Intel section keeps 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade informed during Talisman Sabre 2011

USS BLUE RIDGE, QL, AUSTRALIA

07.25.2011

Courtesy Story

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command         

By Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr.

USS BLUE RIDGE, Australia - For 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III Marine Expeditionary Force, the responsibility of finding out what information is vital to the mission and aids the commander falls into the hands of the intelligence section.

Intel involves taking raw data and information and distilling it into a timely and useful product to aid the commander's decision making process, said Maj. Victoria A. Kinsey, intelligence officer for 3rd MEB.

Flooding someone with information is not intelligence, she said.

It has to be able to answer the "so what" question, added Kinsey.

The enemy has three tanks; that's information, but by answering the "so what" and explaining why those tanks are important, that's intelligence, she explained.

Intelligence plays a major role in executing a plan.

"It has a critical role," said Kinsey about the part Intel plays for a unit.

"The intel section's main audience is the commander, but it's not the only audience," said Kinsey adding intelligence gathered also allows other sections of a unit to make well-informed decisions.

To create a better word picture for the commander and other assets using intelligence, the Intel section uses a variety of resources.

"The 3rd MEB's ability to leverage reach back to III MEF intelligence assets, the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, and the larger intelligence community, like the PACOM Joint Intelligence Operations Center has the effect of exponentially increasing our capability beyond our actual footprint," said Kinsey. "The more fidelity we can provide the commander with respect to actual conditions in his battle space, the quicker the Boyd 'Observe Orient Decide Act' cycle is for the staff."

The intelligence section is one of the more important sections of a unit, said Col. Craig Q. Timberlake, commander of 3rd MEB and the Marine Forces Command for Talisman Sabre 2011.

The intel section keeps the staff informed which allows for informed decisions to be made that influence command and control, Timberlake said.

By influencing the commander's decisions, the intel section plays an integral part in the decision making process, he said.

"Intel can affect when decisions are made to move into the next phase of an operation," said Kinsey.

"Intelligence impacts everyone," said Kinsey. "From logistics to how operations go."

Without intel it would be much, much harder to operate, said Timberlake.

"Without intel you operate blindly," he said.

• Date Taken: 07.25.2011
• Date Posted: 07.25.2011 20:54
• Story ID: 74312
• Location: USS BLUE RIDGE, QL, AU