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46 <a href="http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette">www.mca-marines.org/gazette</a> M a r i n e C o r p s G a z e t t e • M a y 2 0 0 9 IDEAS & ISSUES (INTELLIGENCE) ducted at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC) in Virginia Beach, VA. Marine ser- geants through gunnery sergeants with an 0231 MOS are the target popula- tion, though the course is open to other 02XX and 26XX MOSs based upon course seat availability. The course is 8 weeks long (40 training days) and trains 0231s in the 1900- level training and readiness (T&R) tasks. (See Figure 1.) MISCC is also the first and only formal Marine Corps intelligence course for 0231s that teaches both analysis and writing—two abilities critical to providing intelli- gence support to the commander. In addition to indepth analysis classes and 40 hours of instruction and practical application of intelligence and analytical writing, MISCC students are introduced to the latest in Marine Corps intelligence systems, supervisory skills for intelligence preparation of the battlespace (IPB), collections, target- ing, and intelligence support to the MCPP. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on practical application of the 1900-level T&R tasks utilizing a scenario that requires the students to conduct intelligence tasks in support of a Marine expeditionary unit (MEU). The MEU’s mission in the scenario re- quires intelligence support across the full spectrum of conflict and requires the students to build intelligence prod- ucts that mirror those used during the real-world execution of MAGTF oper- ations. In addition to the topics cov- ered above, leaders within the Marine Corps intelligence community are brought in to participate in sympo- siums discussing current challenges to Marine Corps intelligence, such as training, manning, and emerging threats and technology. MISCC is much more than additional intelli- gence training; the entire focus is on the art of intelligence rather than the science of intelligence processes. Deficiencies Highlight the Need for Training Recent MISCC iterations have highlighted a trend of deficiencies in regard to the ability of enlisted intelli- gence Marines to perform analyses, prepare written intelligence reports, conduct IPB, and provide support to planning. These deficiencies were most often identified during the prac- tical application portions of MISCC, when it was obvious that many non- commissioned officers (NCOs) and staff NCOs were unable to visualize and communicate a coherent picture of the battlespace and how it affected the MAGTF. Additionally, these ca- reer intelligence professionals strug- gled to provide a realistic analysis of enemy capabilities and how these units might fight when faced with MAGTF operations. Our Marines were very proficient at performing the steps of the IPB process, excelling at gathering the in- formation needed to build the IPB brief, but they struggled when pressed to conduct analysis of enemy capabili- ties and their preferred courses of ac- tion (COAs). When asked to give specifics on why they thought an enemy force would adopt a particular COA, most Marines were unable to give any answer better than, “That’s what Notional Theater Command (NotionalCom) says they will do.” While they were more than capable of finding and briefing NotionalCom’s Figure 1.
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