JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is enhancing its Combat Support Integrator Course, a program designed to equip combat air base squadron leaders with the skills to train and lead warfighters for deployment.
Blending classroom instruction with field training, CSIC prepares squadron leaders to navigate every phase of the Air Force Force Generation, or AFFORGEN, model. The course emphasizes tactics development, critical thinking and joint force integration.
“CSIC trains leaders and planners to support the unit of action," said Chief Master Sgt. Karla Macey, chief of emergency management and CBRN requirements for AFIMSC. "Graduates are capable of providing in-garrison support for planning large-scale exercises and training plans."
Curriculum Expansion and Improvements
Building upon lessons learned from an initial beta test last summer, AFIMSC extended CSIC from three to four weeks. The updated curriculum, implemented during a second beta test at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, from April 28–May 23, places greater emphasis on mission planning and training development.
"Since the beta course, we've made several improvements," said Master Sgt. Terry Myers, plans and programs superintendent with the 87th Security Forces Squadron. "We lengthened the course by a week and reworked the syllabus to focus on mission planning, exercise integration, and providing students with the skills they need to execute in the future."
Capstone Project: Real-World Application
A key addition to the course is a capstone project. This final assignment requires students to develop and present training and exercise plans to their unit leadership. The hands-on experience directly supports improved unit performance in real-world scenarios, Macey said.
“The beta course revealed the need to provide students with a deliverable to give their commanders upon returning to their units," she said. "The capstone requires students to develop a training plan and achieve at least an 80% solution, giving their units a head start on planning training events."
Preparing Agile and Responsive Leaders
CSIC graduates leave the course ready to apply Air Force and joint doctrine to enhance combat support and enable integrated power projection in contested environments. They are equipped to serve as primary mission planners for their units’ initial deployments and provide ongoing contingency planning within their area of operations.
The course also builds confidence and clarity in mission planning, said Master Sgt. Justin Yungvirt of the 19th Security Forces Squadron at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.
“Mission planning is key in everything we do in the Air Force,” Yungvirt said.
The curriculum breaks it down in a way that’s easy to understand at every level, he said, and the focus on decentralized execution empowers Airmen to lead independently.
Student Perspectives: Practical and Collaborative
Students praised the course’s hands-on approach and real-world relevance.
"The best part of the course has been the practical and hands-on training, as well as the tactics development and evaluation process," said 1st Lt. Zolbayar Erdenechimeg, a flight commander from the 891st Missile Security Forces Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.
For Master Sgt. Willie Daniels, 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron superintendent, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., the course’s greatest value lies in its emphasis on cross-functional collaboration.
Learning how to bring together different support functions to build and sustain mission-ready teams has been invaluable, Daniels said. Understanding the broader picture, across more than 50 Air Force Specialty Codes, “is crucial for our Air Force right now, as we evolve into units of action.”
Looking Ahead: Continuous Improvement
Going forward, AFIMSC will continue evaluating and refining the CSIC curriculum to ensure it remains relevant and effective in preparing leaders for future challenges, Macey said.
"Based on lessons learned from cadre and students, we'll review the course material, tailor it as needed, and potentially condense or expand certain portions of the course."