The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 3 of 6)

In my experience, we routinely "re-run" scenarios when OPFOR disrupts the intended training goals (other than tactical combat). Dead soldiers, marines or aviators can't practice their craft when the computer lists them as dead. Aggressive wargamers (even in the military) often work the limits or find blind spots in the computer logic or programming to achieve "winning." Happens all the time. Leaders are regularly instructed on the limitations of the simulation they are using to evaluate results.

There remains a human factor: "Puck movers" on the workstations who aren't familiar with the commands, or not aware of the capabilities of the simulation, often skew outcomes.

Cheating: Many years ago, a combat simulation conducted in a South American country was reduced to drawn pistols by the players -- when the aviators were caught peeking on the computer screens of the opposition land forces...

Mr. Corry could have made his points without picking on the Marines...

p>Regards, br> -- Mike Horn br> LTC, Military Intelligence br> US Army Reserve, ret br> Database Manager, Combat Simulations br> Dublin, CA /p> p> U.S. Senators don't get enough rabid anti-Americanism on CNN and ABC? You would now have them monitor the Beeb to learn how to really hate all things American and worship at the altars of anti-Israel and pro-Arabism? Oh, by the way, that whole article was incoherent.

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