Alelo’s Tactical Iraqi Language and Culture Training System is a personal computer based, scenario-oriented software program that was developed for the 3rd Battalion, 7th (3/7) Marines following their 2007 deployment as part of the coalition surge force. The goal was to provide pre-deployment or in-country training to give Marines a usable grasp of Iraqi culture, gestures and situational language. With TILTS, Marines are placed in a virtual world computer game where they have to perform face-to-face communication tasks with animated characters representing local people to succeed in simulated real-world missions.
Alelo’s Tactical Iraqi Language and Culture Training System is a personal computer based, scenario-oriented software program that can be used for pre-deployment or in-country training to give Marines a usable grasp of Iraqi culture, gestures and situational language. With TILTS, Marines are placed in a virtual world computer game where they have to perform face-to-face communication tasks with animated characters representing local people to succeed in simulated real-world missions.
The Tactical Iraqi Language and Culture Training System delivers only those communication skills, competencies and background necessary to complete real-world missions and tasks, with opportunities to practice conversations in realistic settings. The goal is to shrink language and culture training from several months of traditional classroom learning to 80 hours or less of hands-on computer-based interactive training.
In a study conducted by the Marine Corps Center for Lessons Learned (MCCLL) Alelo’s Tactical Iraqi Language and Culture Training System training improved the 3rd Battalion, 7th (3/7) Marines’ ability to communicate and operate in Iraq, following their 2007 deployment as part of the coalition surge force.
Measurable improvement and skill building occurred as a result of TILTS. Below are some of the comments from 3/7 Marines on the impact that Tactical Iraqi had on mission success:
- The Iraqi Arabic I learned, coupled with Arabic learned in country, allowed me to create a stronger bond with the people, by communicating with them directly as opposed to through a translator while observing their culture and customs—which I believe caused the Iraqi people to open up to us more.
- The skill and language I learned help me talk with Iraqi locals so that I could figure out what their neighborhoods needed (power, water, trash clean-up etc.).
- As a mechanic, it was useful to have a grasp of Arabic for my job.
- It helped out very much in being able to communicate with Iraqis and Iraqi police without an interpreter.
- TILTS impacted my success as well as 3/7. Iraqis saw that we were different from other Marines. I still have friends from Iraq calling me on my cell phone to keep in touch.
» Click here to download a report summary as presented by LtCol Walter Yates, USMC, at the 2011 Defense GameTech Users’ Conference in Orlando, Florida.
