PEO STRI hosts TableTop Exchange to advance Army training innovation

By Cassidy Mills, Staff Writer

 

The U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) hosted a TableTop Exchange (TTX) focused on accelerating training innovation through automation, artificial intelligence and data-centric solutions, July 18. The event was held in collaboration with the Central Florida Tech Grove.

 

The event marked a strategic step in PEO STRI’s ongoing effort to align digital modernization priorities with actionable input from industry and academia. Designed to build on recent market research and collaborative outreach, the TTX brought together government officials, private-sector experts and academic leaders to examine key challenges shaping the future of Army training and readiness.

 

Marwane Bahbaz, PEO STRI’s chief technology officer, said the Tabletop Exchange offered a valuable forum to refine the Army’s top training priorities and explore practical solutions informed by diverse expertise.

 

“These types of collaborative sessions allow us to pressure-test big ideas with the people who understand both the technical possibilities and operational needs,” Bahbaz said. “We’re looking for ideas we can act on — things that influence real investments and future prototypes.”

 

By convening stakeholders from government, industry and academia, Bahbaz said, the session encouraged multidimensional thinking and helped surface strategies that could directly support the Army’s broader modernization goals.

 

The format of the event supported this collaborative exchange. The day began with an overview of the Tech Grove’s mission and a walkthrough of the TTX process, which emphasizes open discussion and iterative problem-solving.

 

Participants were divided into breakout groups to analyze key challenge areas based on their technical and operational expertise. These sessions culminated in team presentations and a question-and-answer session with PEO STRI subject matter experts.

 

One major area of discussion centered on the potential for automating the Level of Repair Analysis (LORA) process — an essential component of Army logistics and sustainment planning.

 

The Army operates under a two-tier maintenance structure: field-level maintenance, which involves basic repairs performed close to the point of need, and sustainment-level maintenance, which is conducted at centralized facilities for more complex tasks. LORA determines which level should perform a given repair, balancing factors such as cost, system availability and long-term readiness.

 

Currently, LORA involves a combination of economic assessments, risk evaluations and resource considerations, such as repair costs, mission impact, system performance and workforce availability. Army guidelines recommend reviewing LORA at least every five years, or when a system or support plan undergoes major changes.

 

During the TTX, participants explored how automating LORA could reduce delays, improve consistency in decision-making and support predictive maintenance strategies that enhance overall system performance.

 

Bahbaz noted that the value of the Tabletop Exchange went beyond technical problem-solving. It fostered a collaborative environment where differing perspectives could converge to address shared challenges and uncover new opportunities for innovation.

 

“Events like this show the power of bringing diverse perspectives together in a purpose-driven space,” Bahbaz said. “We’re helping align public-sector needs with private-sector capabilities to support national defense and human performance.”

 

Ideas generated during the TTX will help inform future Army efforts, including prototype development, collaborative research initiatives and strategies for system-level integration.

 

The event closed with a networking period designed to encourage follow-up conversations and potential partnerships. PEO STRI will evaluate these outcomes as it shapes the next phase of its training modernization strategy, with a continued emphasis on automation, interoperability and data-driven decision-making.