The U.S. Army has collaborated with the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a new video game designed to train soldiers on response measures for foreign natural disasters, the Army reported Monday.Mike Casey and Robert Ramon write that Disaster Sim features an hour-long scenario that works to teach procedures on how to work with USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, non-governmental organizations and the host nation.
“Disaster Sim teaches soldiers how to be part of a joint task force… [and] shows how the Army is using technology to make training more engaging and accessible,” said Maj. Gen. Mark O’Neil, deputy commanding general of the Combined Arms Center – Training.
The Army added that Disaster Sim will look to provide users an option to create new foreign disaster scenarios apart from the initial scenario set to train soldiers in preparing for an earthquake in Guatemala.
The video game was developed through the collaboration of multiple organizations including OFDA, U.S. Army South, Army Research Laboratory, Army Games for Training Program, the University of Southern California and the Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation.
Disaster Sim is now available for download through the Army’s Milgaming website.
