JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Airmen presented innovative solutions for the Air Force’s most pressing Great Power Competition combat support needs during the second installment of the 2024 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conferences Nov. 15 at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center.
Three Mission Focused Working Groups, or MFWGs, presented their I-WEPTAC 2024.2 solutions during out-briefs to an in-person and virtual audience of more than 100 Department of the Air Force leaders.
“I-WEPTAC has progressed a lot, becoming a platform dedicated to making the DAF stronger,” said Lt. Gen. Linda Hurry, Air Force Materiel Command deputy commander, who attended the out-briefs. “What makes it effective is that we’re empowering the true experts, those who live and breathe the challenges every day, to bring forward innovative ideas. This ensures the solutions we pursue directly contribute to a stronger Air Force.”
With a focus on reoptimizing for GPC, the groups proposed concepts for augmenting combat support and combat service support capabilities to transform, redirect and enhance operations in three areas:
- MFWG 1 – Optimize Combat Support Training Enterprise for the Great Power Competition – How to heighten the alignment of all combat support training to standardize combat support training programs across AFIMSC, maximize the use of all training platforms, centralize planning and resources for development and operations, and clearly define supported and supporting relationships.
- MFWG 2 – Virtual Reality Combat Support Training Range (vCSTR) Scenario Development – Considers how virtual reality tools can augment existing training to maximize quality and realize efficiencies for Air Task Force commanders in the following scenarios: command and control; integrated base defense; base recovery after attack; and rapid airfield damage repair.
- MFWG 3 – Installation Resiliency Capabilities Integration – How to synchronize and build a cohesive strategy to enable single-point command and control by developing base resiliency integration requirements for a common operating picture; identify redundant efforts of existing systems with highest potential to consolidate capabilities, incorporate drones, sensor systems and AI to enable all-domain detection and response; and centralize plans and standardize Air Task Order approval processes.
Since its inception in 2017, AFIMSC has hosted the I-WEPTAC innovation forum, providing a platform for Airmen and Guardians to engage in innovation and tackle the most pressing challenges in I&MS.
For 2024, AFIMSC introduced a new format dividing the conference into two sessions with the first held in May.
“The tempo demanded we tackle the topics more aggressively,” said Maj. Gen. John Allen, AFIMSC commander. “Looking back over the last few years, I believe the relevance of the topics we’ve pursued, the quality of the outputs from our MFWGs and the remarkable pace at which we’ve been able to move forward speaks volumes about the effectiveness of this event.”
Capt. Alexander Hubbert, Commando Edge Intern for Air Force Special Operations Center at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and co-chair for MFWG 1, said his prior experience in combat support career fields was beneficial in understanding what alignment is needed to train combat support Airmen for expeditionary and contested environments.
“This topic fits into the GPC arena by creating a training enterprise that is prepared, capable and efficient in training our combat support Airmen to deploy and win in a peer fight,” Hubbert said. “As we prepare for GPC, our Airmen will need to be better trained with emphasis on combat skills to be able to survive, thrive and win across all spectrums of warfare.”
Lt. Col. Charles Tenney, MFWG 2 chair and deputy director of logistics at the Air Force Security Forces Center, said virtual reality technology can provide high-quality proficiency training to meet the evolving needs of the force.
“As access to resources and training ranges becomes strained due to the ramp up to GPC, the virtual combat support training range will offer essential supplemental training support in the forms of proficiency ‘sets and reps’ needed to prepare units of action before they are employed in the GPC fight,“ Tenney said. “This MFWG was tasked with building virtual reality training solutions in the form of a virtual combat support training range.”
Maj. Ryan Gardner, deputy chief of the Cyberspace System Support Branch for AFIMSC Information Resource Management and Integration and MFWG 3 chair said his team focused on how to synchronize the multitude of stove-piped systems in the I&MS functional communities.
“Each of these systems operates independently, which can limit their effectiveness and hinder our overall response capabilities,” Gardner said. “If we are able to bring these individual systems together through integration, we can significantly enhance the response capabilities of each of our installations.”
Subject matter experts in relevant fields will now analyze the working group recommendations to determine the optimum way to field them.
For more information about I-WEPTAC and to view this year’s out-briefs, which will be posted soon, visit the I-WEPTAC 2024 website HERE.
Maj. Christopher Post, branch chief of Installation Planning for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Installation Directorate and Mission Focused Working Group 1 chair, presents his team’s solution for optimizing combat support training for the Great Power Competition at the 2024.2 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference Nov. 15, 2024, at Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The I-WEPTAC innovation forum addresses critical topics to improve combat support capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez) 
Maj. Ryan Gardner, deputy chief of the AFIMSC Cyberspace System Support Branch and Mission Focused Working Group 3 chair, presents the group’s strategies for integrating systems to enhance installation response capabilities at the 2024.2 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference Nov. 15, 2024, at Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The I-WEPTAC innovation forum addresses critical topics to improve combat support capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez) 
Lt. Col. Charles Tenney, Mission Focused Working Group 2 chair and Air Force Security Forces Center deputy director of logistics, presents a briefing about the importance of virtual reality technology to provide high-quality, proficiency training at the 2024.2 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference, November 15, 2024, at Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The I-WEPTAC innovation forum addresses critical topics to improve combat support capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez) 
Maj. Gen. John Allen, AFIMSC commander, provides stage-setting remarks at the start of the 2024.2 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference Nov. 15, 2024, at Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The I-WEPTAC innovation forum addresses critical topics to improve combat support capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez) 
Lt. Gen. Linda Hurry, Air Force Materiel Command deputy commander, provides feedback during the 2024.2 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference Nov. 15, 2024, at Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The AFIMSC-hosted event gathered more than 100 in-person and virtual senior leader attendees to address the most pressing Department of the Air Force installation and mission support challenges. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez)