Roles & Responsibilities

Team Lead Roles:

  • Team Leads: reach out to your team members…if possible have a face-to-face meeting to “get to know” your Player Team participants prior to START-EX. Otherwise, reach out via e-mail.
    • Review the BACKGROUND SENARIO in the Participant Packet
      • Identify Key Alliances and Treaties
      • Highlight the recent developments in lieu of the scenario
      • Identify your Key Political Dynamics with respect to your Player Team
        • E.g., policies regarding a nuclear North Korea, policy on Chinese/Taiwanese or Korean unification, etc. 
  • Own your team & play the roles
  • Ensure everything goes through your Player Team Controller
    • How did your strategy change over time?
    • Take notes and be prepared to give a 10-minute de-brief at END-EX on the following points:
      • What was your overall strategy?
      • How effectively were you able to employ your strategy?
      • What were the major obstacles?
      • What made your implementation easier?

Team Lead Best Practices from previous SIMULEX:

Issue: Some teams did not appoint players to critical positions.

  • Recommendation: During your in-person meeting with the team leads ensure they understand the importance of appointing a single individual to the following positions:
    • President/Prime Minister/Dictator (may be team lead).
    • Defense Lead (SecDef) – responsible for Requests for Forces (RFF) generation and submission through the Communications/IT Lead to controller.
    • Diplomatic Lead (SecState) – responsible for generating any request for action related to the Diplomatic Instrument of Power and submission through the Communications/IT Lead to controller.
    • Economic Lead – responsible for generating any request for action related to the Economic Instrument of Power and submission through the Communications/IT Lead to controller.
    • Public Affairs Lead – responsible for unofficial statements via Player Team Twitter account (more info to be provided upon game start). Must get approval from control before posting to Twitter. Responsible for official requests for media output/releases. Send requests (indicate photo op, video interview, media presence at engagement) for pre-approval to your controller and then once given the go-ahead, send a Request for Media (RFM) to the Slack PlayerTeam-Media Channel. Responsible for drafting and coordinating approval of Requests for Public Release (RFP). Send requests for pre-approval to your controller and then once given the go-ahead, send a RFP to the Slack PlayerTeam-Media Channel. Inform Player Team Communications/IT Lead of all RFM and RFPs.
    • Information Lead – responsible for any requests related to the Informational Instrument of Power. Responsible for following the WordPress Official SIMULEX Media website to track the many official news releases that will be posted. Responsible for generating Requests for Information (RFI). Must get pre-approval from your controller and then once given the go-ahead, send a Request for Information to the Slack PlayerTeam-Intel Channel.
    • Communications/IT Lead – responsible for operating Player Team Slack Channel messaging for Player Team communications with your controller. Keeps a running list of what Player Team requests have been sent to the controller and which are approved/disapproved/awaiting response. Responsible for communicating team Requests for Action (RFA) to controller (may include requests for engagement, direct military activities with existing forces, etc.)
    • Additional leads to be determined by Team Lead and Player Team Strategy.

Mentors and Senior Mentors:

  • SIMULEX uses members from outside of the LeadX Change participating students (like the Ministry of Defense, analysis centers, think tanks, and academia).
  • Up to two mentors per team with one designated as the Senior Mentor.
  • Mentors will know the scenario background and the specific impacts to your country.
  • Mentors help talk about strategy development and guiding your team in thinking. strategically…how does move X help them achieve their strategy.
  • Mentors will be in the Player Team rooms to observe, guide, and provide input back to control to help move the scenario along.

Player Team Controllers:

  • Monitors PlayerTeam Slack channels.
  • Control the flow of the exercise by communicating on the Player Team Slack Channel and ensure the learning objectives are achieved.
  • Approves/disapproves all communications or requests.
  • Provides situation updates to Player Team and to Lead Controllers as appropriate.
  • Plays other actors (those not in Player Teams) as needed for exercise play.
  • Simulates Player Team public opinion with assistance of the Media Chief Controller.
  • Process message traffic and promulgate control guidance/inputs; consults with Senior Advisors and Lead Controllers on Player Team actions/requests.

Senior Advisor

  • Monitors control room and maintains game progression toward learning objectives.
  • Monitors player team rooms and advises mentors as needed to maintain progression. toward learning objectives and scenario moves.
  • Monitors and advises during bi- and multi- lateral engagements between player teams.

Chief Planner

  • Writes Background Scenario, Move 1, 2, 3, and answers any scenario-related questions in the control room.
  • Observe exercise play and ensure progression of moves; make script changes as needed after each move period

Chief Controller

  • Supervises control room and maintains game progression toward learning objectives.
  • Arbitrates controller questions on requests.
  • Facilitates and manages game play

Chief Military Advisor

  • Discuss all Requests for Forces (RFF) with controller(s), Lead Controllers. Advise and recommend approval / disapproval / more information needed.
  • Advise Chief Intel Controller on military related Requests for Information (RFI) topics as needed.

Media Chief Controller:

  • Monitors PlayerTeam-Media Slack channels and keeps Senior Controllers informed.
  • Monitors LeadX2019 Twitter feeds from Player Teams and keeps Senior Controllers informed.
  • Receives controller pre-approved RFMs from Player Teams.
  • Prioritizes and takes actions (approve & action / deny & return) on RFMs.
  • Consult with Senior Controllers on RFMs if questionable for exercise direction.
  • Generates official media releases approved by Player Team Controllers and/or requested by Senior Controllers (as in public opinion or statements from countries outside of existing Player Teams).
  • International news aggregator; posts official media releases to the WordPress site.
  • Sends media team volunteers to Player Teams to fulfill RFMs upon approval.

Intel Chief Controller

  • Monitors PlayerTeam-intel Slack channels and keeps Senior Controllers informed.
  • Receives controller pre-approved RFIs from Player Teams.
  • Prioritizes and takes actions (approve & action / deny & return) on RFIs.
  • Consult with Senior Controllers on RFIs if questionable for exercise direction.

IT Lead

  • Be available to respond and assist in Player Team Rooms and Control Rooms as needed for IT assistance.
  • Create additional Twitter accounts or closed groups as needed during game play.
  • Assist with updates/modifications to WordPress site as needed.