Photo By Senior Airman Zeeshan Naeem | U.S. Airman 1st Class Cleshawn Jean-Pierre, 11th Security Forces Squadron installation...... read more read more
Subscribe
The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is exploring a new way to better prepare combat support Airmen for future missions: the virtual Combat Support Training Range.
The virtual Combat Support Training Range, or vCSTR, delivers an on-demand, immersive, and interactive virtual environment that simulates real-world combat scenarios for training purposes.
“vCSTR is positioned to become a cornerstone of combat support readiness: a flexible, scalable, and future-ready training ecosystem that can grow alongside the Air Force’s most pressing mission requirements,” said Pitman Kennedy, AFIMSC Principal Innovation Program Manager.
Bridging Gaps with Virtual Innovation
Developed in partnership with Street Smarts VR, vCSTR enhances combat support readiness by supplementing traditional field exercises. Though AFIMSC continues to build out physical Combat Support Training Ranges to provide realistic environments, those facilities are limited by availability, travel requirements and resource constraints, said Maj. Tiffany Lewis, CSTR program office.
Virtual access helps overcome these limitations by increasing training frequency and flexibility, she said. While physical ranges are invaluable, they aren’t always feasible for repeated use.
“The system expands capacity. Not everyone can physically go to a CSTR site repeatedly,” Lewis said. “vCSTR allows Airmen to get in those extra sets and reps in a virtual environment.”
Training for Real-World Missions
The system immerses Airmen in dynamic scenarios, replicating the challenges of combat support operations in diverse environments. Initial modules focus on Air Force Force Generation 100–200 level training tasks and support Ready Airman Training and Air Force Unit of Action objectives in four key areas:
Initial Testing and Evaluation
Airmen from the 23rd Air Task Force recently tested the system during a training event Sept. 16-18. Both Airmen and leadership shared positive feedback, Kennedy said, highlighting the system’s ability to safely and effectively replicate complex combat support tasks in a scalable virtual environment.
“I found the vCSTR really beneficial for developing my multitasking and communication skills,” said Master Sgt. Cody Medsker, air transportation advisor for the 23rd ATF. “The simulation's demanding scenarios created a realistic, high-pressure environment that forced me to prioritize tasks effectively and communicate clearly under pressure.”
Following the delivery of several vCSTR prototypes to AFIMSC on Sept. 29, select units will conduct additional testing. If the prototypes perform well, vCSTR could enable more units of action to integrate virtual training into their Ready Airman Training cycles, supporting consistent readiness across the AFFORGEN phases, Kennedy said.
Looking Ahead
AFIMSC is exploring the potential for vCSTR to evolve into a credentialed, enterprise-wide training capability, Kennedy said. Built on an adaptive, modular model, the system can rapidly deliver new features and capabilities, including:
“If testing proves successful and investment continues, vCSTR could scale rapidly across the Total Force, providing credentialed training at the point of need,” Kennedy said.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2025 13:57 |
| Story ID: | 551592 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, TEXAS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AFIMSC explores virtual training to enhance combat support readiness, by Shannon Carabajal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
