All Guns Blazing — June 2015

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON DC 20350-1000 May 5, 2015 MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS SUBJECT: W argaming Wargaming is an invaluable method used to assess new ideas, question existing practices, stimulate innovation, and develop new operational concepts in a risk-friendly environment This type of exercise informs national policy, prepares our warfighters for successful combat operations, and contributes to the development of our Sailors and Marines as professionals and as strategic thinkers. The wargaming approach can be used at all command levels and across every mission area in the Department of the Navy (DON). We must 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. In order to do so, the Navy and Marine Corps shall: • Establish a virtual community of practice for Sailors, Marines, and Civilians with an interest in wargaming to further develop and expand this competency across the DON. • Conduct a series of smaller, iterative analytic games in FY 2016-17 to better inform naval strategy development, campaign analyses, and fleet experimentation. These events will include key leaders and junior officers from across the DON. • Ensure wargaming influences the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System process. • Reestablish the Office of Naval Research Technology Innovation games. • Incorporate emerging technology, probabilistic models, and data analytics into gaming techniques. • Establish a mechanism to share actionable insights from wargames across the department, with a particular focus on cross-event and longitudinal analysis. Diversity of thought is fundamental to game design and execution. Using the inventive thinking of the DON workforce - from all ranks, backgrounds, and professional and academic communities - we will create solutions to complex problems and significantly enhance the outcome of games.

SUBJECT: W argaming The Services will develop an integrated, detailed implementation plan, reviewed and approved though the Naval Board, to the Under Secretary of the Navy no later than September 30, 2015. · cc: USN ASN's DUSN's DoDGC DA&M JAG NAVINSGEN DNS AUDGEN NCIS DMCS DON/AA DONCIO DON SAPRO OIG OLA CNR OSBP CHINFO 2