Torgler joins JTIEC as deputy director

By Dolly Rairigh Glass

The Joint Training Integration and Evaluation Center (JTIEC) has a new, but familiar face in the office. Dan Torgler, who spent 15 years working for Program Manager for Training Systems (PM TRASYS), the Marine Corps’ acquisition agent for training systems and training support and sustainment, has joined JTIEC as the deputy director. It’s a perfect fit and one that sees Torgler’s involvement with Team Orlando come full circle. Torgler was one of the original founding charter members of Team Orlando’s Board of Directors and instrumental in the creation of the JTIEC. 

In his new role, Torgler will still be a Marine Corps employee, and will be focusing on Commandant Joseph Dunford’s vision on Live, Virtual, Constructive training across the Marines Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). A few years back, when Dunford visited PM TRASYS, then as Assistant Commandant to the Marine Corps, Torgler briefed him on LVC, the Return on Investment and how the Marine Corps should make it a priority.  It was Torgler who planted the seed thought with Dunford, so it makes sense that now he becomes the individual responsible for driving the initiative for the Marines. 

“We completed the LVC Exercise 2014 at 29 Palms, and we’ll be using that experience to forge ahead with what the Marine Corps is doing with LVC to meet the Commandant’s Initiative,” explained Torgler.  “With the Marines Corps being the only Service that trains both air and ground together, and those are large scale exercises,” he said, “and now knowing what we’re going to do with that, we can also do Joint and Naval, so we can include Naval Services.”

Commandant Dunford has released his plan for LVC training across the MAGTF, and stated the Marine Corps will particularly focus on better leveraging of modern immersive training and simulation technologies. He further stressed the prioritization of fielding capabilities that support MAGTF integration, the development of resilient leaders, and sound tactical and ethical decision making at the small unit level. They will also continue supporting the field of systems that enhance their proficiency, and provide safety in operating their weapons and equipment.

He wrote, “Our investment in training systems will reflect the priority we place on preparing for combat and be fully integrated with training and readiness standards.  I expect all elements of the MAGTF to make extensive use of simulators where appropriate and my intent is for Marines to encounter their initial tactical and ethical dilemmas in a simulated battlefield vice actual combat.”

For Torgler, he’ll work on the Commandant’s plan, while helping to facilitate sharing of ideas and plans with Team Orlando members. “We have a lot of new leaders now as part of Team Orlando, and one of JTIEC’s jobs is making sure they understand our role in trying to help them leverage products or services that others may have that would be value-added to what they’re working on,” Torgler said. “I’m confident that across the Services there are opportunities that would benefit each other; we just need to assist the process by helping make the connections.”

Torgler believes that he brings a helpful perspective to the JTIEC office, because for 15 years, he has been the customer and now, as he will try to assist the customer, he feels he has a good understanding of what the customer is looking for and how he can help in identifying opportunities that will bring them solutions.

“It’s all about the War Fighter, no matter what organization, because everybody has that same mission,” Torgler said. “If we don’t provide the War Fighter the training and improve their readiness, we haven’t done our job.  We need to consider which direction we go for improving the readiness of the War Fighter.  We need to work together for that, because in the end, we save taxpayers’ money and achieve the same goal.”