BOGOR, Indonesia – A group of 25 Indonesian military officers graduated from Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) San Diego’s International Maritime Intelligence Course (IMIC) on August 26, which was delivered in Indonesia.
The course, delivered through a Mobile Training Team (MTT), was conducted to support intelligence training to a key Indo-Pacific partner-nation, and was the first IWTC San Diego IMIC MTT completed in over three years prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MTT directly supports Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative (MSI), increasing maritime security and maritime domain awareness of foreign countries along the South China Sea and into South Asia as part of the Global Train and Equip (GTE) effort.
This flagship course provides foundational intelligence training to international officers in the paygrades of O-1 to O-5. Upon completion, trainees are able to provide intelligence support to naval operations and planning in both afloat and ashore environments.
Through the one-week course, military officers complete lessons covering various intelligence disciplines and processes, including practical exercises on briefing, analytical methods, and intelligence planning. The course prepares students to execute a variety of duties centered on evaluation, analysis, and dissemination of critical information to inform decision-makers through the production of actionable intelligence.
“This was an extremely unique experience. After teaching the course multiple times in San Diego, it was great to be able to see students in their home environment, working alongside their colleagues. There was an ample amount of back-and-forth interaction and the students were very engaged,” said Lt. Miranda Rogers, one of the IMIC MTT instructors.
In addition, the students had positive reviews for the instructors and thanked the staff for their help throughout the course.
“This course is very important to Commander’s decision making. We hope this course will be continued and increased to the next level in the next year,” said Lt. Amir Mahmud of the Indonesian Navy, one of the course’s students.
With an average class size ranging from 25 to 35 students, more than 600 foreign military students have completed IMIC with successful MTTs in Mexico City, Mexico; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Manila, Philippines.
“This course gave us opportunity to understand deeply about intelligence. I hope this program will be conducted every year. This course gave us knowledge and a chance to have interaction with U.S. Navy personnel to share information and experience,” said Capt. Bery Simanjuntzk, an Indonesian Marine, another student in the IMIC course.
The execution of IMIC is a critical component to maintaining key relationships with worldwide partner nations and allows the Department of Defense and Department of State to meet strategic objectives to help keep the high seas open to the international community.
IWTC San Diego currently offers courses of instruction in information technology, cryptology, and intelligence with an instructor and support staff of over 225 military, civilian, and contract members who train over 4,500 students every year at training sites in San Diego, Hawaii, Pacific Northwest, and Yokosuka, Japan. As one of four schoolhouses for the Center for Information Warfare Training, Information Warfare Training Command San Diego 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.