Virtual simulation in military training Essay Example for Free

Virtual simulation in military training Essay Virtual simulation provides a safe and effective way of training soldiers and military personnel in a given environment by fully simulating real equipment and real conditions. According to (Smith, 2007, p. 1), the military has been using and developing simulation technologies for several decades. Military simulations, or war games as they are commonly called, allow soldiers to rehearse missions and test the theories of warfare to get a better estimation and understanding of complex interactions and outcomes in the battlefield. The advantage is that learning occurs without the need of actual hostilities. Military simulation is â€Å"a system or model that represents activities and interactions over time. A simulation may be fully automated, or it may be interactive or interruptible† (NSC, 2000, as cited in Smith, 2007, p. 1). Thus, virtual simulation provides both â€Å"human-in-the-loop† simulators for training and analytical tools for computing outcomes in a controlled environment that is free of the life threatening situations that are part of real combat operations. The Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) is the First member of the Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (CATT) family of virtual, distributed interactive simulations for collective training to provide armor, mechanized infantry, cavalry and recon crews, units and staffs with a virtual, collective training capability (from PEO STRI) The Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEOSTRI) is in charge of acquisition and technology solutions to develop simulated training modules for US soldiers. Simulated training mainly consists of critical warfighting skills and rehearsals so that they could safely accomplish their missions. Military simulations exist in many different forms and in varying degrees of realism. Smith (2007) explained a number of different military simulation techniques and models. A military model constitutes either a â€Å"mathematic equation, a logical algorithm, a three-dimensional digital image, or a partial physical mock-up of the system† (Smith, 2007, p. 1). Military models not only include land, air, and sea vehicles; communications and radar equipment; handheld weapons; and individual soldiers but also the decision-making process and automated information processing that occurs inside the human brain and within battlefield computers. Different combinations and representations of the environment that is made up of terrain, vegetation, cultural features, the atmosphere, ocean, and RF environment are created to accurately represent potential military situations. Military simulations often focus on activities like movement, perception, exchange, engagement, reasoning, and dynamic environment. The user is able to picture the change in the position of an object over time through the dynamic representation of movement. Representation of perception allows the user to detect the existence, position, and identification of the other object through sensor models that capture the signatures of those objects. Representation of exchange that encompass the breadth and depth of the battlefield allow objects to exchange materials and information with each other in battlefield operations based on information on consumption rates and predeployment and replenishment of supplies as well as human decisionmaking and behaviors. An engagement model which has been the pivotal focus of military simulated training and analysis typically includes the exchange of weapons or firepower from a shooter to a target. This exchange decrements the capability of the shooter by expending ammunition (e. g. bullets, missiles, bombs, rockets, grenades, artillery rounds). The model captures the geometry between the shooter and the target and environmental features like trees, terrain, water, and buildings that may interfere with the optimal delivery of the weapon, defensive systems of the target (e. g. effects of flares or chaff in deceiving and misleading a guided missile and protective effects of armor to deflect the weapon). The dynamic environment model features a simulated environment that is more than just a static state but representations of interactions with military objects both through direct intention and through accidental collocation. (Smith, 2007, pp. 5-10)

Why Ethnic Minority Women Stay In Abusive Relationships Sociology Essay

Why Ethnic Minority Women Stay In Abusive Relationships Sociology Essay The problem of abusive relationships has attracted national attention in England and Wales. Historically Domestic violence has a strongly entrenched patriarchal system, which gives men proprietary rights over women. Traditional and cultural values as means of resolving conflict are critical in shaping and perpetuating violence of men toward women. A womans social status is believed to be derived by her relative position to a man that is as a daughter, wife, girlfriend or mother of his children. One solution to ending the abuse and leading violence free lives would be to leave the relationship. While this is a possible solution it should be noted that in order for women to leave it requires enormous restructuring of material, physical and social relations strategies. What makes the ethnic minority women stay in abusive relationships? A qualitative feminist research methodology was used with a convenience sample of 8 women who agreed to participate in the study. In depth interviews were conducted with the participants to explore the perceptions and experiences of ethnic minority women in abusive relationships. A number of themes that emerged from the study suggested clearly womens perceptions and experiences to remain in their abusive relationships. These themes relate to commitment, staying because of children, cultural beliefs, economic dependence and lack of social support. Chapter 1 Introduction Domestic violence is a social phenomenon that is universal and perverts society at all levels, Hague (1998). Domestic violence is one of the most common crimes and is present throughout society, usually hidden but there none-the-less. Violence towards women by intimate partners is a social problem of enormous proportion. The impact of domestic violence is broad and substantial with serious consequences not only for the women who are victimised but also for their children and society at large. According to the United Nations Domestic Violence is an act of gender based violence that results in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts of cohesion, arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life. The United Kingdom government adopted a gender neutral definition, any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partner or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. Activists working in the area of domestic violence reiterated that, if domestic violence is so common and the abuse that bad, why do these women stay with the perpetrator. The answer is perplexing and thought provoking and without being judgemental, can be painfully obvious. Professionals, including social workers who work directly with victims of domestic violence often find themselves scratching their heads at the decisions women make when they are victims of domestic violence and why they remain in those abusive relationships. The study aims to explore why ethnic minority women in England and Wales remain in abusive marital relationships despite the risks of being hurt, both physically and psychologically during the abusive episodes as well as the coping mechanism they employ to cope with the violence. This study emerged from a great interest that developed from an inspirational work with victims of Domestic Violence in a womens Refuge during my Second Year Placement in 2011.I had the opportunity to deliver a domestic violence awareness programme to the women in the refuge. The victims were mainly from the ethnic minority community. The women shared vital information regarding their experiences with the abuser. It is this indebtedness that has provoked an eagerness, to explore subject further. Aims of the study: To explore the lived experiences of ethnic minority women who remain in abusive relationships To explore the reasons why they remain in abusive relationships To explore their coping strategies in abusive marital relationships To discuss the theoretical perspective as to why ethnic minority stay in abusive relationships To identify the legislation regarding Domestic Violence in England and Wales To identify and discuss the implication to Social Work Practice To design a methodology Objectives: To determine the type of abuse that ethnic minority women in abusive marital relationship endure To explore how women construct their stay and the coping strategies employed to survive. To ascertain whether abused women in abusive marital relationships have access to support Chapter 2 😛 The researcher will review the literature Chapter 3: This chapter focuses on the research design and methods that the rearcher used in the study Chapter 4: This chapter will cover data collection analysis and interpretation Chapter 5: This chapter will cover discussion of the results and findings ,the wider question of the research and the conclusion.It will further make recommendations for future studies Literature Review Historical overview of domestic violence History reflects the enormous magnitude of the problem of violence against women. For centuries patriarchal norms dominated and women were considered to be the property of their husbands. Some postulate that woman abuse has its roots in Roman law, which permitted a husband to kill his wife if she committed a variety of offences (Stacey, Hazelwood Shupe, 1994). English Common law gave husbands the right to beat their wives with any reasonable instrument. These laws were maintained throughout Europe and America until the late 1800s when a few states rescinded this right. Domestic assaults continued and were termed domestic disputes. They were considered to be nuisance behaviour, not criminal. As a result they were not seriously in the criminal justice system until the past ten years when a variety of statutes were developed which specifically protect people from domestic abuse. Domestic violence and Patriarchy Dobash Dobash (2002) states that there are several legal and political ideologies supporting the idea that husbands have authority over their wives. The legal right of a man to use physical force against his wife is no longer explicitly recognised in England and Wales, however the legacy of the patriarchy continues to generate the conditions and relationships that lead to a husbands use of force against his wife (Dobash Dobash 2002).Patriarchal dominance is still supported by moral order which reinforce the marital hierarchy, making it difficult for women to struggle against the dominance. As a result womens struggles are therefore considered as wrong, immoral and a validation of the respect and loyalty a wife is support to give to her husband. The fact that Domestic violence is seen as a form of patriarchal dominance is irrefutable in light of historical evidence. The historical, legal and religious writings all contribute to the understanding of the status of women regarding domes tic violence. This status encompasses the explanation why women remain in abusive relationships. Culture ,religion and Patriarchy Domestic violence take on different forms within the BME communities (Richards 2004).Various tactics are employed by their partners to destroy self-esteem and prevent complaining or escape as echoed by Dasgupta (2000).Choudry(1996) noted that culturally specific abuse, includes threats to ruin a womans reputation among relatives, accusing women of instigating the abuse. Although domestic abuse tends to focus on intimate partner violence, However as Minhas 2002, Gill 2002 andGangoli 2004) observed that other members of the abusers family are cited as being involved in the violence. Violence connected to dowry can often underpin the extended familys involvement in the abuse (Dasgupta and Warrier, 1996). Cultural, social and religious norms may deter women from seeking help or exposing the problem through a prosecution, as they may fear censure from within their families or communities, or fail to receive the necessary validation to name their experience as victimisation (Hart 1996, Via no 1996, Erez 2000, Erez 2002, Raj Silverman 2002, Nicholson et al 2003). In BME communities, women face dishonour and rejection if they leave their partners, even if they do so as a result of domestic violence (Choudry 1996). A study in the Western Isles of Scotland (MacNeil et al 2004) demonstrates how some tight-knit communities can have strong cultural and religious norms which stress family privacy and non-interference, and attach considerable social shame to domestic violence, perceiving it to arise through victims failing in exercising family responsibilities. These factors can affect womens exposure to violence, and their ability to acknowledge its occurrence and seek or obtain community support. Domestic violence has been legitimised in law, religion, and in cultural ideologies of male dominance and womens inferiority (Gill 2004).In contrast, Hearn (1998) argues that although there have been some legal changes, cultural discourses of masculinity continue to inform mens justification for violence. In male-dominant cultures, the notion that women are responsible for upholding family honour remains a major force influencing law, religion and cultural values and shaping the nature of and responses to domestic violence (MacNeil 2004) For this reason it can be argued that in such cultures it may be difficult for women to leave or seek help to escape domestic violence because to do so would bring shame on the whole family and could result in community ostracisation.

The Traditional Culture of Asian Civilizations from 1500 to 1700 Essay

Do you feel that Asian Civilizations from 1500 to 1700 veered towards modernity or careened back toward traditional culture? From the 16th to 18th century, the prominent Asian Civilizations were the Mughal Empire, the Ming Dynasty of China and the Edo Period of Japan. There was an obvious trend that these empires leaned toward traditional culture mainly because of political influences. Although there were also several aspects of each society such as the more important role of women in the Mughal Empire, the interactions of the Jesuits with China and Japan that might be indicative of modernity or act as a precursor to modern values, the reversion of traditional culture in each civilization is so much greater that it outweighed the progress towards modernity. The early Mughal Emperors were religiously tolerant, unlike previous Muslim rulers and they embraced the cultures of the Indians that they conquered. Even though they were Muslims, Hindu art and literature once again flourished and the rulers themselves followed a traditional Maharaja style of ruling that paralleled themselves to divine avatars with absolute authority. Respect from commoners was thus mandatory. (Murphey 190) The Ming Dynasty was established when a rebel by the name of Hongwu successfully reclaimed China from Mongolian Rule. Triumphant in breaking free from their Mongolian oppressors, the people of China tried to restore the former glory of their ancestors by embracing their traditional customs that their Mongolian rulers forbade. This started a trend in conservatism where there was fervent determination to establish the original Chinese way of life after Mongol humiliation. (Murphey 213) Due to paranoia, Emperor Hongwu tried to prevent intellectua... ... in gender equality was no different than their traditional customs. In conclusion, Asian civilizations from the 1500 to 1700 were generally not open to radical changes; they were more comfortable embracing old customs. The Indians fell back on their age old Hindu practices and caste system. The Ming Chinese were influenced to practice conservatism and upholding original Confucian Ideals by their Emperor. The Edo Japanese upheld the Imperial tradition of having an Emperor as well as secluding themselves from foreigners to protect their customs from Western cultural corrosion. The first wave of Europeans to reach Asia did not manage to influence much of these civilizations since they already had a proper, formalized government and hundreds even thousands of years of culture. Therefore, Asian civilizations from 1500 to 1700 were generally traditionalistic.

The Lasting Effect of Sin and Guilt on Hester and Dimmesdale Essays

Without an honorable reputation a person is not worthy of respect from others in their society. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, the struggle to shake off the past is an underlying theme throughout the novel. Characters in this novel go through their lives struggling with trying to cope with the guilt and shame associated with actions that lost them their honorable reputation. Particularly, Hawthorne shows the lasting effect that sin and guilt has on two of the main characters in the book: Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester Prynne's guilt is the result of her committing adultery, which has a significant effect on her life. Hester is publicly seen with the scarlet letter when she first emerges out of the cold dark prison. "It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself" (49). The spell that is mentioned is the scarlet letter, "so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom" (49). The scarlet letter is what isolates her from everyone else because it symbolizes sin. Hester is in her very own sphere, where her sin affects her livelihood and has completely cut her off from the world. Her entrance into the sphere marks the beginning of her guilt and it occurs when she is in the prison after her first exposure to the crowd. The prison marks the beginning of a new life for Hester, a life full of guilt and seclusion. Her problem is that her shame is slowly surfacing while she faces the crowd realizing that she has been stripped of all her pride and everything that was important to her in the past. The lasting effect of Hester's sin is the shame that she now embodies due to her committing adultery. The shame that is ass... ...is the guilt, which they are left with in the end. On the fateful day where the two committed adultery, they had no idea that this mistake would turn out to be like an ominous black cloud that they would never be able to escape from. When they chose to have Pearl, they unknowingly signed a contract that said they would have to suffer with their guilty conscience as a consequence for having Pearl. At the time, they did not think that they would feel much guilt, but when the word got out that Hester had a baby, everything changed. The mistake had been made and they would now be forced to live with it whether they liked it or not. In the end, Hester and Dimmesdale both sacrifice their peaceful lives to live with the guilt of giving birth to a child who should have never been born. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986.

Families Growing Weak in America Essay

Higher divorce rates directly contributes to the breaking down of the family structure identifying that families are growing weaker in the United States. It is tremendously essential for family members to remain together in order to maintain a strong family unit where each individual in the home is able to prosper and develop into a more solid and successful person contributing to a stronger America. Patrick Fagan and Robert Rector, explain the negative effects of divorce on our families in America when they tell us that, (2000, Fagan, Rector) â€Å"As social scientists track successive generations of American children whose parents have ended their marriages, the data are leading even some once-staunch supporters to conclude that divorce is hurting American society and devastating children’s lives. † Not only does divorce affect each individual in the family when the separation of the family occurs but it continues to devastate those same lives later in their personal lives and in their careers later in life, contributing to the breaking down of families and causing an even weaker America. We also learn from Fagan and Rector that According to data reported in 1994 by Mary Corcoran, professor of political science at the University of Michigan, â€Å"During the years children lived with two parents, their family incomes averaged $43,600, and when these same children lived with one parent, their family incomes averaged $25,300. † It is fair to assume that families are growing weaker in our country and in to establish a more concrete and stronger family unit, it is extremely crucial that families work harder at staying together in order for the family to be more successful and grow from a weaker family in our country to a stronger one. For children to grow up to be more successful, parents must strive to build a stronger household by taking all necessary means to keep their family together as one. Dr. Scott Haltzman tells us that (2007, Haltzman, DiGeronimo)â€Å"Overall, children living with their own married parents have fewer behavioral problems compared to children whose parents are living together but not married. Differences in the area of physical health also exist. Young children in single-parent families are less healthy overall than are children in all other family types. † Children from broken homes need extra medical care because of this weakening of the family structure. It is never too late to start building stronger families and working toward improvement in America. There is outside help being offered to families who feel they may need therapy or other means of help to keep their family together. (1985, Stinnent, DeFrain) Nick Stennett and John DeFrain explain that we can get help and tells us about community services that may be beneficial. He tells us that â€Å"Many children and families are resilient, but in these complex times, sometimes they need a little assistance in overcoming the obstacles in their lives. † Reference Page Fagan, Patrick; Rector, Robert. 2000. The Effects of Divorce on America. The World and I. Haltzman, Scott; DiGeronimo. 2007. The Secrets of Happily Married Men. Jossey and Bass. Stinnett, Nick; Defrain, John. 1985. Secrets of Strong Families. Berkley Books