A COMPUTER-BASED SIMULATION TO ACCELERATE MILITARY DECISION-MAKING USING A PLATOON TACTICAL DECISION GAME (TDG)

Abstract

The Marine Corps has long used tactical decision games (TDG) to train and evaluate leadership and decision-making abilities. The antiquated process of using pencil and paper or dry erase boards requires a subject-matter expert to be present to evaluate and assess each individual Marine’s scheme of maneuver and provide immediate feedback of their maneuver plan. This process is time-consuming and does not allow Marines to conduct the reps and sets necessary to build their intuitive decision-making and gain experience in various situations. Regardless of the mission, the Marine Corps requires leaders to succeed in combat by being prepared to act as if, even when they're in a situation for the first time. A computer-based TDG was designed to allow Marines the ability to gain experience in a platoon maneuver through successive repetitions in a time-constrained environment in unknown terrain with varying enemy situations. This system allows Marines to get the repetitions they need to build their decision-making skills and supplement instructor-led training. Using a repeated measures design, the data suggest that using a computer-based TDG shortens the decision-making cycle time for Marines and shows an increase in accuracy of selecting the correct maneuver path through rapid repetition.