Originally published May 2 2005
The Army's new simulator, Gator Six, creates a way for captains to practice decision-making and diplomacy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
For a long time, computer combat simulations revolved around operating heavy equipment, but now the army has taken a new direction with Gator Six, a command-decision simulator that shows both combat and the diplomatic side of war. By recreating real situations in a sort of computer game, army captains can make decisions on how to address certain problems and try to make the right choices. There are no real right or wrong decisions in the game. Instead, it shows that there are actions to take and repercussions for each decision. Thus, the officers must make value judgements and take the course of action that seems best to them, much like real combat.
James Sink is leading a group of 100 soldiers.
His unit has just finished combat operations and finds itself in charge of a town.
During a class at Fort Sill, Capt.
Neal Fisher considers a scenario offered by Gator Six that he and his men might find themselves in after he deploys to Iraq.
"I don't think anybody is looking at Gator Six as a set of directions," he says.
Request for Photos_____ Duty In Iraq We want to give you the opportunity to show firsthand what it is like to live and work in Iraq.
Faces of the Fallen Portraits of U.S. service members who have died in Iraq since the beginning of the war.
"Move carefully, set up outside of town for a day, get the lay of the land" is one choice.
"Roll through heavy to signal that you're in charge" is another.
"They're moving straight into a new town pretty quick.
Here in the basement of Snow Hall, in the wintry-brown hills of Lawton, 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, nine captains are in a heated discussion.
For three hours on a recent Monday morning, they grapple with real-life scenarios from Iraq, with the help of a computer program called Gator Six.
Gator Six is more dazzling than a PowerPoint presentation, yet not quite a video game.
It's a collection of 260 video clips on two CDs that, in essence, serve as an interactive film of the Iraq war.
For today's technologically savvy U.S. captain -- versed in video games, instant messaging, e-mail -- Gator Six is an ideal "sim," military-speak for simulation.
Think of the 11-year-old fifth-grader who spends her entire weekend playing The Sims online.
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