The Marine Corps is experimenting with a novel approach to training its personnel, leveraging the power of video games to enhance cognitive performance and leadership skills. This initiative, known as Research into Competency Acquisition with Novel E-gaming (R-CANE), is a partnership between the Marine Corps, Virginia Tech, and the University of Memphis, funded by the Office of Naval Research. The program is designed to strengthen leadership, communication, critical thinking, and decision-making under pressure, and it's doing so in an unexpected way: through the popular video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 7.
Personally, I find this approach particularly fascinating because it challenges traditional notions of training. Instead of relying solely on textbooks and simulations, R-CANE immerses Marines in a dynamic, game-based environment that encourages collaboration, adaptability, and quick thinking. What makes this even more intriguing is the potential for this technology to revolutionize military training and beyond.
Enhancing Natural Intelligence
Brig. Gen. Matthew Tracy, the commanding general of Marine Corps Education Command, describes R-CANE as a way to enhance 'natural intelligence' rather than traditional training. The game allows Marines to manipulate cognitive load, improving their ability to take in information, process it, and make decisions under pressure. This is achieved through a series of custom-designed levels that vary in difficulty and mission, forcing Marines to adapt and collaborate as a team.
One thing that immediately stands out is the focus on cognitive performance rather than military protocol. While the game does involve combat and weapon use, the primary goal is to improve the Marines' ability to learn, adapt, and make decisions. This approach is not only innovative but also has broader implications for anyone in any profession or job set, from snipers to NFL players to cocktail party hosts.
The Program in Action
Inside the program, Marines are grouped into teams of six, with one Marine assigned to lead the other five. Wearing gaming headsets and sitting behind monitors, they work together as a fireteam to complete missions. The 14 custom-designed levels vary in difficulty and mission, with easier scenarios helping Marines familiarize themselves with the game and more difficult levels challenging them to collaborate and adapt under pressure.
Gameplay footage shared with Military Times shows Marines clearing an office building before facing a sudden shift in mission: enemy combatants surround the building, forcing the team to move to an extraction point. The increased pressure quickly creates chaos, with players being killed and respawned to continue the mission. This forces rapid communication and adaptation under stress, which is a key aspect of the program.
A Review from the Classroom
Master Sgt. Christine Monroig, the staff noncommissioned officer in charge at the sergeant school, initially skeptical of the program, came to see its value after experiencing it firsthand. She recognized its potential as an innovative training tool that complements traditional instruction by enhancing communication, decision-making, adaptability, and cognitive performance in a dynamic and engaging environment. While she had limited experience with video games and neuroplasticity, she found the scenarios closely aligned with warfighting principles taught at the school.
One thing that many people don't realize is that the program cannot fully replicate the physical demands of live exercises, but it does create cognitive stressors that force Marines to work together and think quickly. This experience encouraged her to think more deeply about how Marines learn, adapt, and develop decision-making skills, which is a valuable lesson for anyone in the military.
Up Next for the Program
Currently, R-CANE is only available at the sergeant school in Quantico, where the school is equipped with 75 systems but has a capacity for 25 students. The deliberate rollout is tied to the program's research goals, with each student undergoing cognitive testing before attending the course to establish a baseline and measure changes over time. While the Marine Corps plans to expand the program to sergeant courses at other bases, such as Twentynine Palms and Camp Lejeune, expansion will remain limited for now.
In my opinion, the long-term goal of the program is to build an LLM capable of monitoring exercises and conducting after-action reviews not only for teams but for individual Marines as well. This would provide a more flexible and scalable alternative to traditional after-action reviews, which require a human facilitator and are usually conducted in group settings. The potential for this technology to revolutionize military training and beyond is truly exciting.
Conclusion
The Marine Corps' experiment with video games as a training tool is a fascinating development that challenges traditional notions of training and has broader implications for anyone in any profession or job set. While the program is still in its early stages, the potential for this technology to revolutionize military training and beyond is truly exciting. As the program continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it shapes the future of military education and beyond.
