James Robb, USN (Ret.) President, NTSA

 Let me begin by stating that I am honored to take over as President of NTSA and look forward to working with all of you. I would like to thank RADM Lewis for his 17 years of service to NTSA and the training, modeling and simulation community, and for trusting me to be his relief. He will remain engaged in the modeling and simulation arena and will continue to lead in our efforts to build a National Modeling and Simulation Coalition. Our strategic position as the preeminent Training, Modeling and Simulation Association is due in great part to RADM Lewis’ strong leadership and passion for the NTSA mission.
My initial perceptions are that NTSA is strong, relevant and responsive to its constituent base. It is equally clear to me that we are headed into some turbulent times. The challenges posed by a sluggish economy and a cloudy budget picture also present an opportunity for us to highlight the value of modeling and simulation as an effective tool to increase efficiency and quality across a wide continuum of public and private activities, both domestic and international.
Every defense official that I talk with echoes these same concerns but each remains committed to a ready force regardless of its eventual size. Likewise, they are increasingly turning to M&S and other advanced training technologies to enhance the quality of training while at the same time saving money. It would not surprise me to see an increase of funding into the NTSA mission area as a result of their risk mitigation strategies.
We are focused on highlighting the modeling and simulation value proposition to key leaders on the Hill, the services and industry. As RADM Lewis well articulated in his departing remarks in this issue, the M&S constituent base continues to grow and while we know there is a huge market for M&S outside of core defense, it is equally clear to me that the degree to which modeling and simulation affects our lives today is not well appreciated by the public. I am anxious to get your thoughts on expanding the NTSA influence into these expanding mission areas. Behind every "what if" scenario, regardless of origin, is a modeling and simulation opportunity.
I will close by noting how impressed I am with the talent and dedication of the NTSA core staff and by our significant roster of hard working volunteers. This has formed a team of intelligent, innovative and like minded Americans improving the National wellbeing while at the same time enjoying their work...great combination. In every way, NTSA is the constituency and that will not change during my tenure. I thank all of you for your engagement and passion for our mission and look forward to moving forward together.