Signaleers unveil new network node
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Story by Charmain Z. Brackett/The Signal FORT GORDON, Ga. (TRADOC News Service, July 20, 2005) – Fort Gordon Soldiers will be able to train on the most up-to-date communications equipment unveiled July 14 at the General Dynamics C4 Systems Resident School. “This is huge for the Signal Corps,” said Maj. Gen. Janet A. Hicks in one of her last official ceremonies as Signal Corps chief and Fort Gordon commander. “We are heralding the start of a momentous new capacity for our Soldiers.” Less than a year after the training equipment was requested, Fort Gordon and General Dynamics officials were able to cut a ribbon on the first phase of the new training facility in Brant Hall, which includes two classrooms containing the Joint Network Node without its tactical shelter, four battalion command-post nodes and a Ku band tactical-satellite trailer. The JNN brings together the latest in commercial and government communication technologies in voice, data and video, according to Peter Farrell, director of institutional training at General Dynamics C4 Systems. “This is the next generation of computer equipment,” he said. “It’s commercial equipment packaged into tactical shelters. It’s a leap ahead in speed and bandwidth.” The initial fielding of the equipment began at Fort Stewart last summer, and the 3rd ID JNN network is currently in operation in Iraq. “A year ago, we needed to get something going in training,” said Farrell. Hicks hailed the JNN as the biggest change in Army communications since the mobile-subscriber equipment of about 20 years ago. “We are really changing enough that people are taking notice,” she said. Lt. Gen. Steven W. Boutelle, U.S. Army chief information officer/G-6, attended the ribbon-cutting and said an important step now will be to ensure that those using the equipment are “fully trained, skilled and educated.” As Soldiers use the equipment, they need to understand how the system functions and its capabilities, not just know how to flip a few switches, he said. Training will not only be for advanced individual training Soldiers but will extend to warrant officers and members of advanced and basic noncommissioned officers classes. The training for noncommissioned officers and warrant officers started before any equipment ever arrived at Fort Gordon. The first JNN network-manager course was held in January. Additional equipment will arrive at the General Dynamics C4 Systems Resident School within the next few months. Two additional JNN and four additional battalion command-post nodes are scheduled to arrive next month, with a baseband hub node to arrive in October. The first
training on the equipment for AIT students is expected to begin in October. |
Warrant Officer Francois Pelletier, Company B, 442nd Signal Battalion, monitors the Warfighter Machine Interface of the Joint Network Node. The WMI displays all the JNN activity and maps out the physical locations of the JNN modules. Pelletier describes the JNN as “an (Internet technology) department on wheels.” View and/or save high-resolution photo |
