In the spring of 2008 the Warfighting Simulation Middle or WARCEN was given the requirement to provide a low overhead, simple to make use of, simulation that would permit 1000 cadet's to assume the role of a light infantry platoon leader. The game had to be simple to learn in about 15 to twenty minutes & provide some feedback on how well the cadet performed.
In the coursework of our evaluation they looked at several commercial off the shelf programs but of them came close to meeting all of our requirements; ease of use, & the ability to basically change maps, icons, & special media. They identified a serious game called, "Follow Me", developed by Decisive-Point of Kansas City, MO which met all of our requirements. Due to the successful use of Follow Me in the coursework of the capstone exercise, it was decided that it ought to be integrated in to our third year tactics coursework MS300.
The gap between classroom instruction & practical application has always existed in regards to tactics training. Although the capstone version of Follow Me met our requirements for that exercise, it did not meet our requirements for integration in to MS300. Follow Me was developed to meet a specific require here at the Academy, but its application in other institutions is obvious. Follow Me has applicability in the Reserve Officer Training Coursework at other universities, as well as other traditional Army schooling & training institutions such as the Infantry & Armor schools. In the regular Army, including the reserve & national guard parts, Follow Me can be used to teach, improve, & maintain, tactical issue solving at the platoon & company level.
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