By Courtesy Story from IWTC San Diego

SAN DIEGO – Sandy Brown, assistant deputy director of Naval Intelligence and director, intelligence capabilities and systems division (N2N6Q) on the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) staff, and Chris Page, deputy director, OPNAV N2N6Q, visited Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) San Diego on Oct. 11, 2022.

During their visit, Brown and Page met with IWTC San Diego leaders and staff to deepen their understanding of the intelligence training conducted at the fleet-focused schoolhouse, and discuss information warfare (IW) training requirements necessary to strengthen integrated deterrence efforts and maintain the Navy’s maritime dominance.

Cmdr. Greg Gabriel, commanding officer, IWTC San Diego, provided a command brief that included an overview of the 50 courses offered at IWTC San Diego’s geographically dispersed training sites spread across the Pacific. Brown and Page visited classrooms supporting the Foreign Military Intelligence Collection Activities (FORMICA) course and Senior Enlisted Maritime Intelligence Analysis Course (SEMIAC), and toured intelligence team trainer facilities used to simulate shipboard systems and capabilities in a schoolhouse environment ashore.

IWTC San Diego instructors provided an overview of their respective courses and described the need to keep pace with technological advances in the fleet to maintain their information advantage over evolving adversarial threats.

Intelligence Specialist Senior Chief Tommy Irwin provided the guests an overview of the newly developed SEMIAC course, expected to pilot in 2023. Irwin highlighted the importance of SEMIAC for future independent duty intelligence specialists (IDIS), preparing them for roles and responsibilities upon reaching their next ship. SEMIAC is a two-month course that will supply IDISs with advanced training to provide all-source operational intelligence to their respective operational commanders and build intelligence resource management skills as an independent intelligence operator with limited direct supervision.

Intelligence Specialist Chief Josh Bibb, lead instructor for the three-course intelligence team trainer series, explained the schoolhouse’s premier scenario-based training program and how the curricula is continuously updated to keep-pace with changing adversary threats and tactics.

“Intelligence Team Trainers help prepare afloat intelligence teams with the necessary processes and watch stander knowledge to provide timely and accurate indications and warning in support of deploying carrier strike groups and amphibious readiness groups,” said Bibb. “Intelligence Team Trainers replicate real-world scenarios in a simulated environment, providing afloat intelligence teams with realistic training early in their pre-deployment training cycle.”

Gabriel noted the visit was a great opportunity for the command to engage directly with their OPNAV N2N6 resource sponsor.

“Ms. Brown and Mr. Page were eager to discuss topics essential to optimizing fleet IW readiness such as improving curriculum agility and training systems modernization,” said Gabriel. “We sincerely appreciate their commitment to the future of intelligence training and allowing IWTC San Diego staff the opportunity to learn from our senior Navy information warfare decision makers.”

IWTC San Diego offers courses of instruction in information technology, cryptology, intelligence, and electronic warfare led by an instructor and support staff of over 225 professionals training over 4,500 students annually in San Diego, Hawaii, Pacific Northwest, and Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training.

With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, Center for Information Warfare Training trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. Center for Information Warfare Training also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.