each element is specifically placed by Maldonaldo to create each scenario. He creates virtual people complete with clothing and controls when they run or walk. He decides who is friendly and who is an enemy, even incorporating suicide bombers into the scenario. He creates vehicles and helicopters that crash.

"Each scenario takes anywhere from three days to a couple of weeks, depending on the detail of the scenario," Maldonaldo said. "The programmed maps are of real places - Germany, Korea, Fort Carson, Baghdad, Fort Stuart, Fort Riley and the National Training Center."

"The scenarios are extremely complex," said Spc. William Thornton, of Independence. "Completing those realistic battlefield scenarios better prepares us for real world missions."

Maldonaldo said that training on the SimNet has three benefits: a new experience, lower cost and accountability.

"SimNet gives the Soldiers the opportunity to experience different skills they're not used to," Maldonaldo said. "It's not everyday they get to drive a tank or shoot missiles. And with some missiles over $10,000 a piece, using the SimNet is much more economical."

Because SimNet records the scenario, the units go back to the video to see their mistakes.

"When the scenario is on video, Soldiers can't play the blame game," Maldonaldo said. "They have to take responsibility and have accountability for their own actions."

Thornton added that the training also brought the unit closer as a team.

"It was exciting to work together as a unit to complete the task at hand," Thornton said. "The training created unit cohesion and was a fun morale builder."