Content area
Full text
Introduction
The U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca (USAIC&FH) has become a lead element for Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and has embraced the National Geospatial-lntelligence Agency (NGA) stewardship of GEOINT as its functional manager. Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) G2, the U.S. Army Intelligence and security Command (INSCOM), the U.S. Army Engineering Topographic Center (TEC) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri have also embraced NGA GEOINT stewardship. The intent is for all partners to bring to life the "space to mud" GEOINT enterprise. All partners are currently engaged with the USAIC&FH Cradle To Grave (C2G) study, assessing and resolving GEOINT impacts on Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leader Development, Personnel, and Facilities (DOTMLPF).
The Chief of Staff of the Army directed the HQDA G2 as the geospatial lead in May 2004, with TRADOC Program Integration Officer-Terrain Data and the U.S. Army Engineer Center at Fort Leonard Wood as Geospatial Information and Services (GI&S) lead. The USAIC&FH Commanding General, MG Barbara Fast, designated GEOINT as an intelligence discipline in February 2006. That set into motion many very fast-paced and simultaneous efforts to capitalize and further develop GEOINT. In early March 2006 with the CG's guidance, the Deputy Commandant, Mr. Jerry V. Proctor and the USAIC&FH Senior IMINT (Imagery Intelligence) Advisor, CW4 Thomas R. Dostie, developed the USAIC&FH-NGA Engagement Plan. It was subsequently briefed to, and garnered support from, the senior managers of NGA, (including the former Djrector Of NGA_ lieutenant General (Retired) Clapper) resulting in an evolving and extremely successful partnership. The U.S. Army was the first military service and Department of Defense (DOD) organization to fully embrace NGA stewardship of GEOINT, recognizing it as the GEOINT functional manager and supporting the creation of a GEOINT Enterprise system much like the NSA model. By March 29, 2006, the C2G completed a full DOTLMPF assessment of GEOINT impacts with goals to "identify, facilitate, and integrate solutions" within six months.
In early April 2006 the USAIC&FH-U.S. Army Engineer GEOINT memorandum of agreement (MOA) was drafted, in June 2006 the MOA was signed. An important part of the MOA was the agreed upon definition of GEOINT as: "Intelligence derived from the exploitation, analysis, and fusion of imagery with geospatial information...