Admiral Charles Richard
“Man Battle Stations! Dong Dong
Dong Dong! Man Battle Stations!”
Everyone who has served on board a ship, submarine, or squadron can remember being jolted out of the rack by that announcement, knowing almost instinctively what to do. For most, that knowledge never leaves. More than 20 years later, I am still pretty confident I could execute the Battle-stations Firing Point Litany in Control on board a submarine, at least as it was at the time, from any watch station in the room. I don’t think I’m unusual.
Why is that? Sets and reps. Seemingly endless sets and reps, under as many conditions as possible. While the sets and reps took many forms—exercises, table-tops, wargames, certifications, drills, etc.—the best had one thing in common: simulated combat against a thinking opponent in which you and your team had to make decisions under uncertain conditions with consequences for those decisions. You could lose. You could die (simulated, of course).
No comments:
Post a Comment