714th share training notes with Marines Published Sept. 14, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Marines from Quantico, Va. visited Airmen from the 714th Training Squadron recently to learn about the C-130 aircrew training program here and use those lessons to improve their own training program. "The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle is vastly different from its predecessor, the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. This will require a more robust and versatile training continuum," said Dr. JoAnn Patton, lead instructional systems specialist for the program. "We learned about the multi-faceted continuum used by the 714th and hoped to gain some lessons learned from that community." Marine Corps officials set up the visit with trainers from the 714th TRS after reading about the squadron's training program in National Defense Industrial Association Magazine. "We had done an article about some of the changes we were making to how we were training C-130 crew members," said Maj. Bradley Littleton, 714th TRS chief of C-130E curriculum. "I was contacted by a Marine official. They wanted to come here and see some of the technologies we were showcasing to make training better." Some of the technology being used for the C-130 training program, said Major Littleton, includes an Ipod training device developed by Lockheed Martin and electronic smart boards. During the visit, 714th trainers and Lockheed Martin members presented an overview of the C-130 training program to the Marine team. The presentation included demonstrations of the training courseware and hi-tech tools. "The use of the personal computer and Ipod to teach preflight checklists was all very valuable," said Dr. Patton. "This allows us to think 'outside the box' with respect to the applicability of various media to training learning objectives that are traditionally taught using actual vehicle." Major Littleton is proud of the training program used here and happy to share ideas for improvement with the sister services. "Anything we can do to make training better - save manpower, save time, save money and produce a better student - is better for our Air Force," the major said. "And anything the Marine Corps can do for their new fighting vehicle is great for them. They'll be able to save money and time, and if it produces a better student who, at the end of the day, knows their job better, then that makes them more survivable on the battlefield in the same way it makes us more survivable in airspace."