National Training Systems Association.

• Position: AFFILIATES - Company Profile

Companies in the simulation, training, mission planning/rehearsal and support services industry are represented through membership in the National Training Systems Association (NTSA), an affiliate of NDIA since 1992.

NTSA provides the training, simulation, mission planning, related support systems and training services industries a recognized, focused, formal organization to represent and promote their business interests in the marketplace. The association provides a forum to communicate the full capability and broad characteristics of all of the elements of training systems and mission planning to include associated support services.

Founded in 1988, as a non-profit corporation, the association fosters communication between the training industry, planners and acquisition agencies regarding requirements, procurement issues and policies. An important aim of NTSA is to see that all aspects of training, mission planning and rehearsal, training services and training range requirements are highlighted as independent and important "line items" in the overall planning, programming, budgeting and acquisition process.

The International Training and Simulation Alliance (ITSA) has been established to strengthen NTSA's international access and to better promote training and simulation to the international community.

The first regional organization, ETSA, the European Training & Simulation Association, is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Other organizations are being formed in Korea and Australia, with more likely to follow. Visit the ITSA home page at www.itsalliance.org and the ETSA home page at www.etsaweb.org.

The Modeling & Simulation Professional Certification Commission (M&SPCC), led by NTSA and composed of members from industry, academia and government, has begun the process of certifying simulation professionals. Link to M&SPCC from the NTSA Web site, or go directly to www.simprofessional.org

Dennis M. Corrigan, chairman of the NTSA Executive Committee, is vice president of the Training Systems Division at American Systems Corporation, headquartered in Chantilly, Va. He is responsible for the operational execution and strategic planning of training business for the company's Department of Defense customers in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, plus the training efforts in support of the FAA, various intelligence agencies and the Department of State. Capt. Corrigan retired from the U.S. Navy after 24 years as a naval aviator and acquisition...