A fundamental challenge for the United States Army is to ensure that it can effectively maintain the Combat Medic forces necessary to meet the challenges of the current battlefield and at the same time transforming Combat Medic capabilities to respond effectively in the future. One of the most important issues is how to train medical personnel in peacetime for the realities of war. In recognition that every soldier is a first responder, the Army has added a virtual capability to its medical training arena, the Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC). This paper describes the MSTC initiative which standardizes the medical training needed by incorporating a lifelike and medically authentic simulation system designed to provide a broad spectrum of symptoms to give Soldiers the skills to save lives in combat. The new integrated training centers provide realistic wartime training utilizing physiologically-based patient simulators to ensure that they will be able to perform their duties both as a soldier and a medic. The use of simulation based training will provide medical personnel with realistic, high fidelity, mission-oriented training in critical medical skills, decision-making, and team coordination. This dynamic environment provides live, virtual, and constructive training with an emphasis on the Combat Medic Advanced Skills Training (CMAST) and Combat Life-Saver (CLS) training principles while incorporating state of the art technology. The MSTC places training emphasis on realistic simulation while adhering to the principles of tactical combat casualty care ensuring all students receive didactic, hands on, tactical, and technical medical training required to save lives during combat operations abroad.