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Originally Posted by Brush Okie
I think we are thinking the same way, just stating it different. Reserve CA/MISO is available to active units, all it takes is paperwork.
While CA is NOT Intel the fact is we tend to collect a LOT of HUMINT by the nature of what we do, ie we talk to alot of people including civilians but because we are not S2/G2 commanders many times do not want to listen to what we have to say and we are put off to the side for "more important" things. Well CA used to do that, now they go around and make pay offs to dirty contractors.
Do an area assessment. Have a couple of guys just walk around and BS with the locals at coffee shops etc for a while and see what they come up with. You can do this on your next time out of the country or your next vacation. Anyone here can do this exercise. Look up an area not familiar to you. Go there and just hang out and get to know the locals.
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CA and the HUMINT side. I know what CA to be able to as far as "collecting," but today I don't see it. 4-5 years ago there was a cry from USACAPOC for CA soldiers to go to our collectors course. Good reason, but not the same. My argument for not allowing CA to attend is you have people that can tell your soldiers what they they need to be doing. Collection mainly for Force Protection or so kind of LLSO. Each Batt, like SF has the MID and within there you have a CI section. That's good enough IMO.
I'm bring this up, not to get off on a CA and SF COLLECTION topic. But you bring up a great point that SF have missed out on. I always said that every SFODA section; 18B,C,D, and E should have one of them go to the two course. This would allow both the Fox and Threes the ability to "tap" into them. Also Charlie's work with local labors, Bravos too. Medics, well clinics, easy one. Echo, I still don't know, but they are there and will mingle with locals. So like CA they can collect, but even if these sections go to the two course they still need to know what to collect. Atmospherics is Sanitation, Healthcare, Power, Food, Water… and measurable, yet what is collectible. This is why I feel a collection plan is so important. You do IPB say, find gaps and now develop a engagement plan, a collection plan on how your going to find these gaps. What is measurable!! Teams are not doing this, from what I have seen. A good Fox and Three can direct the different sections, CA people and others; telling them what to ask about or for. So as a fox and three, you're synced. Many are not and it's dart board engagements for operations or just going a hunts.
So with all that said, yes we do need the face to face time in the long run. But I'm also looking at this as a time where you CAN NOT go into that country and get boots on the ground. SM and employment of IPE with analysis and visualization of Social Networks maybe your only option. This was done with Syria and Iran to date.
For me I look at SNA and how SM help us build a template of the Threat Process Model? Can it? Where are we going gathering information to fill in gaps on? How does this (SNA) support a collection management plan? Going with the CA HUMINT thought, which is a right way, and if you roll it up into a LLSO FP that you have people, soldiers, CA, MISO, ETC providing (collecting) the "talk on the street". Yet on SM with, Social Network Platform, how do we find the streets? Where do we go looking? Why do we even care to go looking online? I am not sure when this morphed into sentiment analysis or capabilities. But I'm looking at SM with a country apart of a protest, movement, insurgency, revolution as OSINT. Like other disciplines, they must answer three questions typically: Who benefits from this event/information? Why now? and so what?
For a Intelligence side of the house, most should know TCEPD cycle - Tasking Collection Processing Exploitation and Dissemination. Most forget this acronym TCEPD, but it really doesn't differ from use with other disciplines. Many of the collection tools, analytical processes and objectives are the same and vary for tactical, operational and strategic uses.
So what role does Social Media have in mobilizing protest, movement, insurgency, revolutions in a country? Or does it play a role? Can you find a tangible matrix of measure from Social Network Analysis (SNA).