Inside SPEA, a national security crisis was breaking out. The director of the National Security Administration hastily led a room of bureaucrats including the President, Senators and foreign diplomats in the response to a shocking assassination and chaos in Turkey. Plans were made but new problems emerged during the hour crisis meeting.
Professor John Karagaac’s National Security Bureaucracy class in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, known as SPEA, are taking part in a three day national security crisis simulation.
A look at some of the highlights and intense moments of the national security simulation.
“Give students that are participating in it a real feel: the stresses, the complications, the fog of crisis that makes decision making difficult,” Karagaac said of the simulation. “We have a tendency that policy making can be formulated rather simply, that’s not the case.”
Senior Gabriel Burdeen worked with Karagaac as the director of the simulation and led the proceedings during the crisis sessions. His vision allowed students a unique hands-on experience.
Gabriel Burdeen talks about helping found the National Security Simulation at IU.
Students in the class were not just from SPEA but a variety of backgrounds across campus. Most will not end up in the White House Situation Room but the hands-on learning will be helpful regardless of their career.
“Crisis teaches us about ourselves,” Karagaac said. “Whether as an individual or an organization, crisis is a turning point that has negative but regenative possibilities.”
Karagaac plans to teach the class in future semesters and continue having the simulation as part of the curriculum.
