Virtual Learning:| Marines Reexamining Simulated Training For Young Warfighters.

• Date: 01 February 2025
• Author: Park, Allyson
• Published date: 01 February 2025

ORLANDO, Florida--The Marine Corps is modernizing its simulated training systems to ensure that young Marines are prepared for the continuously evolving battlefield.

While the service is moving "extremely fast" in developing and procuring new capabilities to fight the next fight, sometimes capabilities outpace training, said Master Gunnery Sgt. Jason Taylor, aviation training systems analyst at Marine Corps Training and Education Command.

"The capability itself is 10 years ahead of what we have today, but the training is still 15 years back of what we have today," Taylor said during a panel discussion at the National Training and Simulation Association's recent Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference. "It's extremely important that we not only advance the training to fit the capabilities we currently have, but advance [in a] way that fits the Marines who are serving today and who will be serving tomorrow."

Training and Education Command, or TECOM, is currently working on three modernization programs: Project Tripoli, Project Triumph and Project Trident.

Project Tripoli is the Marine Corps' initiative to "revolutionize" the training and education ecosystem and provide a service-wide live, virtual and constructive training environment that is "persistent, globally available, all-domain and all-echelon," the command website stated.

Project Triumph focuses on modernizing the learning environment, taking the traditional model of instructors with a particular area of expertise lecturing students and changing it to a student-centric, outcomes-based, asynchronous style of learning. This unconventional and "transformative" approach prioritizes "learner-centric education and empowers instructors to tailor content delivery for maximum comprehension and retention of all Marine students," according to the site.

Project Trident aims to enable the combat readiness of warfighters by providing individual and unit-level training to "build and close kill webs in a contested maritime environment at all echelons and utilizing assets and capabilities across all domains," the website said. "Through initiatives such as updating collective skills training and advancing kill web enabling processes, TECOM is equipping Marines with the tools and expertise necessary to excel in modern warfare scenarios."

Sgt. Maj. Stephen Griffin, the command's senior enlisted leader, said TECOM's two main focuses are enhancing readiness and lethality.

"The question...