I/ITSEC 2024 Officially Begins

By Shane Klestinski, Associate Editor

 

This year’s Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), the world’s largest modeling, simulation and training event, officially opened during an opening ceremony at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 3.

 

Jim Threlfall, vice president of Tipping Point Solutions and the I/ITSEC 2024 conference chair, called the conference to order. Threlfall formally announced this year’s I/ITSEC theme, “Assuring Deterrence Through Integrated Training and Readiness – the Need is Now!” and referenced recent comments from Army Gen. Randy George, the Army chief of staff, regarding specific threats to U.S. security.

 

“Russia, China, Iran and North Korea represent the ‘Axis of Upheaval,’ that is increasingly collaborating and conspiring to undermine democratic values and to drive a wedge between us and our allies and partners,” Threlfall said. “We continue to see this through the two years of continuous war in Ukraine, with the insurgence of North Korean forces, drone support from Iran, and also the Middle East activities. As we continue to provide systems to our allies and partners in these two theaters, the ability for us to also provide effective modeling, simulation and training for these systems is essential to ensuring the integration of these capabilities into a more cohesive, tactical advantage.”

 

Since this year’s I/ITSEC represents a “naval services” effort by the Navy and the Marine Corps, Navy Capt. Tim James, commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division and Naval Support Activity Orlando, and Marine Col. Marcus Reynolds, chief of Program Manager for Training Systems, joined Threlfall on stage to deliver comments for the occasion.

 

“The military is an extension of our nation’s diplomacy,” James said. “Our first mission is to serve as a credible deterrent, our second, to form close bonds with our allies, and lastly, if called upon, our third mission is to win decisively. Key to all of that, is our Title X authorities to man, train and equip our forces, and I/ITSEC is here to move the needle on our training responsibility by propelling the… pillar of ‘training like we fight.’ It’s imperative that we act fast because the ‘Davidson Window’ is almost here.” [Note: The “Davidson Window” refers to a time period from 2021 to 2027, named after retired Navy Adm. Phil Davidson, which has become a shorthand term to describe a potential invasion time frame of Taiwan by China in the near future.]

 

The next featured event was a “fireside chat” discussion moderated by retired Navy Vice Adm. Sean Buck, the new National Training and Simulation Association president. Buck discussed training and other current issues with Navy Adm. James Kilby, vice chief of naval operations, and Marine Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commanding general of the Marine Corps’ Training and Education Command.

 

Rick Schmidt, former Navy officer and president and CEO of Tipping Point Solutions, delivered the industry keynote, during which, he stressed the importance of delivering high-quality training products to warfighters at “the speed of the need.”

 

“From the time we conceive a requirement for training, sometimes to get it to contract is 18 months if we’re lucky, and by the time the contract gets awarded and the contractor gets the work completed, it can be another 18 or more months,” Schmidt said. “The question remains right now [of] can we really afford that time in the future of conflict because the landscape of conflict changes at a very rapid pace. We’re looking right now at Ukraine and what’s going on with the Middle Eastern conflict and trying to look at how do we retool our workforce to address these current threats.”

 

Buck later moderated a senior leader panel that included high-ranking military and civilian officials from all the Defense Department’s services and a representative from the Swedish army. The participants addressed concerns related to training, integration and recruiting, among other topical issues. In his final question, Buck asked the panel what advice they would offer a new college graduate in the context of discussion they just held. Navy Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever’s response highlighted the importance of passion, which others would later echo during the opening ceremonies.

 

“I would say, ‘Focus on what your passion is and then go after it – and have a fallback plan if it doesn’t turn out the way you want,’” Cheever said. “[Follow] whatever your passion is and talk to people along the way who have either been there or can mentor you along the way. This is key.”

 

The final event of I/ITSEC’s opening ceremonies was the government keynote from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. Del Toro served 22 years as a Navy officer prior to becoming secretary. The end of Del Toro’s address provided an emotional highlight to I/ITSEC’s official opening, and the audience gave Del Toro a standing ovation.