Sounds like crews on long missions, such as Mars, should spend a significant amount of time running simulations, and that the ground controllers should hit them with artificial emergencies from time to time without warning. I wonder, though, if there isn't a downside: The crew might start to assume that every emergency is just a simulation, and fail to take seriously a real emergency. I think it'd be tricky to find the right balance to keep the crew on its toes.

Seems like Soviet/Russian spaceflight historically has suffered regular breakdowns and minor emergencies (and some big ones), which tends to keep the crews busy and focused. Compare that to NASA's obsession with perfection and avoidance of even the slightest mishap, which must lead to boredom (among the public as well as the crews ;-)). Maybe the Russian way is accidentally (pun intended) more optimum--"that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger".