Soldier Touch Points Play Critical Role by
Donnie Ryan, U.S. Army PEO STRI
June 25, 2022
As the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office
Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) continues to
field innovative products and software, Soldier Touch Points (STPs)
are playing a key role in helping to maintain current readiness and
modernize the Army for future operational challenges.
STPs
are a key element of the Army’s Soldier-Centered Design concept,
because they ensure the final product is one Soldiers like, one that
will not slow them down, weigh them down, or interfere with other
elements on the battlefield.

A U.S. Army solider takes part in the Synthetic Training Environment - Information System (STE-IS) Soldier Touch Point 2B in Orlando, Florida
on March 30, 2022. The event was sponsored by the Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation and the Army's Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team. (U.S. Army photo by Donnie Ryan)
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They also help to focus on the needs of the
Soldier in respect to mission, maneuverability, situational
awareness, and survivability, which contributes to individual
readiness. In addition, STPs provide critical feedback from Soldiers
early in the development, prototype and fielding process, which is
an innovative part of overall modernization efforts.
During
the past three months, PEO STRI has executed a number of STPs for
programs including the Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer
(RVCT) Generation 1 air and ground modules, as well as Synthetic
Training Environment (STE) CO-level collective training
capabilities.
PEO STRI officials and the U.S. Army’s
Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team conducted STP2B
for the RVCT air and ground modules March 29-31 in Orlando, Fla.
Soldiers from the Army’s Directorate of Simulation and Army National
Guard units took part in the air simulations, while Army National
Guard and Army Forces Command Soldiers participated in ground
simulations.
According to PEO STRI’s Lt. Col. Charles
Seaberry, product manager, common synthetic environment, the
available RVCT platforms for STP2B included the Black Hawk, Chinook,
M1 Abrams, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Stryker and the High Mobility
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle virtual trainers.
“On the first
day, the participating Soldiers were immediately provided an
overview of the capabilities and limitations of all available RVCT
platforms,” Seaberry said. “Capabilities and limitations were
established with the user community prior to obtaining feedback on
RVCT air and ground platforms.”
Seaberry said the system’s
stability allowed the team to accomplish all planned objectives.
“We were able to obtain useful feedback for both software and
hardware,” he said. “Additionally, we were able to obtain early
feedback from ATEC [U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command] on both
capabilities and limitations they observed.”
PEO STRI’s STPs
can take form of focus groups, surveys, shadowing Soldiers and
observations to study how the systems and technology are used.
During STPs, Soldiers can communicate directly with defense
contractors who design and build products. This helps to reinforce
that Soldier input is valuable in the development process.

U.S. Army soliders take part in the Synthetic Training Environment - Information System (STE-IS) Soldier Touch Point 2B in Orlando, Florida
on March 30, 2022. The event was sponsored by the Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation and the Army's Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team. (U.S. Army photo by Donnie Ryan)
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“From my perspective, the biggest benefit
of properly conducting STPs is the feedback provided by the
Soldiers,” said Sgt. Maj. Steven A. Brown, PEO STRI’s senior
enlisted leader. “If the STP is conducted properly, this direct,
honest feedback is fed back into the design process. This is
important because the Soldier is the user.”
Brown said if the
Soldier does not like the fielded equipment and were not afforded
the opportunity to provide feedback during the development process,
they might be less inclined to use the equipment.
“The new technology must also be better than
the technology it is replacing and it must enhance, not hinder,
Soldier and unit readiness,” Brown said. “Also, the new equipment
training is a valuable tool in gaining Soldier buy in. The new
equipment training must not only show the Soldier how to operate the
technology, but it must demonstrate how this will improve or enhance
a Soldier or unit’s readiness.”
Every Soldier in the U.S.
Army, from E-1 to O-10 has trained on a PEO STRI system. While STPs
may seem like a straightforward solution for tailoring novel
equipment, their purposeful and regular incorporation into testing
and development is helping to ensure a modern, stronger and more
agile Army – one more capable than ever of proactively anticipating
and addressing Soldier needs while remaining the world’s preeminent
fighting force.
U.S. Army Program Executive Office
Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), headquartered
in Orlando, Florida, leads a skilled and diverse workforce and works
with high-caliber Army partners to enhance operational readiness and
support the Army’s modernization efforts by fielding and sustaining
the next generation of multi-domain operations testing, training and
information operations capabilities.
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