Throughout military history, from Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, commander, U.S. Army ground forces in World War II, to Pat Tillman, former NFL star and Army ranger in Afghanistan, both of whom were killed by friendly forces, fratricide has been a major cause resulting in dead or wounded troops.

The U.S. Army now uses Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking system, a satellite-based situational awareness system, which allows U.S. troops and coalition forces to conduct decisive combat operations, preventing friendly-fire accidents.

The system has been used in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and gives troops precise, near-real-time information about friendly or blue forces, enemy forces, orders, and intelligence to enhance maneuverability and battle command and to help avert friendly fire.

"One of the major problems during operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield was the friendly fire," said Craig Stephens, a tracking device instructor at Army Medical Department Digital Education Branch at Fort Sam Houston.

"This system allows the troops to see where friendly and enemy forces are located, and also allows you to see yourself by using satellite and global positioning systems."

The system provides users a lot of information in the decision-making process, and by using this collaborative tool, troops are able to get small detachments out of the enemy's reach and respond should there be need.

Anyone seeing something unusual can report it through the system and keep it as up-to-date as possible.

"It's one of the best tools I have seen in my 22 years in the military," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Raul Garcia, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion and an FBCB2/BFT student at Fort Sam Houston. "Anybody at any given time has access to the same information."

The systems' navigation system, situational awareness and command and control features offer a great alternative to the old method of using radios, compasses, and maps and overlays. Booby-traps, ditches and landmines can all be presented on the map screen.

Using the system at night is particularly useful for "black-out driving," where troops need to drive with minimal or no light.

"This system will be awesome for helping me, as a communicator, to just navigate the terrain," said Marine Sgt. Jeremy Barnett, radio operator, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. "The technology will give you ability to locate obstructions such as mountains, tall buildings, ambushes and marked landmines. It will help us with site surveys."

A system which provides such clarity for friendly forces could be deadly, were it to fall into the hands of the enemy. For this reason, important safeguards have been put in place.

If the system is compromised, it can be locked remotely by higher headquarters. It is also protected by a challenge and response system, where the system operator is required to resubmit the password.

The military members can destroy the machine themselves by activating a 15-second countdown clock. The system immediately stops taking commands, and then, the hard drive is erased.

The Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking system training, offered in basic, intermediate and advanced levels, is given as a three- or six-hour overview course, a three-day course or a 40-hour comprehensive course which includes system maintenance, depending on individuals' or units' needs.

Instructors trained in a two-week master digital course at Fort Knox, Ky, also take the 40-hour comprehensive course as well as refresher courses.

The course is open to Department of Defense employees regardless of their rank or specialty.

Fort Sam Houston is just one of several Army sites where this training is conducted. All Training and Doctrine Command installations offer the training, but not all courses are available at every site.

"We train students who come to Fort Sam Houston Leadership School, Officer Advanced Course, Officer Basic Course and Noncommissioned Officer Academy advanced and basic Noncommissioned Officer courses," said Stephens.

"All types of military occupational specialties take the course to include doctors and nurses, and it is especially very useful to chaplains as their duties frequently require them to move about the battlefield."

Testimonials from the battlefields indicate that lifesaving tracking device technology is just another example of how the Army is on the leading edge in the fight against terrorism.

Not only does it dramatically reduce the probability of friendly-fire incidents, but it also provides tools which make it easier to target the enemy.

"This technology brings to the troops more confidence when they go to the battlefield because they know they have more information available to them and greater ability to communicate," said Atrell Owens, a Fort Sam Houston Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking system instructor.

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