Encampment Cadre Train at Naval War College

Written by Cadet Master Sgt. Macaiden Brees, Arthur J. Pierce Squadron

Take a situation not as it should be but as what it is. You can only change the future.

This is one of the many lessons cadets experienced from the 2026 ELDP (Encampment Leadership Development Program) during a recent wargaming activity at the Naval War College in Rhode Island. The early morning wake-up time made the journey there sleepy and uneventful; however, it was greatly contrasted by the arrival at the museum itself. The Naval War College has quite a history, serving as a mental hospital for a short period of time, and of course, as the Naval War College itself.  Nowadays, it harbors an amazing museum on American naval history. It's actively used by members of the U.S. Navy to conduct tabletop wargaming simulations with colleagues, making the site itself a fascinating place.

After the cadets met outside the building, everyone made their way inside. For a few minutes, cadets were allowed to look around at the museum and catch up with each other, all in preparation for the coming game. Shortly after, everyone made their way upstairs, where they were briefed on the game rules by the two hosts. After that, they were split into two teams (red and blue), each charged with discussing the strategies they would employ and narrowing down an overall goal for success. The blue team had the goal of moving a cargo ship across a mid-line on the map; the red team had the goal of preventing them from doing so. There were numerous ways to earn points, i.e., warn enemy ships or planes, rescue people from sunk ships or crashed planes, and many ways to lose points, like starting a conflict or hitting the wrong target.

Once the game began, a division between the two sides' strategies became apparent. The red team took a democratic way of making decisions and saw the blue group's side as chaotic, while the blue group worked to delegate tasks. In the end, the blue group won due to the fact that it was harder for the red team to think strategically under the pressure of tight time constraints, while the blue team—delegating their tasks—facilitated quicker decisions and allowed them to react to situations more nimbly. 

During the After Action Review, a truly thought-provoking discussion, adult member Lt. Col. Thomas Williams, Encampment commandant, said, "The more decisions you make, the more mistakes you make, and we learn a lot from mistakes." Lieutenant Col. Williams emphasized this point, noting that cadets must learn to delegate, especially at Encampment, because it's incredibly important to let subordinates make decisions given the workload. 

"You're there [Encampment] to practice decision making, and so are your people," said Lt. Col. Williams. Essentially, when you delegate tasks, it lessens the load on the group. 

When a team encounters too much pressure and stress, it moves down the chain, as stated by Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones. "How commanders and upper NCOs [non-commissioned officers] react to stress impacts lower NCOs … The [lower NCOs] then see it and react to that," he said.

All in all, cadets walked away from this experience with a better understanding of critical thinking, mission command, and decision-making, setting the participants better suited for the upcoming Encampment. Hopefully, they can even take this knowledge back to their home squadrons to further assist junior cadre.

Participating cadets included: C/Lt. Col. Isabella Niemann, C/Capt. Adam Rydlak, C/1st Lt. Samuel Igou, C/1st Lt. Nicholas Rauseo, C/2nd Lt. Jonathan Weinstein, C/Senior Master Sgt. Keegan Jones, and C/Master Sgt. Macaiden Brees.

For More Information:

C/Master Sgt. Macaiden Brees
Arthur J. Pierce Squadron
macaiden.brees@mawg.cap.gov