Tyndall brings a virtual twist to its training, christening a new space age training facility with "Virtual Flag 08-2" last week Published Aug. 11, 2008 By Capt, Laura Ropelis First Air Force (AFNORTH) TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE (ACCNS) -- 1st Air Force opened a new training facility hosting its first "Virtual Flag" training last week here to explore new frontiers in the cyber world and bring star trek technology of the future to the present, raise training standards and save millions in live-fly costs. 1st Air Force, Air Forces Northern combined 'Virtual Flag 08-2', in live, virtual and constructive platforms to its monthly 'Amalgam Arrow,' training more than 250 joint personnel nationally last week to christen Tyndall's new distributed mission training center, which resembled the Star Ship Enterprise from the popular television show Star Trek, starring William Shatner. In the popular show, the Starship Enterprise frequently places key actors in a main room with screens. Key leaders track movements, threats, communications, orbits, etc. feeding all information to the Captain, who makes critical decisions based on the information and video conferences with Aliens or foreign leaders. This futuristic technology enabling man to go "where no man has gone before" was in play last week at Tyndall making you wonder if Star Trek was really just science fiction. . Entering the newly built distributed mission operations center at Tyndall Air Force base is like entering the Starship Enterprise of the future. It is the hub of the virtual exercise but feels much more real. A General plays the part of the Captain of the ship, which is more like a control center, assembling key leaders, science and operations officers, technical specialists and joint forces through information, computers and video-conferencing under First Air Force leadership to make life-saving decisions based on information provided by real-life scenarios in defense of the U.S. Although "beam me up Scotty" was not achieved yet, video conferencing and a common computer operating picture allowed Tyndall to engage more than 250 personnel from 22 locations across the nation including Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army assets. F-16s, F-15s, pilots on simulators, Air Missile Defense systems, and other land air, and space assets, pilots, technical experts, leaders and warfighters. These warriors fought on a united cyber front for four days to engage in anti-terrorism and disaster relief training to keep America safe. The new training center functions can also function as an alternate Air and Space Operations Center at Tyndall when needed. 1st Air Force four years ago reached for the stars and had a vision of assuring the Air Force and the Air and Space Operations center here had the cutting-edge training opportunities that would allow them to maximize their effectiveness on U.S. soil. The Commander of 1st Air Force, Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, fully supported this vision and successfully brought people and resources together to overcome challenge.. The program manager, Steve Boe was a visionary that gave this virtual training center life and proposed introducing virtual technology into the Air and Space Operations Center here to simultaneously complement monthly live exercises and explore scenarios that may happen but could not be trained using live assets or were too costly. "Virtual training pushes the envelope into cyber space and unlimited virtual possibilities," said Boe. Challenges were great for Boe. He needed funding, equipment, a place that would support this training, the ability to integrate joint and civilian agencies into the exercises and interagency support. With minimal resources and a four year plan, Boe set out four years ago nationally to recruit support and resources to make sure American warfighters had what they needed to protect and defend this country. General Morrow's commitment and Boe's actions culminated in a new capability this week for Tyndall with the opening of the distributed mission center "It provides the transition from the development to implementation phase for the 11 member team," said Boe. The distributed mission member team is expected to grow to 14 members this year. The team has been chosen for the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award by the Air National Guard and will compete in September 2008. "All virtual technology acquired provides the right tools for warfighters to assure challenging, realistic, and thought provoking training," said Larry Christy, who is a key leader who provides technological and operational expertise for the team. "Virtual Flag" is a force multiplier that allows operators to gain awareness of how to work with joint services successfully in a virtual platform that allows repetitive mission follow through, saves lives, millions of dollars in air fuel costs and reduces safety risks for pilots," said Boe. This marked the beginning of virtual training, which based on this weeks success, is here to stay at 1st Air Force, said Christy. It will be added to monthly trainings and other exercises to prepare the 601st Air and Space Operations Center homeland defense warriors to challenge their comfort zone, and welcome new futuristic distributed missions with cyber and live threats. Protecting the U.S. from threats and keeping Americans safe has been a 1st Air Force priority at Tyndall since 9-11. "Noble Eagle" is a real life mission that unites civilian and military forces here at the Air and Space Operations Center 24 hours a day everyday to intercept threats and conduct U.S. search and rescue operations, saving hundreds of lives last year in the U.S.