Shannon Carabajal
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – As the first Air Task Forces go through the Prepare Phase of the Air Force Force Generation cycle, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center-developed Combat Support Training Ranges are helping build mission-ready Airmen.
Two ATFs recently wrapped up three weeks of initial training events at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and Fort Bliss, Texas, CSTR sites. The sites, described as "national assets" by Col. Gabriel Arrington, 12th ATF commander, offer austere training environments, equipment and infrastructure, allowing Airmen to hone in on team-focused, cross-functional training and deployment readiness.
“The dedicated range time allows us to match Airmen with the specific training they need, giving them the time and space to get the reps and sets to become proficient at their combat missions,” he said.
AFIMSC is developing six CSTR sites to satisfy installation and mission support unit needs to train on tactics, techniques and procedures required for the high-end fight. The sites will equip commanders with the platforms and equipment needed for unit-led expeditionary training, maintaining readiness and ensuring Airmen are prepared to deploy and win future wars.
CSTR events simulate field conditions and provide ideal platforms for testing new expeditionary technology and capabilities, Dotzlaf said.
The development of CSTR sites aligns with the broader Air Force goal of transforming ATFs into deployable combat wings that will have all necessary elements stationed at the same installation, allowing them to fully train, team and deploy together under the AFFORGEN model.
“CSTR sites give these new units of action the capacity, equipment and infrastructure they need to train for their core tasks,” Dotzlaf said. “They are essential to preparing Airmen for the future fight.”
Over the past year, AFIMSC worked with key stakeholders and mission partners, hosted planning workshops, and conducted site visits to prepare for these and future events. The center also worked closely with ATF leadership teams to help plan and execute initial events, showcasing site capabilities and offering classes on planning and executing training.
As CSTR sites continue to evolve, the AFIMSC team will incorporate training-event feedback to adapt infrastructure for better ATF readiness support.
"These events are the first large-scale operations under the CSTR program,” Dotzlaf said. “We're using them to learn and improve, and the lessons we gain will help shape the future of CSTR.”
Overall, the training events were not only a valuable learning experience for the Airmen involved, but also a source of excitement and motivation, Arrington said.
"This is what Airmen join the Air Force to do. They join to defend the country,” he said. “Giving them the time to focus on combat training, to gel as a team, to become proficient as a combat unit, that's what the Air Force is about. That's where the Air Force is going, and Airmen are responding very positively and leading us in that direction."
For more information, visit www.afimsc.af.mil/CSTR.
12th Air Task Force Airmen assemble a pallet on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 14, 2024. Bringing together Airmen from Scott, Barksdale, and Little Rock Air Force Bases for the first time, the 12th ATF trains as a combat unit of action in preparation for deployment, strengthening U.S. joining force readiness in the Great Power Competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons) 
Senior Airman Juan Romero Velazquez, 2nd Logistics Readiness Squadron storage supervisor, digs a hole for a mobile aircraft arresting system stake as part of 12th Air Task Force training on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 15, 2024. Bringing together Airmen from Scott, Barksdale, and Little Rock Air Force Bases for the first time, the 12th ATF trains as a combat unit of action in preparation for deployment, strengthening U.S. joining force readiness in the Great Power Competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons) 
Senior Airman Henry Maddock, 375th Security Forces Squadron patrolman, assembles a tent as part of training for the 12th Air Task Force, on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 14, 2024. Bringing together Airmen from Scott, Barksdale, and Little Rock Air Force Bases for the first time, the 12th ATF trains as a combat unit of action in preparation for deployment, strengthening U.S. joining force readiness in the Great Power Competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons) 
An Airman assigned to the 11th Air Task Force guards his team while they recover assets from a simulated downed helicopter at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 8, 2024. Airmen demonstrated their proficiency in using tactical movement and strategies to complete the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos) 
An Airman assigned to the 11th Air Task Force signals for his team to move forward during the first 11th ATF field exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 8, 2024. Airmen used visual signals to communicate with their team while in a simulated contested environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos) 
Representatives from the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center collaborate with key stakeholders of future Combat Support Training Range sites during the first Air Task Force training event at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, November 13, 2024. The training event demonstrated the ability for CSTR sites to host combat support training for ATF Combat Air Base Squadrons to improve expeditionary skills as they team, train and deploy together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Emily Mifsud) 
Airmen assigned to the 11th Air Task Force construct a defensive fighting position during the 11th ATF’s first field exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 10, 2024. Security forces Airmen taught wingmen how to dig and create a location in the ground from which to provide cover. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos) 
An Airman assigned to the 11th Air Task Force fires an M4 carbine at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 12, 2024. Airmen demonstrated proficiency using various shooting stances and techniques. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos) 
An Airman assigned to the 11th Air Task Force aims an M4 carbine at the Gunfighter Gymnasium during the 11th ATF’s first field exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 12, 2024. The Gunfighter Gym is a laser-based simulator at Fort Bliss, Texas, that helps service members improve their shooting skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos) 
Staff Sgt. Justin Stoeckle, 355th Munitions Squadron conventional support super, uses a compass to find the location of the next landmark during the land navigation portion of the 11th Air Task Force’s first field exercise at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Nov. 8, 2024. Land navigation is a skill set that enables Airmen to survive and complete the mission under any circumstances. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmyne Bridgers-Matos)