The e-Armed Forces

We’re seeing more of the e-armed forces. BMT recruits, 2600 of them, were issued with notebook computers at the start of their BMT course last December so that they can do “e-learning” at their own time. They are learning about such things as riffle handling, grenade throwing and first-aid. The learning format sounds like what universities do for some courses: online learning, supplemented by recitations and tutorials/practical labs.

Military training begins to parallel university education. I suppose, why not, since they are both about learning anyway. The lecture time freed up by their online learning were then used for other purposes, like national education or discussion on current affairs. I’m not sure how recruits like this optimization of their time.

But it will really be nice if “national service” could just be an online virtual activity. Since I’m past NSF, I don’t really care about what they do during NSF, but how about for the NSmen. They’ve got to do something to make the NSmen In-Camp Training less painful.