E-training the Army

The U.S. Army is enhancing training opportunities through the use of a new learning management system. IBM Business Consulting Services is implementing the LMS, which contains e-learning technology from Saba, for the Army Distributed Learning System.

"The Army Distance Learning Program," says Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, Army chief of staff, "is a technological enabler that supports the Army Vision—People, Readiness and Transformation—by expanding training opportunities and providing greater flexibility in developing soldiers and in growing leaders."

The Army will implement four Saba components--Learning, Content, Publisher and Virtual Learning Environment Extension--in the second half of the year. The system will be used to train up to 2 million Army leaders, trainers, soldiers and civilians.

IBM Business Consulting Services, which will integrate the enterprise learning solution, will assist the Army's training program by:

• consolidating disparate training and educational information into a single enterprise solution and;

• providing the Army with numerous training delivery vehicles including traditional instructor-led training as well as distance learning.;

According to Saba, the new system will reduce the cost of training coordination, make delivery more flexible and provide soldiers with the ability to track their own training history