Quantitative team performance metrics for dismounted infantry battle drill analysis

Abstract

Performance optimization down to the small unit level in the military is critical to the success of the collective force during an operation. However, there remains a lack of objective, quantitative performance metrics to evaluate military-team performance during battle drill training. Our research identified multiple wearable-derived measures that could predict squad performance as aligned to specific battle drill performance constructs. We developed linear mixed-effects models for three critical performance constructs: 1) Communications, 2) Fire Effectiveness, and 3) Violence of Action. In these three models, measures based on inertial measurement unit (IMU), Global Positioning System (GPS), heart rate, and transcribed communication performance metrics significantly explained 51.5%–63.5% of the variance in squad performance. A future after-action review (AAR) system could integrate wearable-derived performance metrics to provide squads with quantitative assessments that supplement feedback communicated by observer-controllers and impart new, beneficial insights.