The DOD Acquisition Modeling and Simulation (ACQ M&S) Community is a systems engineering-led collaborative group comprised of Core members, one each from the DoD Services, and invited members from the DoD Acquisition Community (gov't, industry , academia, etc.). The ACQ M&S is responsible for formulating ACQ M&S strategic and investment plans to support the war fighter, enhance M&S within system engineering a valued tool, contribute to the integrations within M&S the enterprise. These efforts should reduce risk minimize total system life cycle cost, and advance effective application of models and simulations across the entire life cycle.

The Analysis community invests in M&S tools, data, and services and is currently managing M&S activities that relate to DoD challenges in Irregular Warfare; Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction; Information Operations and Cyber-warfare; Deterrence; and Human, Social, Cultural Behavior.

Modeling and simulation (M&S) is used by the experimentation community to develop, assess and evaluate concepts and solutions and to provide objective analytic rigor. Models are developed to describe new processes, concepts of operation, organizational structures or other non-material and material solutions. Simulation is used to assess and evaluate solutions and may require many thousands of simulation runs. During these runs, variables are manipulated under controlled conditions while precise measurements are taken providing evidence of the causal relationship and strength of the relationship between the manipulated variable and its effect. There are three primary methods of analytically rigorous experimentation: discovery, hypothesis testing, and demonstration. Modeling and simulation plans are designed and documented at the beginning of a campaign of experimentation to provide thorough and objective data. The Experiment M&S community strives for rapidly delivering operationally relevant solutions to support current operations and drive DOTMLPF and policy changes to enable trained, ready and adaptable joint and coalition forces.

The Defense Intelligence M&S Community, established by the OUSD(I), is comprised of DIA, NGA NSA, NRO and the Service Intelligence Offices. The coordinating body is the Defense Intelligence M&S Collaboration Group. The DIMSCoG is responsible for developing the IC M&S strategic and investment plans to coordinate Defense Intelligence Enterprise use of M&S and support the broader DoD M&S Community.

Recognizing the impact of M&S to the Adaptive Planning (AP) process, the Joint Staff J5 Planning Community were initial partners in the formulation of the DoD M&S Governance structure and remain so today as a key partner within the communities enabled by M&S. As part of this involvement, the Planning Community remains committed to developing M&S programs and leveraging investments that enhance the AP Execution System (APEX) with other high level M&S projects. The Planning Community views M&S as an enabler for empowering faster and more robust plan development to support the planning process. The goal is to improve the end-to-end data stream from contingency to crises planning so that analysis, training and planning are tightly coupled as a way of promoting reuse of related M&S data, tools and services. And additionally use M&S to enable leadership to make informed Doctrine, Organization, Training, Material, leadership and education, Personnel and Facilities (DOTMLPF) decisions based on sound AP.

The Test and Evaluation (T↦E) Community, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E), is comprised of DoD organizations that test and evaluate capabilities, develop T&E policy and provide T&E guidance, and resources. The T&E community coordinating executive body is the T&E Board of Directors (T&E BOD). The T&E Community is responsible for developing the T&E M&S strategic and investment plans to support the broader M&S enterprise. The DOD M&S T&E Community is the first point of entry for DoD T&E M&S tools, data and services.

Under the USD(P&R), the T2 Executive Steering Group (4 Star), Senior Advisory Group (3 Star), and Synchronization Board (2 star) oversee a comprehensive and effective Service, Combatant Command, Defense Agency, and joint training management capability to develop, execute, and assess military training throughout the Department. The O6-level Stakeholder Leadership Team (SLT) and JNTC Corporate Board develop and coordinate service and Combatant Command joint training issues in support of national security requirements across the full spectrum of operations.