US Navy Secretary calls for greater attention to wargaming in USN and USMC

In a memo sent to the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps on May 5, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has called upon the USN and USMC to “evolve our approach to wargaming so that it contemplates the future challenges our Sailors and Marines will encounter, and the types of decisions they must make.” The memo lays out a series of steps to be taken, and emphasizes that “Diversity of thought is fundamental to game design and execution. Using the inventive thinking of the [Department of the Navy] workforce – from all ranks, backgrounds, and professional and academic communities – we will create solutions to complex problems and significantly enhance the outcome of games.”

The memo reflects a general push within the US Department of Defence to renew its commitment to innovative, high-quality wargaming, as directed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work in a DoD-wide memo on “wargaming an innovation” issued in February.