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MASS Supports Advanced Command & Staff Course 'Ends' Module Capstone Exercise at the UK Defence Academy based in Shrivenham

Published 23rd August 2019

Defence and technology company, MASS, has successfully developed and supported the delivery of the Advanced Command & Staff Course (ACSC) Management of Defence ‘Ends’ Module Capstone Exercise at the UK Defence Academy based in Shrivenham.  

MASS ACSC


The ACSC, which runs for 44 weeks, focuses on ‘Ends’, ‘Ways’ and ‘Means’ Modules and aims to help participants develop the skills necessary to solve the complex defence and security problems they will experience as they progress through their careers. The ‘Ends’ module explores how policy and strategy is formulated and executed from a practitioner’s perspective. It also intends to deepen participants’ understanding of cross-government working at the national strategic level.  Steve Townsend, Head of Training Support group at MASS said,

“We were delighted to support the Capstone Exercise. The MASS exercise design concept is based around the challenges of working at cross-government level and allows participants the opportunity to use their strategic decision-making and policy formulation skills to solve complex defence and security related problems.

“The exercise was set in the real world - as opposed to virtually as is the case with many wargames – and in an environment that highlights a range of issues beyond the traditional confines of defence and security. The key differentiator of the exercise is that it is managed and not choreographed – with exercise staff lightly steering participants rather than directing to ensure that the actions of the participants determines the outcome of the course.”

An extensive programme, MASS began planning the exercise eight months ago with the company working under ACSC direction to develop robust fictional scenarios able to meet the training requirements of the Management of Defence Module. Scenario development involved creating the appropriate ‘catalysts’, set in a real world near future context, to generate exercise game play.

To accompany these scenarios MASS produced a wide range of exercise support documentation: including departmental and country briefs, Wikipedia-pages, national and strategic digests; as well as guidance for participants on strategic analysis and briefing skills.