Advanded Distributed Learning in Support of Future Joint Operations

The security environment facing the U.S. and its allies is complex. The variety of threats, their asymmetries and asynchronies are well documented elsewhere. Equally well documented are the shrinking military resources the U.S., and its allies, bring to bear against the threats. This paper asks, "How do decreasing numbers of people deal with the increasing, and increasingly complex, threat environment?" The answer proposed is that Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) technologies and acculturation are necessary to the point of being an imperative if U.S. and allied forces are to be successful. ADL, comprised of education, training, and performance support*, plays the critical role because it enables military personnel effectiveness. As has been documented, "Inadequate & poorly timed training will negate the technical superiority of our hardware.**" This paper will identify and discuss ADL technologies and services, the acculturation necessary for successful implementation of these technologies and services, and the role ADL will play in enabling future Joint Operations. * U.S. DoD Implementation Plan for ADL ** The Defense Science Board Task Force on Training Superiority and Surprise