Coming in Hot! 32d AAMDC MI Leaders Launch Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Course

Photo By Maj. Roxana Thompson | Airman 1st Class Joanna Rodriguez, Spc. Priscilla Perez and Pfc. Allysha Greaves attend the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense’s joint Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) course for military intelligence professionals here on Fort Bliss, Texas.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

03.29.2021

Story by Maj. Roxana Thompson 

32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command

FORT BLISS, TEXAS - Known as the U.S. Army’s force provider for Air and Missile Defense (AMD) missions around the globe, the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) is comprised of a wide range of highly disciplined and trained Soldiers in many different military occupational specialties (MOS). The command’s military intelligence Soldiers are a fundamental part of enabling the 32d’s combat power through the integration of intelligence support with inter-agency, joint, and multinational partners.

Supported by U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), the 32d’s MI leaders recently executed a working group coordinated with the other AAMDCs as well as U.S. Air Forces Central (AFCENT) to create the first and only joint Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) course that trains MI leaders to integrate the Intelligence Warfighting function into joint AMD operations.

The three week course provided a unique opportunity to train and teach both Army and Air Force intelligence professionals about the joint roles and responsibilities of planning and defense design, Intel collection synchronization and targeting in support of IAMD operations.

“This course is beneficial to both Soldiers and Airmen because inherently in the Air Defense fight we operate in a joint environment all the time. It’s important that each learns how the other operates and that we level the bubble on intelligence support for Air Defense operations,” said Mr. Jesse Nestler, the AFCENT Senior Ballistic Missile Analyst who taught throughout the three week training here at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Initial job training for Army Intelligence Soldiers covers the basic fundamentals of their respective career fields, which is commonly learned and taught in Advanced Individual Training (AIT). However, training and learning to be an analyst for an air and missile defense unit in the joint environment is not something that is covered in depth during AIT.

“I came straight from AIT so the joint aspect is completely new to me. I didn’t realize that the Army and Air Force intelligence community worked so closely together on Air Defense operations,” said Spc. Priscilla Perez, an intelligence analyst from San Sebastián, Puerto Rico currently assigned to the 32d.

While the initial launch of the course has centered on training intelligence professionals within the 32d the future of the Advanced Operations IAMD course will expand to support training intelligence professionals assigned to the additional AAMDCs in the U.S. Army. According to Lt. Col. Meghan Cumpston, the 32d AAMDC G2, “This course will be part of the series of FORSCOM-driven advanced operations courses (AOCs) designed to improve intelligence support and develop expertise in our warfighting function. The inherently joint and interagency nature of intelligence related to integrated air and missile defense makes this course a natural opportunity to work with partners from other services and the broader intelligence community. I expect that this course will be open to the rest of the Army as well as our partners by the end of FY21 or beginning of FY22.”

As the U.S. Army continues to rapidly develop and modernize air defense capabilities the integration of IAMD intelligence is critically important not only to the 32d but to the success of Combined Theater Air and Missile Defense operations worldwide.

• Date Taken: 03.29.2021
• Date Posted: 03.29.2021 11:41
• Story ID: 392484
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US