INTEL431

250 WORDS AGREE OR DISAGREE

The three most important points that I took away from this weeks readings for the purposes of improving the intelligence function are; quality training for new and journeyman analysts, maximizing teamwork whenever possible, and managing leadership talent.
The most fundamental thing is training and education. The criminal intelligence training standards we read this week made a point that “as the area of intelligence continues to develop and grow, intelligence personnel will continue to require consistent, high-quality, and comprehensive instruction” (DOJ, 2004).  I wholeheartedly agree and speak from experience that quality training is paramount.  This can be true of both education at an institution like here at AMU, or it can also apply to job training such as the training I received from the Army in Arizona.  While there is certainly a talent factor to this field, good training is also a significant factor.  The training I received in Arizona prepared me well for what the Army demanded of me.  The teachers I had were of high quality, having been highly regarded by the teachers in other classrooms.  After completing my training and joining my first unit, I quickly noticed a difference in some of other newer analysts, who probably did not have the highest quality teachers.
The second point, that teamwork is essential, comes from our assigned reading “What do Intelligence Teams Do?”  This makes the point that intelligence requires people in multiple disciplines (Hastie, 2011). This includes people who work in each of the five major collection disciplines, the analyst(s) and the policy makers.  While these groups do not need to constantly be working in the same room, they need to communicate often.  Even more important is to have the analysis portion completed by a team and not just one individual.  In previous classes here at AMU I learned, and many of you probably have, that biases come in many forms.  We are all guilty of biases, which is best defeated by a group effort and a structure analytical technique.
Lastly, managing supervisory talent is a point that the lesson this week makes.  It says “Behind most successful companies are great leaders who can guide operations toward completing tasks and objectives effectively” (APUS, 2019).  Intelligence can easily be thought of as its own company or business.  The customer is the policy maker.  Managing talented leaders is vital to making the whole process the most successful it can be.  Good leaders improve their subordinates, quality check the products being made, and provide guidance and direction to keep operations running smoothly.
APUS Staff. 2019. INTL 431 Week 2 Lesson.
Department of Justice 2004 “Minimum Criminal Intelligence Training Standards for United States Law Enforcement and Other Criminal Justice Agencies”  https://apus.intelluslearning.com/lti/#/document/103369814/1/60b9a5c7354642a02cdeb162c5d09aa2/40c265908c7a5695b48da9b1932e31bb/browse_published_content/3909/2863/31253/1/lesson/lesson?hideClose=false&tagId=26792&external_course_id=410421&external_course_name=INTL431%20B001%20Sum%2019
Hastie, R 2011. “Group Processes in Intelligence Analysis” Intelligence Analysis: Behavioral and Social Scientific Foundations Ch. 8 https://www.nap.edu/read/13062/chapter/12