Visitors to this year’s National Airborne Day celebration at the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum (ASOM) were able to gaze into the future of next-generation military history experiences. Mass Virtual, a leader in advanced virtual reality solutions, is partnering with the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation to create a first-of-its-kind VR experience that will transport guests into the heart of airborne operations.
Slated for full launch in spring 2026, the experience blends real-world footage, interactive storytelling and breathtaking visuals to honor the legacy of the Airborne and Special Operations community while inspiring and educating future generations.
“Our investment in next-generation virtual reality technology allows us to bring those stories to life in a powerful, engaging way that connects visitors to the courage, skill and dedication of the Airborne and Special Operations Soldiers,” said Executive Director of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation Renee Lane in a press release.
The project reflects a shared commitment between the ASOM Foundation and Mass Virtual: to connect the public with the history, challenges and triumphs of the Airborne and Special Operations world through innovative, hands-on experiences.
“As a retired Soldier who called Fort Bragg home, jumping, serving and living the Special Operations and Airborne life, this project hits close to the heart,” said Billy Webb, senior director of business development for Mass Virtual, in a press release. “We’re fusing the Airborne
and Special Operations legendary heritage with next-generation VR technology to build something unforgettable, something that truly connects people to the spirit and legacy of the Airborne and Special Operations Soldier.”
ASOM’s National Airborne Day, celebrated on Aug. 16, featured a ceremony to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Liberty Tree, a historic oak tied to one of North Carolina’s earliest declarations of support for American independence.
During the National Airborne Day festivities, visitors had the opportunity to try on VR headsets and experience a short demonstration, offering a glimpse into the groundbreaking project.
“This VR experience is just the beginning. Thanks to the ASOM Foundation, we’re upgrading how Soldiers and the public engage with our exhibits … deepening the stories our exhibits and artifacts tell of the Army’s elite Airborne and Special Operations Soldiers,
not replacing them,” said Jim Bartlinski, director of ASOM and the Fort Bragg Museums, in a press release.
The U.S. Army Center of Military History, in partnership with the Foundation embarked on a multiyear project to modernize the museum’s twenty-five-year-old exhibits. Bartlinski said in a press release, “VR is the ASOM’s first step toward a more immersive, 21st-century museum.”
At center, Chancellor Darrell T. Allison and Juanette Council, Ed.D., vice chancellor for student affairs, cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand reopening of Fayetteville State University's newly renovated Spaulding Building, joined by campus leaders
FCEDC has officially moved its staff and operations to 611 W. Russell St. The 35,800- square-foot center was previously home to Homemakers Furniture and Interiors. Renovations began in the fall of 2025 and are expected to be completed in the next six to eight months. Currently, FCEDC staff are working within an open 7,500-square-foot floor plan as initial improvements progress.
Inset: Systel’s first corporate headquarters was a small rental house turned office on Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville in 1981. Large photo: The company’s new corporate headquarters reflects years of growth into a multi-million dollar company that pr
