CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan -- As the vehicle moves down the road, the eyes of the Marines inside focus outward in case of an attack. Suddenly, a warning icon on a small screen flashes, alerting the vehicle’s occupants of a potential danger area ahead. The driver changes course and safely completes the mission.
Marines used the Blue Force Tracker – Joint Capabilities Release system April 23 during a familiarization course at the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Integrated Systems Training Center on Camp Hansen.
The BFT is a tracking system adopted by the Marine Corps in 2003, according to Jeff Murphy, a BFT system and situational awareness instructor with MISTC. The BFT-JCR is a new model that keeps all the users connected via satellite, containing new capabilities to improve battlefield cohesion and efficiency.
“The new system is classified, allowing encrypted messages between modules,” said Murphy, a native of Denver, Colo. “There are more maps and each can be layered, so a different user can see what applies to their mission. Also, it includes instant messaging between users to allow for faster communication and coordination.
“One of the best parts of it though, is how it can communicate with other systems and can help with coordination between the Marine Corps and other armed services while deployed,” added Murphy.
For the Marines, the system quickly transfers important information to coordinate movements, according to Pfc. Helena E. Thompson, a field radio operator with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
“It helps us keep accountability of our personnel and important locations,” said Thompson, a native of Loxahatchee, Fla. “We can plan routes for operations, transporting personnel and gear, and a bunch of other things.”
During the training, the instructors noted how the system can be applied for different jobs in the Marine Corps, according to Brandon K. Wakefield, a situational awareness, command and control and BFT-JCR software instructor with MISTC.
“We have to move fast because for each of the systems that we field test, at least one Marine has to be trained,” said Wakefield, a native of Silsbee, Texas. “This means we have a lot of Marines passing through here and they all come from other job areas, so we get to see a variety of different uses for this system.”
The MISTC is a training center for III MEF that provides initial collective battle staff training and individual command and control systems training, according to Chad Hartman, the MISTC director.
“We teach the art and science behind all the systems III MEF uses,” said Hartman, a native of Randolph, N.J. “There’s a center for each MEF and they are all tasked with the same mission as we are.”
At the end of the course, the Marines had a new capability available for improving the efficiency of their units and III MEF as a whole, according to Thompson.
“We have another skill we can apply to our jobs and certifications for future work too,” said Thompson. “The BFT is an awesome system and I can’t wait to use it for (real-world operations).”