PrintRequired Reading
Read Lowenthal's Chapter 4: "The Intelligence Process - A Macro Look: Who Does What for Whom?" in Intelligence: From Secrets to Policy.
As you read this chapter 4, do some critical thinking and ask yourself:
- The intelligence process as defined by the US intelligence community has five steps, and the author adds two. What is your evaluation of these steps? Are they the best combination and order of steps, or can you think of alternatives? Why does the author add two steps? Why are his two additional steps not standard in US intelligence community practice and doctrine?
- The author notes that the training and the mind-sets of analysts are important. How might analysts from different professional and academic backgrounds see things differently? How might a former military person see things differently from a civilian? How might a geographer see things differently from a political scientist or historian or an economist, etc?
- The US practices of dissemination have evolved over time. Why have they evolved as they have? What agency or agencies are advantaged or disadvantaged through this method. Can you think of better ways to disseminate the intelligence?
Analyst Training and Education
Reference the second bullet above on analyst's training; the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) puts great emphasis on training their analysts. As an example, NGA manages the GEOINT Professional Certification Program (GPC), part of a broader initiative to professionalize the Department of Defense Intelligence Enterprise workforce. Certifications are based upon a set of competencies associated with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully execute the mission. Earning a GPC credential demonstrates proficiency in the content areas in the essential body of knowledge for that certification. These certifications promote interoperability across the GEOINT community and enable practitioners to demonstrate proficiency in the competencies that are common to their specific geospatial intelligence discipline. For additional information about this program, visit GEOINT Professional Certification.
GPC credentials are categorized as either proficiency at the fundamental level or within a specific GEOINT discipline or tradecraft. According to the GPC essential body of knowledge, core competencies at the fundamental level are:
- Demonstrate understanding of processes and techniques used in GEOINT problem-solving
- Understand source evaluation principles, tasking procedures, and collection requirements
- Understand GEOINT collection and production requirements
- Understand basic principles and techniques used to evaluate the utility and quality of geospatial data
- Understand the principles of Geographic Information Systems to display and analyze geospatial data
- Understand standards, policies, practices, and authorities governing GEOINT
- Understand the distribution of intelligence and data to mission partners, organizations, and individuals to support the GEOINT mission
- Understand how intelligence issues impact national and defense GEOINT mission priorities
- Understand the National System for Geospatial Intelligence and Allied System for Geospatial Intelligence
- Understand quality assurance in processing and exploiting GEOINT
- Understand strategies, techniques, and technologies used to identify, acquire, and filter sources of information
- Understand the policies and procedures involved with classification, control, and disclosure/release of information, intelligence, and data.
The U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft. USGIF supports academic programs and accredits colleges and universities that offer geospatial intelligence certificate and degree programs. A list of accredited schools and the programs they offer can be found here: USGIF Academic Programs. Penn State's program was one of the first to be offered and accredited. An article about the beginning of this program is below.
Why are multiple programs offered in geospatial intelligence? Are these programs redundant, or do they fulfill different educational functions? Going back to your critical approach, do the different cultural filters and agendas of NGA versus academic programs influence the programs?Penn State Begins First Online Geospatial Intelligence Program
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
University Park, Pa. — In light of a greatly increased demand for qualified analysts in the intelligence, defense and emergency management fields, Penn State has developed a new online certificate program in geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). The ... program is designed to provide students with the core competencies required to effectively and ethically provide geospatial analysis to key decision makers at defense, governmental, business and nongovernmental organizations. (para.1)
Rather than simply developing students' proficiency with technology, Penn State's geography faculty want to develop students' abilities in critical thinking and spatial analysis, while promoting cultural sensitivity and high ethical standards to students in the field. (para. 5)
Penn State's Geospatial Intelligence Certificate program is the first online program of its kind in the nation. (para. 9)
Reference
Penn State begins first online geospatial intelligence program. (2007, June 20). https://www.psu.edu/news/university-park/story/penn-state-begins-first-o...
Knowledge Check
Prepare for the quiz answering the following questions.