Foreword by Guest Editors COL Paul F. Evangelista & LTC James H. Schreiner

This special issue of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Review once again showcases the top papers from the annual General Donald R. Keith memorial capstone conference at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. Despite continued COVID restrictions, the truly innovative conference included a mix of in-person presentations with over 50 live and remote judges from across academia and industry to create a high-quality event highlighting the undergraduate student team research. After consideration of over 50 academic papers, the eight listed in this issue were selected for publication in this special issue of the journal. The topics discussed are broad and diverse, however decision support within an uncertain and complex environment emerges as a theme. Much of the work completed by industrial and systems engineers focuses on getting decisions right by means of the tools of our trade. The suite of tools surveyed within these papers represents several state-of-the-art methods as well as time-proven techniques within a unique application domain. Military applications dominated several of the papers. Downey et al. studied massive datasets that represent military operational behaviors in training, seeking to better understand military operational capabilities. Ungrady and Dabkowski tackled the complexities of US Army recruiting through the application of fuzzy cognitive maps, searching for causation. Middlebrooks et al. studied military acquisition system decisions, applying system dynamics modeling. Process improvement represented another sub-theme, with continued focus on decision support. Enos et al. applied lean six sigma techniques to manufacturing processes. Katz et al. explored biomedical machine maintenance scheduling, seeking optimal solutions to a complex scheduling task. Kaloudelis et al. developed a pandemic decision support process for universities. Analytics and machine learning techniques applied to the information domain dominated the third sub-theme. Krueger and Enos developed analytics to support ice hockey strategies. Manzonelli et al. applied natural language processing against information operations, seeking to automate the examination of incredible amounts of narrative data that seek to shape beliefs and attitudes. Please join me in congratulating our authors, especially the young undergraduate scholars that provided the primary intellectual efforts that created the contents of this issue. COL Paul F. Evangelista Chief Data Officer United States Military Academy Taylor Hall, 5th Floor West Point, NY 10996 Email: [email protected] James H. Schreiner, PhD, PMP, CPEM, F.ASEM LTC(P), U.S. Army Associate Professor USMA Academy Professor Director, Engineering Management (EM) Program Department of Systems Engineering Head Officer Representative, Army Softball United States Military Academy Room 420 Mahan Hall West Point, NY 10996 Email: [email protected]

Implementation of the digital training concept in the basic flight training in the Serbian Military Academy

Introduction/purpose: The paper provides a review of recent research in the field of digital training applied in the Serbian Military Academy flight training. Flight training represents the foundation of successful education of military pilots. Its division is based on the environment and a phase of realization. The main part and the core of successful flight training is basic flight training. This training phase has experienced significant changes with the introduction of the Technically Advanced aircraft (TAA) which is characterized by a high degree of digitalization not only of the cockpit but also of other aircraft systems. Consequently, a different methodological approach to training is needed, including a digital training concept. The paper shows the achievements and certain solutions based on some elements of digital training concepts used in the basic flight training at the Serbian Military Academy. Methods: The scientific approach is used in the evaluation of aircraft cockpit digitalization and in the implementation of a new training concept in the basic flight training in the Serbian Military Academy. Results: Based on the methodological analysis used, the importance and the values of the digital training concept in basic flight training are shown. Conclusion: Although the digital training concept is not mandatory in the existing flight training model in the Serbian Military Academy, it proves to be a valuable asset. Its potential is significant and, to a certain extent, it can change the nature of basic flight training. Due to digital training, cadets can fly more safely and their flying skills are acquired faster. In accordance with new modern aircraft acquisition in the Serbian Air Force, every aspect of the digital training concept has to be carefully considered, especially in the basic flight training phase, including conversion to new aircraft types.

Predicting army cadets’ performance: The role of character strengths, GPA and GMA

The purpose of this study was to examine how well a set of 12 character strengths (Leadership, Integrity, Open-Mindedness, Bravery, Teamwork, Persistence, Social Intelligence, Love of Learning, Fairness, Self-Regulation, Perspective and Creativity) will predict academic performance (AP) and military performance (MP), compared to high school grade point average (GPA) and general mental ability (GMA). The study sample comprised 123 army cadets of two cohorts from the three-year bachelor's degree programme at the Norwegian Military Academy (NMA). GPA predicted AP (r = 0.32, p ≤ 0.05), but not MP (r = 0.14, n.s.), while GMA correlated significantly with neither AP nor MP. All 12 character strengths correlated significantly with MP (rs ranging from 0.27 to 0.65), and all except for Fairness correlated significantly with AP (rs ranging from 0.18 to 0.58). An average score of the 12 character strengths showed incremental validity beyond GMA and GPA in predicting both AP and MP. Our results suggest that character strengths should be considered when selecting and training army cadets.

Management of a large outbreak of COVID-19 at a British Army training centre: lessons for the future

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed major challenges for infection control within training centres, both civilian and military. Here we present a narrative review of an outbreak that occurred at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in January–March 2021, in the context of the circulating, highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7.MethodsTesting for SARS-CoV-2 was performed using a combination of reverse transcriptase PCR and Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs). Testing and isolation procedures were conducted in line with a pre-established symptom stratification system. Genomic sequencing was performed on 10 sample isolates.ResultsBy the end of the outbreak, 185 cases (153 Officer Cadets, 32 permanent staff) had contracted confirmed COVID-19. This represented 15% of the total RMAS population. This resulted in 0 deaths and 0 hospitalisations, but due to necessary isolation procedures did represent an estimated 12 959 person-days of lost training. 9 of 10 (90%) of sequenced isolates had a reportable lineage. All of those reported were found to be the Alpha lineage B.1.1.7.ConclusionsWe discuss the key lessons learnt from the after-action review by the Incident Management Team. These include the importance of multidisciplinary working, the utility of sync matrices to monitor outbreaks in real time, issues around Officer Cadets reporting symptoms, timing of high-risk training activities, infrastructure and use of LFDs. COVID-19 represents a vital learning opportunity to minimise the impact of potential future pandemics, which may produce considerably higher morbidity and mortality in military populations.

The Main Factors of Well-Being and Success of the Officer Family in the Modern World

The authors of the article considered officer families, defined the role and importance of the family for the officer, highlighted the socio-psychological characteristics of the family of a serviceman, taking into account the influence of the specifics of military service on it. The authors gave an answer to the question how to create a prosperous and happy family for officers, taking into account four types of compatibility, presented the results of a survey conducted among female servicemen studying at the Military Academy of Communications, who answered the question: "What factors of well-being of an officer's family in the modern world do you consider the main ones?", gave recommendations for the preservation of prosperous relationships in young officer families.

A Questionnaire Survey of Personal and Occupational Variables Associated With SARS-COV-2 Infection in Health Care Personnel of the Spanish Central Military Hospital

ABSTRACT Introduction Spain is the country with the highest number of health care workers affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the world. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection in health care worker (HCW) at the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital (HCDGU). Materials and Methods A case-control study was conducted during the first outbreak of COVID 19 at GUMH. The study was extended to the total number of HCW in the hospital who met the inclusion criteria. Health care worker of the HCDGU were civilian and military personnel that included nursing and medicine students of Spanish Military Academy, medicine specialty residents, and nursing residents of Medical Surgical Specialty in Operations (EMQO). A questionnaire of 33 items was prepared. The questionnaire was sent by e-mail to the entire population of study. With this questionnaire personnel were classified into sick (cases) or healthy. Results and Conclusions One hundred fifty professionals answered the questionnaire. Cases were defined as those who tested positive in the diagnostic tests (n = 28, 20.7%) and no cases were those who tested negative (n = 107, 79.3%). Therefore, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 in the GUMH was 20.7%. Of the total number of cases, 64.3% were men (P < .05), with a mean age of 47.1 years (SD 13.3), a mean BMI of 25.3 (SD 3.8), and 48.2% being overweight. Of the total cases, 59.3% had “A” blood group type and 69.2% were Rh positive. 50% were physicians, 32.1% were nurses, and 17.9% were auxiliary nurses (P < .05). Cases and controls with vitamin D deficiency and who took supplements had a lower risk of suffering COVID-19, with significant differences. Fever, cough, and diarrhea were found in at least 50% of the samples with significant differences.

Postdigital education in a biotech future

This paper explores a possible future of postdigital education in 2050 using the means of social science fiction. The first part of the paper introduces the shift from 20th century primacy of physics to 21st century primacy of biology with an accent to new postdigital–biodigital reconfigurations and challenges in and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The second part of the paper presents a fictional speech at the graduation ceremony of a fictional military academy in a fictional East Asian country in 2050. This fictional world is marked by global warfare and militarization, and addressed graduates are the first generation of artificially evolved graduates in human history. The third part of the paper interprets the fictional narrative, contextualizes it into educational challenges of today, and argues for a dialogical, humanistic conception of new postdigital education in a biotech future.

Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injury in US Military Academy Cadet Basic Training: A Survival Analysis Evaluating Sex, History of Injury, and Body Mass Index

Background: Injury incidence for physically active populations with a high volume of physical load can exceed 79%. There is little existing research focused on timing of injury and how that timing differs based on certain risk factors. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to report both the incidence and timing of lower extremity injuries during cadet basic training. We hypothesized that women, those with a history of injury, and those in underweight and obese body mass index (BMI) categories would sustain lower extremity musculoskeletal injury earlier in the training period than men, those without injury history, and those in the normal-weight BMI category. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Cadets from the class of 2022, arriving in 2018, served as the study population. Baseline information on sex and injury history was collected via questionnaire, and BMI was calculated from height and weight taken during week 1 at the United States Military Academy. Categories were underweight (BMI <20), middleweight (20-29.99), and obese (≥30). Injury surveillance was performed over the first 60 days of training via electronic medical record review and monitoring. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate group differences in time to the first musculoskeletal injury. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). Results: A total of 595 cadets participated. The cohort was 76.8% male, with 29.9% reporting previous injury history and 93.3% having a BMI between 20 and 30. Overall, 16.3% of cadets (12.3% of male cadets and 29.7% of female cadets) experienced an injury during the follow-up period. Women experienced significantly greater incident injury than did men ( P < .001). Separation of survival curves comparing the sexes and injury history occurred at weeks 3 and 4, respectively. Hazards for first musculoskeletal injury were significantly greater for women versus men (HR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.76-3.94) and for those who reported a history of injury versus no injury history (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.18-2.64). No differences were observed between BMI categories. Conclusion: Female cadets and those reporting previous musculoskeletal injury demonstrated a greater hazard of musculoskeletal injury during cadet basic training. This study did not observe an association between BMI and injury.

Efficiency of military-applied sports to increase the level of cadets’ special physical fitness

Modern conditions of military-professional (combat) activity of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine require a high level of development of their physical and volitional qualities, as well as military-applied motor skills. The most effective for ensuring the development and formation of these qualities and skills of servicemen are military-applied sports. Military pentathlon is a modern military-applied sport that is popular among cadets. The article examines the impact of military pentathlon on the dynamics of cadets’ special physical fitness. The study was conducted at the Military Academy (Odessa) in 2016–2021. The study involved cadets (ages 17–24) who attended a military pentathlon sports section (experimental group (EG), n = 30). The level and dynamics of special physical training of EG cadets were checked according to the exercises that are competitive in military pentathlon, during the annual military pentathlon competitions for the championship of Military Academy. The assessment was carried out according to the following tests: shooting with an AK-74, overcoming an obstacle course of 500 m, swimming 50 m with obstacles, throwing grenades, cross-country 8 km. It was found that at the end of training at the academy EG cadets significantly improved (p≤0,001) indicators: in shooting – by 36.8 points, in overcoming the obstacle course 500 m – by 59.2 s, in swimming 50 m with obstacles – by 5.4 is, in throwing grenades – for 38.9 points, in cross-country for 8 km – for 7 min 21.3 s. This indicates the positive impact of military pentathlon on the level of special physical training of cadets and the formation of their military-applied motor skills.