IWTC San Diego Employs MTTs to Train Fleet Sailors to Fight and Win

SAN DIEGO – Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) San Diego concluded two back-to-back Mobile Team Trainers (MTT) at Training Support Detachment Hawaii, June 25.

The team successfully graduated 11 students from five deployed units in the Basic Shipboard Intelligence Course (BSIC) and five students from three deployed units in the Maritime Security and Intelligence Operations (MSIO) course.

BSIC provides non-intelligence designated active-duty officers and enlisted personnel assigned as collateral duty intelligence officers (CDIO), enlisted intelligence assistants (EIA) and ships nautical or otherwise photographic interpretation and examination, or SNOOPIE, team members with the knowledge and skills to collect, produce, and disseminate visual and intelligence information reports. The one week course is beneficial to junior Sailors with limited experience in intelligence operations fundamentals.

MSIO provides training to intelligence personnel, CDIO, EIA, and visit, board, search and seizure boarding officers. Training focuses on intelligence support to Maritime Security Operations. In the course, students learn how to execute intelligence collections and prepare Intelligence Preparation of the Operating Environment products to fulfill reporting requirements at the journeyman level, with limited supervision.

“I enjoyed being able to share my knowledge with new students, who I know will use it improve things on the waterfront,” remarked Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Matthew Bonin, an MTT instructor. “The class was excellent and I hope to see all of them out in the fleet.”

By delivering the MTT, IWTC San Diego was able to help forward-deployed Sailors receive vital skills and knowledge, while assisting the fleet in reducing training and manpower costs.

“This class has taught me that SNOOPIE is so much more than taking pictures,” said Operations Specialist Seaman Allison Houle, a student from USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). “It has been very informative and I hope to help my ship improve, when it comes to running drills, since I now have a better understanding on what BSIC is.”

“I am very happy that I got a chance to come to BSIC,” added Operations Specialist Seaman Nizhoni Pena, also from USS William P. Lawrence. “And, to actually learn one aspect of what I will do on deployment. It was a great environment and gave me a lot of resources to use in order to be a successful part of the team.”

IWTC San Diego, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

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

For more news from the Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/CIWT, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.