Newport, R.I. - The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) wargaming department (WGD) hosted the 12th iteration of its “Wargaming 101” introductory course, onboard Naval Station Newport, Aug. 6-15.
The fall 2024 version of Wargaming 101 assembled approximately 37 participants from 16 Department of Defense (DoD) organizations, offering insights into wargaming methods and processes used by NWC to organize, create, execute, and analyze wargames on behalf of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and fleet commanders.
The course was also instrumental in onboarding WGD personnel, educating them in the methodologies of planning and executing complex wargames.
“Wargaming is mostly used in WGD as an applied research method to gain insights into complex military problems confronting senior military leaders,” said Shawn Burns, Ed.D., Wargaming 101 course director and NWC professor.
Burns also added that Wargaming 101 is “also intended to share with course students how NWC uses wargaming for analytic and educational purposes.”
Course participants included personnel from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters (USCGHQ), U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM), III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC), U.S. Army Reserve Support Group, U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC) and Center for Naval Analyses (CNA).
Originally designed as a training medium for incoming faculty and staff, Wargaming 101 was reorganized to incorporate external organizations recognizing wargaming as a useful tool for analysis of national security issues.
Today, the course offers value to a wide range of wargaming creators, contributors, and consumers through lectures, problem-solving activities, and relationship-building opportunities.
Wargaming has been integral to NWC since 1887. While the tools and technology used in simulations have evolved over the past century, the value of wargaming in maritime leadership development remains strong. Today, NWC conducts more than 50 gaming events per year, ranging in variety from complex, multi-sided computer-assisted games to simple, single-sided seminar games.
As a critical component of the Navy's Analytic Master Plan (AMP), NWC is designated by the CNO as the Navy's pillar lead for wargaming. NWC spearheads efforts to integrate all research activities within the naval wargaming enterprise and facilitates the promulgation and integration of research findings across the naval analytic community.
Established in 1884, NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. The college delivers excellence in education, research, and outreach, informing today’s decision makers, educating tomorrow’s leaders, and engaging partners and allies on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war.