VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard hosted more than two dozen National Guard Airmen, Soldiers and civilians from more than six states and territories for geographic information system training June 11-15, 2018, at Camp Pendleton State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
GIS is a mapping-based, decision tool system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of spatial or geographical data.
The training, which was conducted in conjunction with National Guard Bureau, consisted of two classes- an entry level class for those new to GIS and advanced training for more experienced users.
“This is the migration course where they’re teaching users ArcGIS Pro,” said Linwood Hoffman, the Virginia National Guard GIS program manager. “Next door, folks are just getting into ArcMap and being introduced to GIS.”
The three-day course, which included participants from as far away as Guam, was not the first hosted by Virginia. Camp Pendleton hosted a beginner course in 2015 and 2016.
“My goal is training people so we have more users in Virginia,” Hoffman explained. “If you’re requesting a map, it helps if you already have some knowledge of how to do it. It lightens the load for a few people who have the capability and adds another tool in the functionality of a person’s job. You can not only use it within your department but elsewhere.”