The International Crisis Management Exercise is a scenario, role-play exercise that takes place on a Saturday during the spring semester. In this daylong simulation, students act as members of the National Security Council and work together to come up with recommendations for an acting President regarding a mock international crisis. From the ten high schools participating in the Council’s educational program Great Decisions, a group of students are selected from each school to assume the roles of members of the National Security Council and represent different agencies or interests in the U.S. Government. Participation in this impactful and highly educational event is selective. Teachers choose their respective 4-6 participants based on their overall attendance and participation in the Great Decisions meetings during the past academic year. The exercise simulates the U.S. Government’s handling of a mock international crisis. All events of the day will be fictional, but plausible. With Ambassador Nancy Soderberg and Admiral Jonathan Howe, USN (Ret.) acting as Presidents, students must work together to come up with advice and recommendations regarding various aspects of the international crisis.

1. ICME
International Crisis
Management Exercise

2. Many thanks to our title sponsor…
ICME 2012 is presented by
http://www.hklaw.com/

3. Thank you to our 2011-2012 Supporters…
Generous contributions from devoted
individuals, area businesses, organizations and foundations
help to make Great Decisions and ICME possible!
Sandy & Bob Cook
Emily Balz Smith Foundation

4. International Crisis Management Exercise
What is ICME?
The culmination of the Great Decisions program
presented by the World Affairs Council of
Jacksonville
A scenario, role-play exercise that takes place one
Saturday during the spring
Students act as members of the National Security
Council and must work together to come up with
recommendations for an acting President regarding a
timely international crisis
Students spend several hours deliberating around a
roundtable as if they were, collectively, the National
Security Council

5. International Crisis Management Exercise
What is the National Security Council?
The President’s principal forum for considering national security and foreign
policy matters
Chaired by the President, it is composed of senior national security advisors
and cabinet officials; if the President is absent, the NSC is normally chaired
by the National Security Advisor
Began under President Truman; established in 1947 by the National Security
Act

6. International Crisis Management Exercise
What is the role of National Security Council?
To advise and assist the President on national security and foreign
policies
Also serves as the principal arm in coordinating these policies among
various government agencies

7. International Crisis Management Exercise
Who are the senior advisors and cabinet officials?
Vice President Counsel to the President
Secretary of State Assistant to the President for
Secretary of the Treasury Economic Policy
Secretary of Defense Attorney General
Assistant to the President for Director of the Office of
National Security Affairs Management and Budget
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Heads of other executive
(statutory military advisor to the departments and agencies and other
Council) senior officials when appropriate
Director of National Intelligence
Chief of Staff to the President

8. International Crisis Management Exercise
Current structure of the National Security Council
President/Chair: Barack Obama Deputy National Security Advisor:
Denis Mc Donough
Vice President: Joe Biden
Secretary of the Treasury:
Secretary of State: Hillary Clinton
Timothy Geithner
Secretary of Defense: Leon E. Panetta
Attorney General: Eric Holder
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Counsel to the President:
General Martin Dempsey
Kathryn Ruemmler
Director of National Intelligence:
Assistant to the President for Economic
James R. Clapper
Policy: Gene Sperling
National Security Advisor:
Ambassador to the United Nations:
Thomas E. Donilon
Susan Rice
Chief of Staff to the President:
William M. Daly
Secretary of Homeland Security:
Janet Napolitano

9. International Crisis Management Exercise
About ICME
ICME is facilitated by Ambassador Nancy Soderberg and Admiral Jonathan Howe:
Ambassador Nancy E.Soderberg is a Council Board member and a Distinguished
Visiting Scholar at the University of North Florida in the Department of Political
Science and Public Administration. She served in the White House as the third-ranking
official on the National Security Council (1993-1996) and as Alternate Representative
to the United Nations (1997-2001), with the rank of Ambassador. She was recently
appointed as Chairperson of the Public Interest Declassification Board by President
Barack H. Obama.
Admiral Jonathan T. Howe, USN (Ret.) is the Chairman of the Board at the World
Affairs Council and the Executive Director of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Prior
to joining the Foundations in 1994, he served for a year in Somalia as the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was Deputy
Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs in the administration of
President George H.W. Bush.
The purpose of the exercise is to illustrate to Great Decisions participants the
complexity of decision-making by the President and his/her advisors when
international affairs & incidents collide.

10. International Crisis Management Exercise
Logistics of ICME
Each participating student will be given a job title
and short job description prior to the event (e.g.
Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, etc.)
A scenario (e.g. mock international crisis) will be
provided ahead of time to students
Students are expected to prepare PRIOR to the
event by reading the scenario and researching their
assigned role (e.g. Secretary of State, Attorney
General, etc.)

11. International Crisis Management Exercise
Sample Job Description
The Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the Chief Diplomat of the United States and a senior member of the President’s cabinet. The Secretary
of State, working through the Department of State and US Embassies abroad, primarily determines and carries out the foreign
policy interests of the United States. The US Ambassadors and their staffs who work in US embassies in all parts of the world
represent the Secretary of State and the President to foreign countries and carry out the orders of the Secretary of State
abroad. The Ambassadors have authority over all US agencies and official personnel in country, except for US military
personnel subject to the command of a major US military headquarters located in that country.
The Department of State deals with international aspects of a broad range of issues, many of which have important domestic
components as well. These issues include: international political affairs, representation before international organizations,
economic and trade relations, civil aviation relations, oceans and environmental affairs, democracy, human rights, labor affairs,
political military affairs, public affairs, US foreign aid and foreign security assistance, arms control and non-proliferation, anti-
drug issues, counter terrorism issues and any issues arising from US treaties and agreements with foreign countries. Many of
these issues have bilateral, regional and international aspects. The Department of State also includes the US passport office,
which adjudicates nationality and issues passports to US citizens at home and abroad and handles all consular services for US and
foreign citizens abroad (visa issuance, protection of US citizens, etc.).
The Secretary of State will have a direct institutional interest and role to play in virtually any issue that may come up in the
National Security Council. His/her personal ideas and policy instincts generally carry great weight with the President.