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Training is fundamental to building and maintaining intelligence readiness. Leaders and operators within the G2( S2) and ACE must be competent in their military leadership, tactical skills, and military occupational specialty (MOS) before they can fully exploit the capabilities of automation intelligence processing systems like the ASAS. Once mastered, individual skills must be further refined through participation in battle focused collective training, mission-oriented exercises, and real world operations. Effective training produces a combat ready intelligence organization capable of satisfying the commander's requirements in peace, war, or OOTW.
NEW EQUIPMENT TRAINING |
During the initial fielding of ASAS, the US Army Intelligence Center provided eight weeks of ASAS Block I new equipment training (NET) at the gaining units. The ASAS Block I NET "Train-the-Trainer" is the foundation for NET for the ASAS-Extended and follow-on versions of ASAS. The Block I NET consisted of operator, supervisor, and leader training with a separate CCS operator course given by USAIC&FH, Fort Huachuca. Figure 8-1 shows the ASAS Block I NET described below.
Operator training includes technical and mission-oriented training. Technical training consists of hardware skills such as cabling, configuring LANs, calling up software applications, and operator level maintenance. Mission-oriented training addresses MOS tasks, IEW tasks, and unit specific requirements.
Leader training covers system operation and supervision. This training provides the skills and knowledge necessary to understand workstation allocations, message release, system interface, communications, file maintenance, database loading, security controls, alarms, and other supervisory processes and tasks.
Maintenance training is oriented toward organizational maintenance for all ASAS equipment. The maintainer performs fault isolation and removes or replaces LRUs. Training will also include the operation and maintenance of special test equipment for associated components.
Collective training brings leaders and operators together as the G2 and ACE. Using a "crawl--walk--run" approach, the NET instructors help the unit blend leader and operator ASAS tasks into a successful ACE collective training event. The "crawl" phase begins with instructors reviewing and demonstrating of each ASAS component. The review is followed by unit leaders briefing the SOPs and operations orders (OPORDs) they developed during leader training. This phase ends with instructors feeding messages into the ASAS to stimulate the G2 and ACE operations in a classroom environment. In the "walk" phase, the unit deploys its ASAS to a local training area and conducts an FTX. Instructors evaluate the training to verify that the unit has been trained to NET standards and identify areas requiring retraining. The NET ends with the unit entering the "run" or sustainment phase of ASAS training.
INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING |
The USAIC&FH provides institutional training for ASAS operators, supervisors, and maintenance personnel. The Intelligence Center integrates ASAS training into enlisted, WO, and officer courses as course length allows. These courses include initial entry training for MOSs 96B, 98C, and 98J. ASAS training is provided to supervisors attending basic and advanced NCO, WO, and officer courses. MOS 33T soldiers train under a separate ASAS maintenance training course.
SUSTAINMENT TRAINING |
The ASAS is a crew-served system and requires continuous operation and training to be effectively employed. The MI commander is responsible for individual and collective ASAS training. The G2 (S2) provides the battle focus and performance standards. Together, the G2 (S2) and MI commander establish measurable training standards, provide training time, and allocate resources for ACE and ASAS training. The ACE requires regular and challenging proficiency training. The ACE chief is the focal point for planning and executing this training. He and his subordinate leaders ensure ACE soldiers are trained and cross-trained on ASAS hardware and software. They also ensure that ACE soldiers are trained to standard as a team on battle focused objectives. The following describes this training in the context of the intelligence training principles outlined in FM 34-1.
The G2 (S2) and the ACE should use the ASAS in daily operations and contingency planning. The upkeeping of databases and processing of reports on unit contingency areas are actions which provide minimal sustainment training. Producing and disseminating graphic INTSUMs on contingency or emerging regional hot spots is another way of incorporating ASAS training into day-to-day intelligence operations. The ASAS can also support remote collection operations of the TROJAN Classic.
ACE soldiers operate in teams to perform specific functions and missions. Each team must understand its relationship to the other and to those elements outside the ACE which they support. For example, the collection management team must understand the capabilities and limitations of all the IEW assets that normally support the command. These assets include non-MI personnel and units that are sources of information on the battlefield because of their proximity to the enemy, target acquisition capabilities, or access to the local population. The collection management team must understand that intelligence is not "one size fits all." Combat, CS, and CSS commanders require intelligence in different levels of detail, timeliness, and format. By participating in staff wargaming, non-Ml unit training events, and asking questions, the collection management team can develop an appreciation of the needs of intelligence users. This same approach to training applies equally to other sections and teams within the ACE and G2 (S2).
ACE soldiers must understand how the friendly combat, CS, and CSS forces are employed on the battlefield. Their knowledge should include an understanding of the tactics and equipment of their command; the capability and targeting requirements of friendly weapon systems; and the commander's expectations of the intelligence system. The performance of ACE leaders and analysts is directly proportional to their understanding of the battlefield dynamics and the needs of their command.
The soldiers who make up the ACE must receive periodic training to ensure they meet Army and unit standards for individual proficiency. This training must include familiarization with unit, G2 (S2), and ACE SOPs. Leaders at all levels should also ensure an effective reception and integration program is in place. This will assist soldiers in understanding their role in the ACE and the standards required to provide IEW support to the commander.
The ASAS requires frequent collective training events to maintain crew proficiency and improve essential ACE tasks. Collective training should strive for the full integration of ACE leaders and operators into a combat ready intelligence team. Crew drills and simulations provide opportunities for gaining this objective. Crew drills teach soldiers how to employ the entire system in accordance with established doctrine; techniques, tactics, procedures (TTP); and unit specific SOPs. Crew drills can and should be incorporated into the train-up for major exercises and training at the Combat Training Centers.
Exercise Support. The ACE may remain in garrison or deploy to field SCIFs to support training and exercises. The location of the ACE depends on the scenario, communications architecture, and objectives of the exercise. The ACE uses its ASAS equipment to process exercise data and maintain exercise databases during FTXs or command post exercises (CPXs). When preparing for an exercise, the ACE must develop a plan for downloading and storing real-world intelligence databases, loading exercise information, and building analytic support databases. During exercises, incoming real-world message traffic should be routed to the higher echelon ACE or the CMISE, while the ACE is participating in the FTX. If available, the ACE could use separate hard drive storage devices as an alternative means of separating exercise and real-world data.
Simulations and Interactive Training. ASAS requires high message volume (across a range of message types) for a variety of contingency areas to support sustainment training. The day-to-day message flow of real-world data during peacetime operations is not sufficient to train ACE personnel to a wartime standard. The USAIC&FH can support ASAS proficiency training at unit garrison or field sites through the TROJAN communications network and a Tactical Simulation (TACSIM) System driver at Fort Huachuca.
Tactical Simulation System. The TACSIM System stimulates the ASAS and stresses the analysts with a realistic volume of intelligence reports using the correct format. From a scripted scenario database, TACSIM performs intelligence missions against enemy forces and generates reports in USMTF. TACSIM then provides ASAS with the reports at multiple classification levels forming the perceived picture of a conflict in progress. Using USMTF reports allows the model to transmit simulated intelligence directly into the same assets that process real-world intelligence. TACSIM reports can be processed without modification or manual intervention using the message parsers of the ASAS as well as other processing systems. This translates into more realistic training through the use of systems the way they will be used in actual combat. The TACSIM includes a standard communication support processor (CSP). The CSP can transmit data to training or exercise participants at multiple security levels. This real-world communication connection enables the transmission of TACSIM reports across AUTODIN and local transmission lines.
FM 22-102, FM 25-100, and FM 25-101 provide guidance on team development and battle focused training, and FM 34-1 describes the intelligence training principles.
